"Everyone has been affected by the pandemic but Vegas has been destroyed." an ashen ghost town

[Demovictory9]

But today, in the shadow of Covid-19, Las Vegas is on its own losing streak.

For while few places have been left unaffected by the pandemic, perhaps nowhere has had its devil-may-care attitude rocked as much as this narrow pocket of Nevada.

Casinos, hotels and shows which last year generated $60 billion (£48 billion) in tourist revenue are either almost empty or shuttered.

The entertainment mecca of the Strip, which attracted 49.5 million people in 2019 from around the world – including half a million from the UK – is neglected and deserted.

A 150ft-tall replica of the Statue of Liberty is wearing a face mask, while no one is clamouring for a selfie by the flashing neon signs.

The famous fountains outside the Bellagio Hotel, which typically attracted crowds packed two or three deep, lie dormant. The steady roar of planes bringing tourists into McCarran International Airport has stopped.

Meanwhile, the empty skies are ashen – a result of the Californian wildfires being fanned from the neighbouring state by gusting Santa Ana winds.



One blackjack dealer explained: ‘The idea was to concentrate people in small areas to give a sense that there are more folks here than there actually are. Everyone has been affected by the pandemic but Vegas has been destroyed.

‘This is a town based purely on entertainment. I feel lucky to have my job. Tons of friends have been laid off. Most are stacking shelves and doing what they have to do to survive. The worst thing is not knowing when things will pick up.’

The reality is that some casinos may never reopen.

https://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/article-8726053/Las-Vegas-ghost-town-strippers-signs-saying-Sorry-clothed.html

[JI7]

1. So why would they support Trump ?

[flor-de-jasmim]

2. So Trump not only destroyed his OWN casino...

[greenjar_01]

15. Ha! True!

[Aussie105]

3. Question:

Will the USA be a better place or a worse one, if Vegas just disappeared off the face of the Earth?

Imagine Vegas as a ghost town, a great movie set for (another) end of the world, disaster movie!

[mr_lebowski]

4. Sounds fine by me ... as long as the Raiders come back to Oakland :) nt

[qazplm135]

5. Eh Vegas is no worse than tons of other places

I enjoy a good vacay there.

[soothsayer]

11. I'm right there with ya

[tulipsandroses]

6. I guess no one wants to be a part of that control group

I remember when the Mayor was pushing to re-open and offering Vegas as. a control group.

It's the economy stupid! Most people are not willing to crowd into casinos and shows with a virus still out there killing and making people sick. So while Trumpers can pretend its not happening, the vast majority of people are taking this seriously. The economy is not going to come back, until the virus is under control. People are not going to be going to casinos, and shows. And why would anyone in their right mind from another country, come to the USA at this time when we are leading with our Covid infections and deaths?

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[BigmanPigman]

10. I don't have to watch the video, I vividly recall that vile woman.

[Awsi Dooger]

7. I'm glad I left town in late 2008

The city grew too fast and lost the feel of the small and midsize local casino. For example, that photo in the OP is facing north, and taken just north of the intersection of Tropicana and the Strip. When I arrived in town in mid 1984 the Marina casino would have been immediately to the right, and with the Tropicana golf course in its backyard. Now that's the MGM. Immediately in front would have been the Aladdin on the right side and the Dunes on the left side, also with its own golf course.

There were major gaps between casinos, enough for small standalone motels on the left side and also a standalone Denny's. Now that type of thing is inconceivable. The Strip often looked totally empty like that at 2 PM on a weekday when I first arrived in town. I could zip all over the place in my little Datsun with no threat of delay.

[Demovictory9]

8. I recall that Las Vegas My first visit was around 1980

[DFW]

9. It's mostly a place I just read about

I have been there exactly once. My family and I arrived in a small plane from Fresno in the evening, left for the Grand Canyon early the next morning. I couldn't tell you what the place is like if I were forced to.

[pecosbob]

12. This pretty much sums it up here on the ground

Forty percent are out of work. Only fifteen percent of the properties are open. MGM officially laid off twenty-eight thousand furloughed workers last week. Perhaps ten to fifteen percent of our residents will have left for work in other states by this time next year. Hotel occupancy is at twenty-five percent and conventions, the city's bread and butter, are already cancelled through next summer. Many of the conventions may never return and many of the hotel and casino operations are so over-leveraged that they will not survive. Las Vegas will have to find a way to fit the new normal.

[Klaralven]

13. Been there on business a few times. Gambling is against my religion - "Probability and Statistics"

If the gamblers were winning, the buildings would be a lot smaller and less brightly lit.

Visited what was claimed to be one of the largest coin and currency processing operations in the country.

[lindysalsagal]

19. Right. If it's open, it means the house is winning.

But some still think the'll be the exception, and win big. How often do you hear people report what they've lost?

[Klaralven]

21. Had an uncle in LA who used to go to Las Vegas.

Heard all about how to identify the slot machine that is going to pay off big! He always seemed to win.

Right...

[greenjar_01]

14. "Meanwhile, the empty skies are ashen - ..."

The writer of this piece has waited her whole life to write a clause like this in an actual news piece.

[Klaralven]

17. A candidate for the Bulwer-Lytton Fiction Contest?

[greenjar_01]

18. It's actually quite good

Rhythmically.

[bigtree]

16. Vegas has deep pockets

...take care of the people, and business in Vegas will take care of itself.

[dalton99a]

20. Kick

[mokawanis]

22. I bought two round trip tickets and 3 nights at the Cortez for $200 per person

This was about 10 years ago. The deal was too good to turn down so I took my son, who was 21 at the time. We walked up and down the strip every day and got drunk and played blackjack at the Cortez and other casinos in that area at night. Had a lot of fun, but that was enough of Vegas for me.

[maryellen99]

23. I wouldn't be surprised if this is true nt

Link to tweet

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