Steve_Cain - the idea here is not for the city to make a bundle off of a large company. The idea is that by "making us NO money" (as you put it), the city is bringing 2000 NEW, NON-TOURIST bodies into the downtown area...every day. That means that the restaurants, the dry cleaners, the drug stores, all will see more foot traffic. More foot traffic means more sales. More sales means more revenues. More revenues mean more hires for the downtown businesses and more taxes generated for the city.

Consider the rate the city is getting on the lease as a loss-leader...it's like a grocery store selling brand name sodas for 50 cents...they lose money on the soda, but know you'll also buy some chips, maybe some dip and a few other things, where they'll make up for the loss on the soda. Bring in more people, and businesses in the area will survive and thrive.

chief_wigum:

The first casino to go smoke-free was the Silver City Casino next to the Peppermill on the Strip. It closed its doors less than a year later. You can't miss the place...there's a Walgreens there now.

Casinos offer both a smoking and a non-smoking section. I can't tell you how many times I had someone sitting in the smoking section complaining about smokers. The fact is, non-smokers want to enforce their beliefs on smokers, period. They will walk the smoking areas and act like they're hacking up a lung; they'll sit at a blackjack table in a smoking area, then complain when someone lights up.

Aprilgirl12:
Apparently you have never flown seated next to an overweight person on an airplane...my wife and I have. They either smell from the fact that they cannot properly clean themselves, or bathe in cologne to mask the scent. In either case, my wife gets a major migraine from the smells. So you are wrong to say that consuming sugary items does not affect others.

anchorbine and KillerB:

The problem with studies is they will ALWAYS find in favor of whoever foots the bill for that study, either for or against smoking. As for me, I smoke. I smoke cigars. I smoke in places that allow them. But please do not tell me smoking bans have no economic affect; I personally know of 5 people who lost their jobs because their place of employment lost customers due to the ban. I know of places in California, Ohio, and Florida that are now closed because of the ban. Quote whatever study you want, I prefer to deal in people...people I know who are still looking for jobs.

This story indicates Righthaven picked up a new client.

STORY QUOTE: "Righthaven has picked up a new client: WEHCO Media, a privately-owned company in Little Rock, Ark., that has 15 daily newspapers, 13 weekly newspapers and 13 cable television companies in Arkansas, Texas, Oklahoma, Missouri, Mississippi and Tennessee."

Am I the only one who noticed that WEHCO Media has ties to Stephens Media?

STORY QUOTE: "WEHCO says on its website that it has a partnership with Stephens Media in which the operations of their Northwest Arkansas publications were combined last November."

Maybe someone should research how much money Stephens Media is making on these shakedowns.

Just my own humble opinion...If you don't like it...too bad

You have an armed man opening fire without notice and moving around trying to get past security. You have security that is NOT running around because they have to stand their ground to PREVENT the armed suspect from getting past them. Suspect carries a shotgun, security armed with sidearms. Anyone who actually SHOT a weapon knows the longer the barrel, the more accurate the shot. Throw in that the suspect was moving and security was standing their ground, and you can see why his shots might have been more accurate.

As for those claiming it's the "liberal Democrats" fault there are so many shootings, keep in mind it was REPUBLICAN governor Huckabee of Arkansas who granted clemency to the Clemmons character who ended up shooting 4 cops dead in Seattle.

The only "politics" involved here is whatever you dream up in your petty little heads.

My prayers go out to all men and women in uniform, and to those who gave the ultimate price.

First, while I do not necessarily agree with the advertising, they have the legal right to do it...just as they'll have the legal right to defend themselves against the invariable lawsuits because someone was "injured" watching them. I hope they have deep pockets.

Second, @atdleft said "George W. Bush trampled upon our Constitution in passing the USA (un)PATRIOT Act, illegally wiretapping our phones and emails, indefinitely detaining people not even charged with a crime, and torturing in our country's name..."

And of course, @Det__Munch followed with "Don't be naieve. ALL that HAS HELPED keep our country and it's citizens safe. Wire tap and torture away as long as we get some of the bad guys since the terrorists LIVE AMONG US and have for years waiting patiently for an opportunity to kill as evidenced at Fort Hood."

Apparently, @Det__Munch PREFERS living in a police state like Libya or Afghanistan(when the Taliban ruled). They had no terroristic acts. The general public was safe. THEY believe in detaining people without charges...throw 'em in jail if they don't believe like we do, or we don't like the way they look, or they're protesting or voicing their opinions. Well, sir, I say, if you like police states, please feel free to move there...and we'll see how well THEY tolerate your opinions.

Benjamin Franklin (I believe) once said, "Those who are willing to give up a little liberty to gain a little security will deserve neither, and will lose both." Those word still hold true over 250 years later.

And to all of those in the military who stand the wall so we can sleep in peace, and the families they leave behind while protecting us, thank you.

BorisR...Boulder Station made a BUSINESS DECISION by making their poker room a smoking-allowed room. Luckily for you, many OTHER casinos have a smoke-free poker room. That means YOU have more choices than a smoker does. So why is it a problem to allow smokers a choice?

This is the issue in front of us. Free Choice. If a non-smoker chooses to play somewhere that is non-smoker friendly, and ENOUGH non-smokers did so, those casinos you left would institute a new smoking policy. Why? Economics. The fact that more casinos are NOT smoke free would indicate to anyone with some intelligence that SMOKERS spend more, therefore it would not benefit their bottom line to become smoke-free.

And to those who argue that business would not be affected, that smokers would still gamble, used the same argument about drinking. Guess what? Take a close look at the number of local bars and taverns around the country that closed when smoking bans went into effect. If you are outside smoking, you are not inside eating or drinking.

Whether you like it or not, smoking is here to stay...just like alcohol. Prohibition didn't work for that, and it won't work for smoking. And for those who use medical reports about heart attacks or cancer after smoking bans take effect, here's a question for a medical survey...what is the cost of medical care, and how many people have been injured or killed because someone who is affected by stress more couldn't light up and took it out on those around him? How many more assaults, bar fights or brawls have occurred because of the smoking ban?

You want to see higher insurance rates for smokers? I'll agree to that when they ALSO raise the rates for every overweight person, every motorcycle rider, everyone who ever drank a sip of wine, beer or hard liquor, every person who ever bought a gun, a surfboard, skiis or scuba gear. Every single one of those people did something that puts themselves and others at risk, so they should also see higher rates.

Oops...wait...that's right...they can't do that...because everyone here who complains about smokers would be affected by one of those rate increases...some of you probably affected by several of them.

Yes, it's easy to target something YOU, personally, don't like...but take note of how easy it will be to expand those restrictions into something you DO like.

By the way, thank you everyone for the tips...South Pointe and Boulder Station are friendly to smokers. Now I know where to spend my money.

"If you smoke you HAVE to find a way to stop".

What about if you overeat, you HAVE to find a way to stop. Or, if you stink, you HAVE to find a way to bathe. Again, if you do not like the smoke, vote with your feet and go somewhere else. You mention the Bellagio and the Palazzo...go there...unless, of course, if you are like my wife, who gets physically ill from the scents they pump into the air at the Palazzo and Venetian.

I have a get-rich-quick idea...take my wife to the Venetian, wait until she gets sick and throws up on the floor, then sue them because they provided an unhealthy environment for her.

For those of you who make your living in the casino industry, remember this...as soon as you go smoke-free, high rollers will go to Macau, low rollers will stay home and do online gambling, and all of you will have your smoke free environments on the unemployment line.

Look at the casinos in Pennsylvania...25 percent smoking, and they could increase the smoking area if they could show the smoking slots took in more. The Beth Sands casino (one of Adelson's) showed non-smoking slots had an average daily take of about 111 dollars. The smoking slots took in an average daily take of around 351 dollars. They increased the smoking area to the max of 50 percent. The math is there...or are nonsmokers math-challenged as well?

(continued from prevoius post)
I am a center city dweller in Pennsylvania. I live in a row home (think of it as a townhome with the garage in back). I have a front porch I sit on and chat with the neighbors. My neighborhood consists of many different ethnic backgrounds. Everyone gets along nicely, and there are parks, museums and entertainment venues all within walking distance. Las Vegas has all the trappings of the city I live in, on a larger scale. There is no reason to believe that Las Vegas can be, and IS, a great place to lay down roots. Maybe if everyone who spends so much time and energy complaining about the status of things would channel that energy into improving their community, they might not have so much to complain about.

(continued from previous post)
B) Using terms like "artsy fartsy" does nothing more than display a different form of elitism...indicating that those who happen to like things like modern art, neo-expressionism or cubism are to be ridiculed for their preferences. I do not live in the Las Vegas Valley (yet), but for those questioning the availability of culture need look no farther than downtown Las Vegas and the Old Mormon Fort. I have visited some of the art museums offered in the casinos, and I have also been to the Boneyard and the Pinball Museum. I have seen broadway shows offered in the city as well. And before you talk about them all closing, take a look at Broadway in NYC...shows come and go there as well. Las Vegas has a lot of culture to offer for those of ALL appetites. In fact, I lament the fact that I missed the Helldorado Days(spelling?). That is classic Las Vegas.

C) Using Corporatists to refer to how other cities try to match some other city? Try looking on the Las Vegas Strip...where the majority of the properties are in the hands of 2 (yes, TWO) corporations. The biggest mistake the state made was allowing so much to be gobbled up by so few.

D) The New Deal was the WORST of the 20th century? Maybe you might want to review your history. Raging unemployment at a time where unemployment compensation did not exist...you lost you job, you starved. The New Deal created things like the Tennessee Valley Authority, bringing electricity to much of the rural south. It created many of the government buildings you see standing today...buildings with character, not concrete blockhouses. It put good people back to work who, through no fault of their own were unemployed. Play whatever political cards you want, but The New Deal was a good thing, and a necessary thing.

E) You talk about the surrounding area...Red Rock Canyon, Valley of Fire State Park, Lake Mead Recreational Area, Mt. Charleston...all great places (I've hiked trails at all of them). The problem is, they are in the SURROUNDING AREAS. Have you ever actually LIVED in the center of a city? People who live in the downtown areas usually rely on public transportation to get around. They may not have that disposable income that requires $5.00 or more to access those recreational areas. They need green areas. If I am wrong, then why do all those gated communities in places like Summerlin have large parks for their residents? How many parks are there within walking distance of downtown Las Vegas? How many city buses run to Valley of Fire or Red Rock Canyon? Las Vegas does have some nice large parks, but where are they located? Even Springs Preserve requires money to get in. If you go to places like Chicago or New York City, you will find islands of green where local residents can gather and have fun. In my limited travels through Las Vegas, I saw very little of that.

Yes, I'm posting comments about something OTHER than smoking. While the barbs fly at various posters, keep in mind that not everyone who posts here has English as a first language, so not all misspellings or grammatical errors are tied to a person's education.

"Can't we all just get along?"

That being said, I'd like to make a few constructive comments. First, burnemandturnem accurately points out the renewable energy will not create the 10,000's of jobs the casino industry does. It does not HAVE to. Even if it creates 1000 jobs, those jobs are going to be higher paid, skilled jobs. Those people are going to live here and spend here, generating more jobs in the service industry. Having larger renewable energy farms are more likely to draw the research and development jobs that go with advancing the technology needed by these industries, creating MORE skilled positions. The NEED for these skilled jobs will spur the local educational facilities to create/expand the training and teaching/research courses needed to SUPPLY the skilled labor, thereby improving the intellectual investment in Las Vegas. Employment and education expands because of a thousand jobs.

Fogcity has the right idea...the various redevelopment authorities/chambers of commerce/local governments should work together to market available commercial real estate to help expand the commercial/light industrial base. Again, you are not talking 10,000s of jobs, but every little bit helps. The more diversity in business you introduce, the easier it will be to diversify the entire economic base.

As for Mr. Gibbons, I agree that light rail systems are not the way to go when you can expand public transportation and get more bang for your buck. What should be expanded is a nationwide passenger rail system that serves all major cities, not just a select few (just my opinion).

Having said that, there are a number of things in his posts that bother me.

A) Why should race even be introduced here? The question is the graduation rate/educational level of the people, not how many white/hispanic/african american/asian/name your ethnicity students graduate. (more comments on second post)