The
good news? Las Vegas showcases the best the United States has to offer. The not-so-good? It also showcases the country’s worst.
I
love Vegas. I’m not ashamed to admit it.
It’s bundles of fun. The city
never sleeps. You can do what you want, when you want it
– as long as you can pay for it. It’s perhaps the purest example of
capitalism one can find – and there’s nothing wrong with a solid dose of it
from time-to- time, just to keep things in perspective.
Vegas
is built on
illusion, trickery and facades to survive– and that it not only is surviving,
but thriving - is proof positive the city’s on to a winning formula. That also means the tricks and illusions have
to get more impressive year-after-year. It's city where we all go to be wowed.
I can hang, eat, drink, gamble and be merry with the best of them, (my close
friends can attest) but this last week, I smelled, saw and heard some
stuff during my 4-day stay there, that frankly, is disturbing.
Remember
the lovely coconut aroma permeating the air in the Mirage
and Mandalay Bay, or the
old-lady perfume smell in the Venetian. I asked employees at each of these hotels if
they pump this scent through the air system.
The answer? Nope! Well, a little research revealed
otherwise. Aroma Systems Inc.
manufactures the devices that do just that. And they list these and other Vegas
resorts as their clients. Visit their website and see for yourself.
Vegas
is so unreal and so far from the general populace’s reality that it’s actually
dangerous. A few years ago, one of the
think-tanks surveyed ten-thousand tourists, each of whom had been to Paris,
London, Sydney and the Vegas strip for vacation, (there’s nothing slouchy about
any of these places). Three guesses
which city caused each tourist to be most depressed when leaving? Well – you won’t need three guesses silly –
Vegas caused more depression than the other three cities – combined! Here’s why:
1. The Vegas strip is to civilization
what North Korea is to human rights. In
other words, there is no notion of civilization on the strip. Yeah, there are world class shows like
numerous Cirque Du Soleils, famous magicians, singers and celebrity chefs, but
that’s about as close to civilization as you’ll get on the strip. It’s uncivilized that you won’t find a clock
in a casino. That’s because the passage
of time represents reality – and who really wants that. It’s even more uncivilized that you cannot
find a newspaper on the strip --- again, newspapers are harsh bitter reality
– reality that’s about as welcome as a festering rash on a baby’s bum.
2. It’s all – and only about
the buck. Think watching an iPad disappear
before your eyes is neat? Well, no need
to pay Kris Angel or David Copperfield two bills. Just leave yours unattended for 4-6
seconds. Poof – t’will be gone.
Everytime!
3. Everything is fleeting. I was in the Mirage on election night ---
what was on the hundreds of TV monitors scattered throughout? Not the election results, but college
football. Am I kidding? Hell no!
4. The strip is designed to
consume your mind, body and soul, (not to mention your pocketbook).
a. I almost lost my mind
walking down the strip when I ran into two (obviously very very inebriated)
middle-aged women physically entangled with one-another in an awful
cat-fight. Trust me, it was not a
pleasant sight – but that was nothing compared to a bunch of 6 twenty-something
testosterone-filled young men, egging them on.
b. It’s hard on the body
knowing The
Bellagio, Caesars Augustus Tower and Treasure Island all have an architectural
feature designed to trick the eye into seeing the buildings as smaller (thus
closer) than they really are. Each window covers four rooms on two floors. Wynn
Las Vegas uses the same trick, in that there are two floors between each white
stripe. Click here to see some examples.
c.
The
soul? There ain’t no soul on the strip
baby! It’s best summed up in a song by
Sheryl Crow. “Leaving Las Vegas” one of
my favorites --- “Life springs eternal on a gaudy, neon street.
Not that I care at all. Spent the best part of my losing streak in an army Jeep
from what I can recall. Oh, I'm banging on my TV set. And I check the odds and I, and I place my
bet. Pour a drink and I pull the
blinds. I wonder what I'll find”.
The bottom line.
It’s a city you either love or you hate. Personally, I love it – I can draw the line
between the artificial bling on the strip and my life - I know full well Vegas represents
the diametric opposite of everything the mind, body and soul of John Sacke
stands up for and believes in.
Meanwhile, I’m gonna get to rounding up a bunch of
friends so we can plan our next trip back. Viva Las Vegas!
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