Facebook
Fark
Digg
Reddit
Stumble
LAS VEGAS SUN
By Kyle B. Hansen (contact) 
, Joe Schoenmann (contact)
Tuesday, July 20, 2010 | 1:57 p.m.
Reader poll
Sun Archives
Clark County commissioners weren't able to reach a consensus today during their meeting on proposals to open a liquor store at McCarran International Airport.
After failing to accept any of the three proposals for the store, commissioners voted to bring the issue to their next meeting to discuss whether they want a liquor store at the airport at all.
The three proposals were from Lee’s Runway Liquor, whose CEO is Hae Un Lee; Liquor Library LLC, with manager/member Richard Worthington; and Binna LLC, managing member Amer Ramo.
A five-person airport evaluation team looked at the proposals using nine criteria, including their financial proposal and the applicants’ financial stability, liquor store experience and operating plan. Proposals were rated and Lee’s Runway Liquor collected the most points, with 85.8 of a possible 100. That compared with 81 for the Liquor Library and 52.8 for Binna.
After bonus points — given for having a package liquor store license, five to 10 years’ experience operating with that license or being a small-business operator — Lee’s had 94.6 points, Liquor Library had 84.4 and Binna had 63.4.
The evaluation committee recommended Lee’s, but it is up to the commissioners to decide.
Outside duty-free stores that sell liquor in airports, county officials think no U.S. airport leases space in or near a baggage claim area to a liquor store. The airport wants to locate the store next to the escalators leading from the D gates to the baggage claim area.
I say YES! It is hard to find good liquor in some countries so it would be nice to buy it on the way there duty free!
Why not? You can buy liquor from one of the many bars when you wait for your plane, you can buy booze while on the plane, and you can buy booze 5 minutes driving in any direction from the airport.
I don't see any reason why not sell it in there. Unless of course the hotels are bribing the airport because they don't want people to buy bottles from there and take it to their hotel rooms instead of buying it from the hotel...?!
When I fly in to the airport all I want to do is get my bags and go home.
I'll drink to that.
Would you prefer a case of Budweiser or a fifth of Jack Daniels with your rental today?
: {
tom, this cannot be a "duty-free" if its located at the baggage claim, where anyone can enter and exit without tickets or screening. You'll still pay sales tax on anything you buy there. A duty free shop in Nevada won't save you any money since the majority of the liquors sold are already imported into the country. You can't buy a 6 pack of Coors at the duty-free shop. The only way to save money on liquor at a duty-free shops is to buy booze made in the country you are traveling fromm, such as Champagne sold in the Paris airport.
cute graphic
Yea, then you can have a drink while waiting for your bags. And if their late, who cares...
either way it goes someone will blame obama. he was responsible for slavery, jim crow laws, creation of cigaretts, creation of liquor, creation of the KKK, creation of LAPD and NV Metro, order to have jews killed, made the phone call at costco in which someone was killed, now he wants to have a liquor store at baggage claim. Well at least everything he has done that I have identified has created jobs and the continued circulation of money called capitalism. I am all for it.
This would be a huge moneymaker. Watch the check-in line some time at the MGM. Half the people checking in have already stopped somewhere for a case of Bud to drink in the room. That should say something to the resort managers, if they're paying attention....
Wolf, you are still allowed to pick up your bags and go home. Nobody will force you to buy liquor.
I'm all for this idea. In fact, they should open all three proposed liquor stores to encourage competition and lower prices (in theory).
Now I just wish they would get rid of the slots that are right in the middle of an overcrowded walkway. Who are the people that are so desperate to gamble they must do it while they wait for a suitcase? At least push the slots up against the walls. Yes, I know they won't get as much play that way, I just want them out of the walkway.
Mandatory liquor outlets in all hotel lobbies anyone?
"" {
er682 - thanks for the tip, now I need a drink being reminded; anyone can walk into the baggage claim and steal my bags.
tbrownbag....
LMFAO thats great it really is you know some stupid tea bagger would have said that ... but yea they should just alow it .
What time is Happy hour,I forgot its Sin City 24/7
bgrebs you are absolutely correct. I saw this at Wynn of all places a few months ago. A small group of guys, late 20 or so, pushing one of the luggage carts thru with and ice-chest full of drinks and several bags on McDonald's on top!
There's also a never ending stream of people walking from the Hard Rock to the CVS across the street to get booze, chips, etc. for their rooms.
I've been a defender of the resort fees, etc, but recently drank a bottle of "Smart" water from my room at Hard Rock and it was $8.11... I get the little bottles of liquor, but $8.11 for water? I didn't complain, I'll go back as I love the place, but I can see that pickin'-up booze at the airport will probably do well.
I can't see how putting a liquor store in the airport is competition for hotel bars and restaurants. There's a CVS right by the Hard Rock selling booze and that hotel seems to be doing okay so I wonder why the commissioners couldn't make a vote on the issue today?
This is an awesome idea.
There have been so many times when, after I've endured a long check-in line, I then have to go on another trek to find somewhere to buy a bottle of liquor.
Now...I can pick up a bottle of JD before I pick up my luggage (if I've brought any) and I'm set to go once I've checked in.
I give this idea 2 thumbs up!
After going through the headache of landing at McCarran, a nice bevie would be a welcome treat.
Cheers, folks,
awaiting the day I enter the taxi with the cab driver offering me a free ride, after I bought a Jack-on-Jack from him. How about some good liquor in a taxi, after a 20 hours flight...:)
Regards
Banana_Joe