Thread: Lost Vegas - The Fall of Las Vegas

those strippers are way too muscular for me, looks like ladyboys

whoring is super expensive there,

Breaks your heart to see ordinary hard working people suffering like this when the incompetant bank CEOs are going out with million dollar bonuses.

Too damn long for my connection speed unfortunately.

But Vegas has changed a lot since the days of the Rat pack and Mobsters, when it was pretty much a gambling destination plus catch a show.

It's now a massive Convention centre, family destination also, and a city of over a million- a very popular retirement destination. Plus the gambling, whoring and shows of course.

I suppose the dream has been tarnished somewhat by the financial crisis, but it's not alone.

I like Las Vegas.

Originally Posted by sabang

I like Las Vegas.

Me too, its an adult disneyland. I would have loved to have seen it in the 50s and 60s.

The US government should consider giving green cards to immigrants who arrive with sufficient funds to put say 30% down on a house. This might help deal with the high inventories of unsellable property.
They also need to start sending some of the Mexicans home to free up work that Americans will have to do, even if they feel its menial shit. Times have changed.

Originally Posted by astasinim

I would have loved to have seen it in the 50s and 60s.

I did. Nothing but gambling, free drinks, free food and hookers (not free). Paradise lost IMO.

For Damn Sure was ^, Prime rib dinners almost free, food was the card that got you in the doors, and Cheap/free booze kept you there, and gambling sent you home broke.

Originally Posted by blackgang

For Damn Sure was ^, Prime rib dinners almost free, food was the card that got you in the doors, and Cheap/free booze kept you there, and gambling sent you home broke.

Norton and Blackgang,

I am VERY curious what 1950s and 60s Las Vegas was like.

In the Mid-90s I went to vegas while travelling, and that seemed to be the end of the cheap buffets. Very cheap prices for cut of roast beef. $.199 or $2.99. Now it's all more expensive.

The free drink were there at the casinos.

The phone of women, I'm guess started at $300 per hour/lady.

I even researched moving there as it was booming then, but choose to move to Washington, DC instead.

Norton, I didn't realize you were over 60 or so, not that it matters.

I'll love to hear any stories from Norton or Blackgang, or anyone else about Old Vegas.

When I worked at the Test Site I lived in Beatty, and rented a house there on a ranch, we worked 6 days and had 2 off so that way you only got an overtime day every 7 weeks, we would drive 130 miles to Vegas on a day off to grocert shop and fill all 3 tanks on my pickup with gas and the savings on gas over Beatty prices paid for the trip.
And we could save 10 cents on a can of corn and 50% on fresh meat and have a day away from home, damn near free eats, wasn't a bad town in those days but i was there again in 95 and it ws the shits.
One good thing about a vacation in Vegas in the 60s was it was only about 60 miles to Ash Meadows and $10 pussy at the ash meadows Hot Springs.

Damn good thing I was not a gambler tho.

What year was this, BG?

I don't gamble either. Sometimes (rarely) I play Blackjack because it's a fast game, and you don't have to think much..

I wonder how much the laides are now at the ranches?

Originally Posted by Milkman

I wonder how much the laides are now at the ranches?

Believe it or not prostitution is illegal in Vegas. The Mustang Ranch near Reno is still running and thriving. Check for prices and menu.

Mustang Ranch World Famous Brothel Reno Sparks Nevada

Really cannot sustain a high end destination like Vegas on gambling and sex, need something more as a foundation.

Originally Posted by Norton

Give me Phuket as it was 30 years ago.

NO pwoblim, we can deliver. Will that be cash or cash?

Jet, you claimed you could see the video, correct?

What's happening in Nevada has nothing to do with the Federal gov or politicians, nor the state gov and politicians. It's the economics of the city.

Originally Posted by Jet Gorgon

Originally Posted by Milkman

It's 24 minutes but very interesting on what has happened to Las Vegas. How similar to other communities in the future? Perhaps not as severe. Consumerism and cheap good for the last 30 years. Vegas can adapt and change in the future, IMO.

Dozens of evictions per day, unfinished construction sites, empty neighborhoods, no jobs, hospital refusing ambulances and massive budget cuts.

But this is not gloomy. It's informative and well-done:

I cannae see the vid... (It's OK, got it on YT.) Ermm, ain't Vegas in Harry Reid's state?

Originally Posted by Panda

Breaks your heart to see ordinary hard working people suffering like this when the incompetant bank CEOs are going out with million dollar bonuses.

Oh do shut up, Panda. Obama really helped the city...
During an Indiana town Hall meeting this week, Obama complained that companies that received bailout money should not take trips to Las Vegas or the Super Bowl at taxpayers' expense.
Rather, the mayor describes in the letter how harmful he sees the president’s comments are in feeding the "unjustified” stereotypes of his city.
"Mr. President, I understand the enormous burden you carry in dealing with the worst economy since the Great Depression,” Goodman writes. “I also understand the need for accountability, but your comments are harmful to the meetings and convention industry as a whole and Las Vegas specifically."
Las Vegas Mayor to Obama: 'Your Comments are Harmful' to the City - Political Punch

I think you missed the whole point there Jet. As the video rightly expressed, the move over the past several decades of USA from a manufacturing/exporting country into a consumer/importing country living the high life on growing debt and reckless financial management has resulted in a bubble that has eventually burst in a big way. Those people who would have formerly been employed in productive industry saw the manufacturing jobs dry up as their jobs were exported to poorer countries with lower wages. Las Vegas became USAs boom town and attracted a lot of people to invest in that consumer/debt driven bubble.

Now, once again, history has shown that expansion built on an imbalance between consumption and production is not sustainable. Obviously the shows creators picked Las Vegas because it highlighted the boom and bust. Now that the bubble has burst, where do those people go now that the productive manufacturing jobs are gone?

Originally Posted by Panda

I think you missed the whole point there Jet. As the video rightly expressed, the move over the past several decades of USA from a manufacturing/exporting country into a consumer/importing country living the high life on growing debt and reckless financial management has resulted in a bubble that has eventually burst in a big way. Those people who would have formerly been employed in productive industry saw the manufacturing jobs dry up as their jobs were exported to poorer countries with lower wages. Las Vegas became USAs boom town and attracted a lot of people to invest in that consumer/debt driven bubble.

Now, once again, history has shown that expansion built on an imbalance between consumption and production is not sustainable. Obviously the shows creators picked Las Vegas because it highlighted the boom and bust. Now that the bubble has burst, where do those people go now that the productive manufacturing jobs are gone?

Panda, spot-on.

And as this is about Las Vegas it's REALLY about the entire US economy of borrowing and consumption.

Las Vegas was used as an example.

And it's noted that many people in manufactuaring jobs lost these jobs as they disappeared, many moved to Vegas to go into the service industry.

Service industries need people to spend.

This brief documentary/story says A LOT about the entire United States, today.

^In fairness too, it is not just USA that has exported manufacturing jobs in return for cheap imports. I think most developed countries where wages are relatitively high have done the same. Certainly my own country, Australia, has done so. However, the main difference between countries like Australia, Japan and UK, USA is that they still maintained a profitable export balance rather than debt.

^ OK, agree with you there.

Originally Posted by Milkman

Jet, you claimed you could see the video, correct?

What's happening in Nevada has nothing to do with the Federal gov or politicians, nor the state gov and politicians. It's the economics of the city.

Sex and gambling always have customers, Milkie.

^ This just shows you didn't see the video. I typoed in the response.

If you would have watched the video you would not have made the statement above.

^ I watched it. Hey, the chick who lost her job at the mortgage co became a pole dancer didn't she?

^ That's irrelevant. the point is that the service industry is not recession proof. Especially today, and possibly not in the future. Consumption based economy.

I detest LV, once a year we had an exhibition there and had to traspe halfway around the world each year to attend for about 15 yrs.
Terrible place displaying the worst of mankind's addictions, gambling, lust and greed.
How these fvckers can spend hours on end at a fruit machine beats me, in 15 yrs I never one a dime and never spent one gambling either.
The plastic manufactured entertainment the plastic smiles, its a fvcking sick joke to relieve mugs from their money.
The image of these old washed up, painted Granny whores, performing as cocktail hostess's still haunts me in nightmares.