Feature Story
The Good Old Days
Written by Frank Rosenthal on February 13, 1999
"The Good Old Days," a metaphor for a missed era gone by or a dissatisfaction for the state of the present. This metaphor seems to be more and more prevalent on the minds and tongues of the original gaming entrepreneurs who placed Las Vegas on the map as a city which offered the best in entertainment, food, lodging and fun. Many of the original personalities who built Las Vegas into the "10th Wonder of the World" remain at the helm of their respective companies today.
Las Vegas has emerged as the true "Entertainment Capital of the World". Every aspect of the city is bigger than imaginable reality. There are 3,000 room hotels on every corner, volcanoes exploding, ships emulating battles of the swashbuckling era, animals disappearing and reappearing, magical feats with the assistance of state-of-the-art visual and computer effects defying even dreams of Houdini, a pyramid, castles, the facsimile of Vegas has attempted to create its own microcosm of the world of entertainment. Let us take a deep breath and answer the question: "Is Las Vegas of today a better place to visit than a decade or two ago?" In the mind of this writer, the question should be answered based on whether the visitor is served better today than he or she was before the advent of mega resorts with their many Disneyesque and Fantasia creations...
My answer and conclusion, granted a mere personal opinion, is "The Good Old Days" were the glory days of Las Vegas and each and every visitor was treated to special experience. The visitor today is led through a breath-taking cornucopia of visual experiences unmatched in any other place in the world. The sensations of visual mastery will never replace the special treatment a person receives when treated in a special manner; a special manner which makes that person, in this case the visitor, feel special. Las Vegas has lost the unique intrigue, the glamour and ordinary sophistication that made it Las Vegas. How many people leave Las Vegas today and reflect back upon an experience which made them feel like a "very important person", whether they were the subway conductor from New York, the farm foreman from Iowa, the high roller from Chicago, the cattle rancher from Denver or whomever. People make people feel special by treating.them with warmth, courtesy and sense of belonging. People are numerical statistics most of their lives, no matter what levels of achievement they reach. People want to feel good when they go on holiday, they want to be treated to an experience above and beyond their day-to-day routines. I believe the visitor today who leaves Las Vegas has been subjected to a most unique experience, unfortunately superficial. Who would not like to feel like that proverbial "King or Queen for a Day"? The owners of the hotels and casinos of old, mandated their employees to treat each and every guest as if they were the owners; today guests are a statistic to fill a room or a number enabling the company to achieve a bottom line projection.
Perhaps I am too critical, perhaps nostalgia has clouded my objectivity and perhaps I cannot accept that mediocre talent has ridden the tidal wave of an industry so strong that it has made ordinary seamen look like admirals. Las Vegas was built by an intriguing cast of characters. These men and women were pioneers where few knew the science and operational aspects of the gaming industry. In the formative days of Las Vegas, survival and hotels were the priorities. The operators of "old" brought the intrigue and charm into their establishments. These casinos were the training grounds which developed a core of seasoned gaming professionals. Professionals who were the true architects of "today?s" Las Vegas. There are a few of the original operators who have gone on to build casino empires today. However, somewhere on their rapid ascent, the true prospective of the visitor/guest was lost. The dynamics of this industry were and are so strong that talent and the needs of the customers were not primary. I predict in the next millennium a new era for Las Vegas. An era in which an over-built and over-hyped city will revisit the concepts which made it great in the first place. A place in which the visitors will roll sevens more often than the house, and the house will be delighted.
I marvel and respect the genius of those who began this new era in Las Vegas and envy those who were fortunate enough to ride the tide of the success of all of it. To those, I tip my hat and congratulate.
I do not fault them for creating an industry which is dynamic but artificial, creative but insensitive and career opportunity for thousands, but impersonal to the millions who visit. This is the natural evolution of unharnessed growth, no limits of financial resources and uncontrollable egos. I do, however, sincerely regret that "The Good Old Days" of Las Vegas are no longer there to experience for me and especially for you.
See you next month for another true story from Sin City! Frank Rosenthal