Entertainment on the Las Vegas Strip sees little disruption

Lisa Snedeker

Tuesday, Sept. 11, 2001 | 3:27 a.m.

LAS VEGAS - There were no pirate battles, dancing fountains or erupting volcanoes on the Las Vegas Strip after terrorists attacked New York and Washington on Tuesday.

Still, tourists continued to plug quarters into slot machines and double down at blackjack tables while images of the hijacked airliners crashing into the World Trade Center and the Pentagon flashed on giant screens in the casinos' race and sports books.

"None of the resorts have been closed," said Alan Feldman, spokesman for MGM Mirage, the largest resort owner on the Strip.

"We just felt that some of the extraneous entertainment on the Strip wasn't necessary and it could easily wait a night,"

The magic of perennial headliners Siegfried and Roy, the acrobatics of the water theater "O" and the impressions of Danny Gans remained dark Tuesday.

Other attractions were closed, including the Paris Las Vegas hotel-casino's 50-story, half-size replica of the Eiffel Tower, the 1,149-foot Stratosphere Tower, the Sahara's NASCAR Cafe roller coaster and Disney's ESPN Zone restaurant at New York-New York hotel-casino.

But the show will continue on the stages of "EFX" and "Lord of the Dance," and for comedians George Carlin and Rita Rudner.

"Entertainment will go forward as scheduled," said Debbie Munch, spokeswoman for Park Place Entertainment, the world's largest hotel-casino owner.

Resorts heightened security and shopping malls, including Fashion Show and the Forum Shops at Caesars Palace hotel-casino on the Strip, were closed.

"The closure of the Forum Shops is an effort to keep our shoppers and employees safe," said Maureen Crampton, spokeswoman for mall owner Simon Property Group.

Security guards were checking luggage and loading dock deliveries at MGM Mirage resorts. And at Paris-Bally's Las Vegas resorts only hotel guests were allowed to use valet parking and their vehicles were inspected, Munch said.

"Each property is taking security measures based on its unique needs," she said.

The Aladdin hotel-casino initially limited access to its casino to hotel guests only, but loosened those restrictions by afternoon, spokesman Lynn Holt said.

"We've converted one of our convention ballrooms into a screening room so guests can watch news updates," he said, adding that anyone who spent Monday night at the hotel would be allowed to stay over.

Strip property executives said Tuesday's focus was on assisting guests, "especially those that have been stranded by airport closures," Munch said.

Despite reports that the resorts were taking advantage of those stranded airline passengers by raising room rates, Feldman, Munch and the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority officials denied a cost increase.

"In many cases the rates have gone down," said Rob Powers, spokesman for the visitors authority. "The pattern has been hotels reducing rates for guests unable to fly out."

The Hilton Convention Center and Sands Convention Center remained open. The authority, however, was forced to close the city's largest convention center, after an 8 a.m. bomb threat sent employees home and canceled a 30,000-member international baking convention, Powers said.