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StumbleM Resort dedicates grand Christmas tree to less fortunate
Community welcomed to join in as casino-hotel lights 109-foot, decorated tree
Mona Shield Payne / Special to the Sun
Thousands of guests gather Saturday at the Villaggio Del Sole outdoor events piazza for the lighting of the Christmas tree at the M Resort.
Published Saturday, Dec. 12, 2009 | 9:49 p.m.
Updated Saturday, Dec. 12, 2009 | 10:30 p.m.
M Resort's 2009 Christmas tree stands 109-feet tall, making it the tallest cut Christmas tree in the country, M Resort execs contend. The largest living, non-cut Christmas tree is in Coeur d'Alene Resort in Idaho and stands 161-feet tall.
For the Nye family, moving to Henderson from Maryland meant Christmas was going to be different this year.
While that may mean no snow, they did get to enjoy some of the perks of living in the land of hotel-casinos. Saturday night they saw the lighting of the M Resort’s Christmas tree, billed as the largest non-living Christmas tree in the nation.
“We’ve never been to an event like this before. It’s really nice,” said Dan Nye. “You don’t think it’s as big as it is, until you see it.”
His wife, Krista, said their two boys, Reese, 7, and Derek, 8, were getting restless until the tree lit up.
But the night was worth it after seeing the shimmering tree, Reese said. “Now it glows. It looks all golden,” he said.
While other places boast taller trees, they are either artificial or still in the ground growing. The M Resort’s 109-foot, 11-ton White Fir came to the resort from Oregon.
“We cut this tree down, closed roads and highways to bring it here. It took more than seven days to get it in the ground and decorated and tonight, I’m very excited that so many people showed up to share the lighting of the Christmas tree with us,” said the resort’s chief executive, Anthony Marnell III.
Marnell said the tree is dedicated to all of the children in the Las Vegas Valley who won’t have a tree in their own homes because of the difficult economic times.
“This tree is for them and they can come here any time they want to enjoy how beautiful and special it is,” he said.
Malinda Schindler and her family drove down from the northwest valley to see the tree-lighting.
She was so impressed, she sent a text message her to friends back in the Midwest. “New York’s got the Rockefeller Center and we’ve got the M Resort, and it’s (the tree) bigger, and it’s not as cold here,” she said.
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Locally owned and independent for more than 50 years.
It is my understanding that the hotel has been for sale since before its opening.
You people are so sad. This is one of the cooleste events in this town and you just bash the M. I work there and we are one of the busiest casinos in the locals market. Get a life
Difficult Economic Times...so, let's everyone try to stay a bit positive and show some community pride in events such as this one at the M Resort.
All the negativity is not healthy.
Judgment aside on the tree purchase (though to me it sounds like they are invoking the plight of poor children to justify cutting down a really big and probably old tree to create some foot traffic) if they really wanted to do something for poor children in the valley they should have taken advantage of the extra traffic and hosted and publicized a "toy drive." As it is the dedication rings hollow...but there is still time M Resort.
Christmas is about love and hope for ALL! I was told a long time ago, if you do not have something good to say, do not say it. Merry Christmas!
Hey Artsreader
The M did do something for kids and we have a 12 day toy drive for canned food, toys and clothes for kids. Get on down there and donate!
I don't really understand the need to cut a tree. If you DO need to, then you should have a plan to use the wood for something equally nice: like wooden toys for tots or something.
That said, I like the M. It really IS a nice local's casino. You cannot beat the Hostile grape and the staff who work there (and all over the casino), top shelf! Always friendly and always nice! So, keep up the good work Mteammember!
Besides... who can complain about self-serve fountain sodas? LOL!
Can't wait to see this tree Saturday night! We have family coming in to town and we are taking them to the M since they haven't even been there yet.
All this negativity is ridiculous. I happen to think M Resort is the best locals casino.
I also love how some people complain about cutting down a tree. Hello.... Las Vegas Sun cuts down trees to print their news papers. HA!
A nice tree and a nice gesture, Merry Christmas to the people who work at the M and a prosperous New Year.
A positive attitude is what this Country was built on.
I am dedicating my breakfast to those less fortunate. Anybody who is hungry and can't afford food is invited to come watch me eat!
Seems more viable to take the MONEY that it cost to import this tree and decorate it... and have a $69.95 plastic tree so that the money could be used to purchase FOOD.. and maybe small toys for the little children in the city who will have little food and nothing else for Christmas this year.
Funds misdirected one more time. Maybe next year.
Agree with englishvinal. There is also the cost of the electricity needed to keep this behemoth lit. I don't care what type lights they're using--old-fashioned or LED--this still costs a lot of energy to keep on. Yes, it's a nice gesture, but I get the feeling that, with M's insistence on this being the tallest, non-living tree--and why did they have to kill the tree anyway?--this is more of a publicity stunt to draw more people into the casino.
I am disgusted at the negative comments made in reference to this article! I think it's a wonderful gesture and it brings about a positive sense of community. I believe M Resort does quite a bit for the community so you negative nillies need to zip it.
Really, Christy? This is still a country where we're aloud to voice our opinions--supposedly without having to put with ninnies like you.
Don't listen to the scrooges out there "M". Have a wonderful holiday season. PS. Your hotel is absolutely beautiful. When I come to Vegas on my annual trip next year...I will be staying in your hotel. The hell with the strip.
My friends and I are going there tomorrow night. We don't have a tree this year so it's going to be a very exciting night for us. The M should make this a tradition. Merry Christmas everyone!
Christy, I agree with and support your comments. Thank you for your positive attitude and community spirit. You will find in all of these forums to be the same nah-saying, gloom and doom, peanut gallery comments. Whats more annoying is that many of these commentors have different aliases. So, they can write in several times under a different name, supporting their own negative-bad attitude opinion.
Freedom of speech? I doubt ANY of these people would stand-up, give a speech and say any of these rude/negative comments if they weren't hiding behind their anonymous aliases shooting out complaints from the sidelines. It's easy to do that without looking someone in the eye and no repurcussions or accountability for their words or actions.
I bet that if the online newspapers required names and addresses for these comments, you wouldn't see this same stuff you see over and over and over again from the same people who generally have no concept of most issues they are commenting on.
I wish the online newspapers would just stop these comments. They just seem to create more havoc and conflict between society at a time when society needs to be banding together. 99% of the comments in all of these forums are jaded,worthless,untrue and provide no real value to the topics or society.
Happy Holidays everyone!!! Enjoy the season. Go out to Lake Las Vegas and see their tree and go ice skating with your family.
Agreed. Let's all post our real name and identities if only to see how many PR firms and Casino Marketing departments "work" the boards here too, hmmm? It's only fair right? Expose the naysayers in exchange for exposing the shills. Ok, Bouvier, you start -- name and address please.