Christmas All Year Round in Las Vegas

by Glen Tonnesen

Christmas is still four months away, but now is a great time to spread the joy of respect and brotherhood to your fellow man.  It may not be Jesus's birthday, but it is somebody's birthday here in town, whether that person is a visitor or resident. 

Let's start with us residents.  We are on our way to a better Las Vegas economy.  We can see the light at the end of the tunnel.  Our time is once again coming.  There are far fewer homes on the market in Vegas now than I have seen in my 31 years here, and prices are definitely going up.  They had to.  We were so undervalued that real estate investors all over the world are once again buzzing about Sin City. 

So now truly is the time to share that UP attitude with all the tourists that come visit our fair city.  We are a tourist town that should go above and beyond to make sure that all the conventioneers, thrill seekers,  party goers, show goers, golfers and gamblers are having the time of their lives.  I have personally been on both sides of the table and have witnessed what a difference some good old fashioned manners or a simple smile can make.  Ask the old timers who worked table for table in the casinos about how a helping hand and a little politeness made their night.  

In the world of celebrities, here we are the celebrity.  Whatever small interaction we share with our tourists, they carry home and tell their family and friends.  I used to work at the Barbary Coast and they had the right idea when it came to F & F.  The whole floor had the "power of the pen" to comp friends and family, and management wanted you to use it.  They knew that the people you brought in would stay and gamble and feel good about it. 

With all the casinos popping up around the world it is NOW that we need to put our best foot forward.  We need to make people want to come back to the best vacation spot in the world.  Enjoy the rest of the summer.