Columnist Jeff German: Las Vegas beefs up security

Friday, March 21, 2003 | 11:27 a.m.

America is at war once more, and just as it did 12 years ago in Desert Storm, Las Vegas is busy helping people escape the realities of a campaign against Iraq.

On the surface, America's adult playland is putting on its best face, portraying life on the Strip as business as usual.

But mixed in with the glitz are increased security measures to keep up that facade while easing the fear of terrorism.

If you've been on the Strip in the last couple of days, you've seen some strange occurrences -- including security checkpoints and bomb sniffing dogs outside a casino while inside tourists played video poker and placed bets on their favorite college team, as if they didn't have a care in the world.

Terrorism wasn't a concern on the Strip during the Gulf War in 1991, so there were no extra security precautions. Las Vegas didn't have to change a thing.

But Sept. 11, 2001, forced the casino industry to become more security conscious, and the new war has heightened that awareness even more.

"When we were in the Gulf War, we just sat back and watched and listened," said Tim Donovan, president of the Las Vegas Security Chiefs Association, which represents 7,000 officers from 89 hotels. "But today we're very active."

Being prepared to meet a terrorist threat has become as important to the industry as catching cheaters. In fact, surveillance cameras used to spot cheaters now also watch for terrorists.

Though authorities don't like to talk about it, Las Vegas has to be considered an al-Qaida target. If Disneyland is on al-Qaida's list, why wouldn't Las Vegas, the entertainment capital of the world, be on it, too?

This city can never do enough to ensure the safety of its guests.

And so far, it's doing enough to at least calm the fears of both tourists and employees.

Most tourists interviewed on the Strip as the war broke out said they felt at ease. Their biggest worry was making sure they had a flight home.

The major concern among casino workers, such as bartenders, cocktail waitresses, bellmen and valet attendants, was not their security, but whether they will be laid off if the war drags out and slows tourism.

Donovan said security on the Strip is as high, if not higher, than on New Year's Eve, when several hundred thousand partygoers jammed Las Vegas Boulevard.

Security officers are working 12-hour shifts, trunks are being inspected at valet parking, baggage is being examined at the bell captain's desk, guests are watched as they enter elevators and employees are getting briefings on evacuation plans.

Some casinos have set up command centers to communicate with authorities, while others have bought satellite telephones in case their regular phone system goes down.

The industry, it turns out, has managed to tighten up security, yet give its guests and employees the freedom to conduct business as usual.

There's always more that can be done, but what's being done now isn't that bad at all.