Marriot Builds Las Vegas Casino For a Day
Prime Las Vegas locations with established casino licenses are the equivalent of permission to grow a money tree, so there was no way the Marriot would allow one to slip away from it.
The former site of The Beach, across the street from the Las Vegas Convention Center, is such a location, and, while awaiting construction of a hotel and casino, Marriot officials were determined not to lose the golden license.
In order to meet requirements to retain ownership of the gaming license, Marriot management spent over $50,000 to set up and operate a temporary casino for a single day Wednesday.
A large white tent hosted the necessary games, set up and running by 6 a.m., only to shut down and be pulled from the site the same afternoon, after county inspectors had stopped by to observe the following of the letter of the law.
Players were few and far between, and the hotel chain was sure to lose money on its one-day investment; that is, until the future when the desireable spot starts generating money faster than one can count.
Lois Maroney, long-time North Las Vegas resident, watched as the operation began its day and commented, "How ridiculous! If the law were important, then they shouldn't be able to skirt it this way. If it's not important, why don't they take it off the books?"
Marriot management did not seem to mind. One spokesman stated the company was prepared to meet any requirements the state placed upon it.
