Locals might cringe every time the “What happens in Vegas stays in Vegas” cliché is trotted out — in part because what happens there usually finds its way to YouTube within hours, if not minutes. However, the staying power of its source, the “What happens here, stays here” series of commercials is pretty amazing. When the Las Vegas Convention & Visitors Authority rolled it out in 2003, who thought it would still be going strong 14 years later? It’s spared creator (and owner) R&R Partners a lot of gray matter, as they don’t have to come up with a new brand for Sin City for the foreseeable future. The LVCVA soft-pedaled the campaign during the Great Recession but it’s never fully gone away and surely inspired The Cosmopolitan‘s attempted approximation, “The Right Amount of Wrong,” which didn’t have quite the same swing to it.
I wouldn’t go as far as Thrillist and imply that “What Happens Here Stays Here” saved the Las Vegas Strip from succumbing to Atlantic City‘s fate. Even at the worst of times, there was no doubt that that Vegas would survive, even if in somewhat chastened form. But in a Las Vegas that relies more and more on nightclubs and pool parties (and the once-spurned conventioneer), the famed slogan shows no sign of losing its relevance. However …
Don’t believe anybody who tells you there’s no such thing as “family friendly Vegas” anymore. Today the ribbon will be cut on the “flagship gallery” of Magical Memories, a Forum Shops store that is described as “the premier dealer of artwork inspired by the rich artistic heritage of Disney.” Disney on the Strip? You better believe it. The Mouse House remains deeply opposed to casinos (especially in Florida) but doesn’t mind if you take a souvenir of Walt’s legacy home with you when you visit Sin City. Who ever thought Mickey Mouse and Tinkerbell would be setting up shop next to Caesars Palace? Proposed new slogan: “What happens here is suitable for framing.”
* Not everything on the Strip is sunshine and roses. MGM Resorts International doormen are at loggerheads with their employer over its relationship with Uber (which is promoted on MGM’s Web site, among other places) and have filed a grievance. The grudge is 
threefold: Doormen say they’re being cut out of contractually mandated relationships with third-party transportation providers, that they’re not getting the tips they would if a guest hailed a cab or needed a limo, and that the Uber drivers are causing chaos with blithely ignoring taxi and limo traffic patterns. Considering the racket that the Las Vegas taxicab business is, we don’t begrudge Uber its up-and-coming status. However, tips are the lifeblood of the doorman and if MGM is going to get into bed with Uber, a pay raise for doormen should precede any lovemaking.
* This week marks the 25th anniversary of casino gambling in Mississippi (there were some premature celebrations last year). We’re not aware of any particular commemoration but that doesn’t mean that 
the quarter-century mark is passing without notice. Quite the contrary. Although the Bayou State’s industry has been pretty much maxed out — what is gained at the coastal casinos is surrendered by the Mississippi River ones — is still makes a boatload of money, so much so that lawmakers are looking at raising the 12% tax rate, one of the fairest in the nation. Some contend that instead of an increased levy, casinos should be encouraged to put that money into (mandatory?) capex reinvestment, keeping their facilities fresh. And even the graybeards in the industry are looking ahead, talking about e-sports and interactive slots. I don’t think we have to worry about Mississippi’s future.
