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Sharon Harris asks what can be learned from recent events in Las Vegas
Sharon Harris celebrates life returning to a semblance of normal
HI
Wynn called Las Vegas a “target rich” environment in November 2015 and recruited top law enforcement and military
consultants to formulate a security plan
ow grateful are you to again be free to do simple things? I’m so happy since New Jersey and Pennsylvania reopened for business, ditching most restrictions and mandates.
Who knew that again using my nail salon’s drying fan could excite me? Or, actually breathing naturally at my gym without a mask? The list is endless because we all have different routines we took for granted. Those days are hopefully so yesterday. With tens of millions already vaccinated for free, people have a spirit of release. It feels great to discard those masks, the key symbol of our collective 15-month bad dream. For the non-vax crowd, it’s on them to protect themselves from us, the vaccinated who now feel safe. Hello…that is what vaccines do. Looking ahead, casinos will be a barometer of the
public’s mood. By design, a casino’s various components appeal to diverse population niches.
t was unimaginable that on the very week our global gaming industry converged on Las Vegas for G2E, the unthinkable could happen. As many had already arrived, or were arriving, a madman shattered the Las Vegas allure on October 1.
While 22,000 were enjoying an outdoor concert
at the chic Mandalay Bay, shots peppered the crowd from the 32nd floor. Within minutes, dozens lay dead and hundreds were wounded, some with lifetime injuries.
With tens of thousands of G2E attendees in town, a
large group probably stayed at the Mandalay Bay. How does one react or prepare for this type of nightmare?
Over time, we have learned this mass shooter, who
killed himself rather than be caught, methodically planned every detail of the carnage. A rich, heavy gambler, he did not fit any “standard“ profile.
Ironically, my
Casino International article in September‘s G2E issue specifically focused on casino crimes. Ex-FBI agent Tom Raftery, one quoted source, warned that many within the gaming industry have not adequately addressed possible onsite terrorism.
Tragically, the
Mandalay Bay learned otherwise and has now hired a
Syda Productions/Adobe Stock 8 JUNE 2021 8 OCTOBER 2017 ateside
Gamblers and non-gamblers, drinkers and fine diners, spa pampering fanatics and nightlife lovers may all satisfy their interests under one roof. If attendance numbers grow, so will their confidence. While 936 American casinos closed almost It is long overdue for casinos to incorporate
New York crisis management public relations firm. The lawsuits against them are just beginning to determine possible negligence by security personnel.
simultaneously in March 2020, reopening them has proven painstaking. They have one chance to get it right, especially if the competition down the street does a better job. So, how does anyone know if the stranger at the adjacent slot machine or seat at a table has been vaccinated? The answer is we don’t without proof. In the US, that is way too controversial for now in a transient commercial setting where millions, from thousands of places, congregate for their leisure. One of President Ronald Reagan’s most effective 1984 campaign ads claimed “It’s morning again in America.” It showed daily life scenes where improving economic conditions meant normal life was resuming. That mantra works again today as the figurative sun is rising in Las Vegas and other regions like Atlantic City. Both are enjoying a huge uptick. Without comprehensive data after March 2020, analysts are comparing revenues with 2019 figures.
terrorism preparedness into employee training. This killer brought guns into his hotel suite and installed cameras that monitored his room and the hallway. He then used heavy-duty hammers to smash the windows and take aim. Not that guests’ luggage or drawers be searched, but dozens of weapons take up a lot of space.
Many question the relative ease in getting such an
arsenal to his suite. Conditions will certainly change since the bar altering our very behavior keeps shifting. So far, gaming has pretty much escaped these events, which is amazing considering these 24- hour businesses have dozens of open doors and entry points that never close.
The American Gaming Association (AGA) states that
2021’s first quarter commercial gaming revenues nationwide reached $11.13 billion, a 17.7 per cent increase from Q1 in 2020. A four per cent jump from 2019 was within a tenth of a per cent of the highest quarterly revenue total in US gaming. Barring any new Covid outbreaks, conditions look
great this summer. Months ago, AGA President/CEO Bill Miller predicted that “pent-up demand” would mean huge numbers for Q3 and Q4 this year. I agree. A recent hospitality survey named Las Vegas and Orlando – home to Disney World – the two favorite American travel destinations. Las Vegas traffic is off the charts. My friends’ son and his wife, a successful early 40s professional couple, recently spent four days at Aria. The son gambles; she doesn’t. He was entertained at the poker table while she shopped till she dropped.
Image: Fannyes/Adobe Stock
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