I can't help but smile at the rush of people looking to say bad things. The same thing happened 20 years ago to Steve Wynn and The Mirage and it's still going strong all these years later - to say nothing of the amazing changes it ushered in all along the Strip. Best of all, of course, is the fact that none of these people could have seen the inside of this incredible development. I, for one, am grateful for the fact that Murren has a vision of something more than just the next theme and has devoted himself tirelessly to see it through. Wish I could say the same for most of these commentators.

Let me get this right - the visionary, super-human, all-knowing genius opens a $2.5 billion hotel and his total revenues go DOWN??????

Even in an historic bad economy that's incredible. What a disaster.

If locals were only honest about it, Steve's been singing the same song since the Golden Nugget. Very little has changed.

I can totally understand someone's confusion about a charitable gift somehow not being an obligation. That may be true when you're giving $25 to the Salvation Army.

But, when you've agreed to give $10 million to an orgnization, there's a contract that's drawn up and plenty of lawyers involved. The charity then uses the pledge to get a loan - that's how places like the NCI get built in the first place.

Whether you like the Rhodes or not, they made a serious commitment that they clearly do not intending to live up to. That's sad for everyone. I have to believe if they had made any serious attempt to work something out with NCI, it would have been kept out of the press.

What's annoying and suspicious is the possibility that the Rhodes never intended to pay on this and were simply using it to further their social/business interests.

We'll see.

In light of what's going on in our stae and national economy, how could they NOT have made these calls? The banks freeze up and demand billions in taxpayer $$ and then still don't lend. Reid & Ensign should have made those calls. So should every senator in every state on behalf of businesses large and small. This is almost an absurd argument. It would have been different had they been advocating for something in which they personally would have benefitted. C'mon people, do you realize what's at stake here?

One question I never hear an answer for is when on earth all the other businesses making millions or billions in Nevada are going to step up and pay something???? The retailers, auto dealers and big national drug chains all pay taxes in other states and certainly don't charge us any less for their products here in Nevada. They would also stand to benefit just as much from a better educated workforce. Even if the casinos can afford to pay more, isn't about time to spread the joy and responsibility to pay something back?