End of an era as Vegas casino closes

[CA-35]

Las Vegas marks the end of an era this week as one of the US gambling mecca's last original "Rat Pack" casino-hotels, the Sahara, finally closes its doors. Here's a link if anyone is interested.
http://news.yahoo.com/s/afp/20110515/lf_afp/useconomytourismgambling
It's a good read but a sad story.

 

[AlohaJoe]

Sad to see it go! I was born in Reno but spent lots of time in Vegas in the 70s when I worked out at Mercury. I saw some great shows at the Sahara.

 

[davismanLV]

It's the end of an era. Actually that era ended some time ago. The Sahara hasn't been anything great for many years. Life moves on. Vegas has changed. It's better now. Tom in Vegas

 

[Taylor Martin Guild]

I don't know why something like this makes me sad.
I guess it's the end of an era that was a part of my begining in life.

I remember as a very young child, riding through Vegas with my parents and looking out of the car to see the magic lights.

For some reason, when something that is a part of my past is distroyed a part of me goes with it.
Do you know what I mean?

 

[killdeer43]

For some reason, when something that is a part of my past is destroyed a part of me goes with it.
Do you know what I mean?

I hear you, and I totally understand the feeling. :wink:

Joe

 

[Ridgemont]

On my first trip to Vegas, we stayed at the Sahara. It did have a lot of history hanging on the wall, but times have changed. In recent years, it turned into somewhat of an empty dump. It just can't compete with the Vegas standards (at least on the Strip). If only they could move it to downtown where nostalgia runs wild. :mrgreen:

 

[davismanLV]

I know EXACTLY what you mean, TMG. It is sad to see these landmark hotels and casinos go. I've watched a couple of the old ones hit the ground in my six years here. The skyline has changed here so much in those years. City Center, Cosmopolitan, Palazzo.... they're beautiful and exciting. But it's sad that all traces of the old ones are obliterated. Well, except the signs. They usually save the signs..... like the Stardust sign, one of my faves. It's somewhere now.... but I don't think it's displayed yet. They have a great neon sign museum down at Freemont Street. The Flamingo is still here.... but it's old and dated and shows it's years. The Tropicana is a cinder-block dump.... but with one of the best pools in town. Makes me wonder which one is next..... Tom in Vegas

p.s. - @ Ridge, the "where nostalgia runs wild" comment made me bark out a laugh!!! That's about the nicest way to put it, HAAAAAAAAA!!!

 

[adorshki]

p.s. - @ Ridge, the "where nostalgia runs wild" comment made me bark out a laugh!!! That's about the nicest way to put it, HAAAAAAAAA!!!

I went to Vegas once in '89 I think it was, and experienced severe culture shock. I was booked at the Tropicana by a travel agent at a great price but didn't realize when I checked in in the early afternnon that the reason the gaming floor was empty was that they'd lost their license at the time. I just thought they were about to set up for dinner. :lol: No biggie to me, I actually was there to meet someone and sight-see, I'm not a gambler.
I slowly got a clue a little later as I drove the Strip and stopped at a couple of places. :lol:
Anyway, I remember a couple of years later how all the family friendly attractions were being heavily promoted and thinking to myself, "Las Vegas...it's not just for sin anymore".
And now that "What happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas", it appears that it is again. :lol:

 

[twocorgis]

It's the end of an era. Actually that era ended some time ago. The Sahara hasn't been anything great for many years. Life moves on. Vegas has changed. It's better now. Tom in Vegas

Well, until it runs out of water, anyway. Sadly, at their present rate (and building casinos like the Bellagio doesn't help) it's inevitable, unless they can make another Colorado River...

 

[adorshki]

It's the end of an era. Actually that era ended some time ago. The Sahara hasn't been anything great for many years. Life moves on. Vegas has changed. It's better now. Tom in Vegas

Well, until it runs out of water, anyway. Sadly, at their present rate (and building casinos like the Bellagio doesn't help) it's inevitable, unless they can make another Colorado River...

Isn't that what's going up on the site of the old Sahara?

 

[davismanLV]

The whole "What happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas" thing is one of the WORST marketing ploys ever. People think they can come here and misbehave and act a fool. Trust me, if it's not appropriate where you live, it's not appropriate here. Don't come to my town and act like an IDIOT!! But people do it all the time. Sheesh..... Tom in Vegas

 

[twocorgis]

The whole "What happens in Vegas, stays in Vegas" thing is one of the WORST marketing ploys ever. People think they can come here and misbehave and act a fool. Trust me, if it's not appropriate where you live, it's not appropriate here. Don't come to my town and act like an IDIOT!! But people do it all the time. Sheesh..... Tom in Vegas

I always thought that was nothing new Tom, and besides some of those commercials were funny. How about the girl with twenty different names? :lol:

Really, Vegas was known as "Sin City" long before this ad campaign, and just about everything is legal there, no?

 

[adorshki]

Don't come to my town and act like an IDIOT!!

I assume you'd excuse those poor drunken wenches who need to cool down by flapping their t-shirts up over their (missing) bras?
I'm pretty sure I could let that one go by. 8)

 

[geoguy]

Yeah, they say that prostitution isn't legal in Vegas (and it probably isn't), but there are guys on the Strip sidewalks handing out escort-service business cards all day long.

One of them gave my senior-citizen mother-in-law one of those cards as we were walking past a police cruiser. :lol:

So yes, Vegas is much more tolerant of some behaviors than other US cities.

 

[adorshki]

Yeah, they say that prostitution isn't legal in Vegas (and it probably isn't)

Yeah, seems counterintuitive, but that's true. My guess is that it would represent too much competition to the casinos for the tourist buck.

, but there are guys on the Strip sidewalks handing out escort-service business cards all day long.
One of them gave my senior-citizen mother-in-law one of those cards as we were walking past a police cruiser. :lol:

But he was trying to hire her, right?

So yes, Vegas is much more tolerant of some behaviors than other US cities.

Actually, and again, counter-intuitively, they're probably less tolerant of anything not actually legal. Cliff the Mailman down at Cheers says it's a little-known fact that there's a disproportionately large Mormon population in Las Vegas, as the local gaming industry prizes their clean living ways in their employees.
'Course, that info may be outdated. Tom?

 

[davismanLV]

I know there are more Mormons here than where I came from (Los Angeles) but, how many and how they handle their business here is unknown to me. I just don't like people coming here specifically to misbehave. Have fun, enjoy yourself, and know your limits. This is a great town to live in but ... you can see some really sad stories here. There's gambling and drugs and alcohol everywhere and ..... too many people who can't handle those things and keep it all in perspective. If you have any kind of "issues" this is a bad place to live. It's easy to get in trouble here.

Some people just don't get it. They don't understand the difference between "drinking in public" and "being drunk in public" and .... it's not pretty. Some people actually think it's legal to be drunk here.

It's a strange town, but it's home and I like it here. Fun and international in the middle, quiet and small around the edges. Works for me. It's a very fun town to live in. Just a quick trip (20 minutes) to the Strip and it's like being on vacation for a little while. Tom in Vegas