Vol. 3, No. 7, July 2007, Early Out
Desert Oasis
It’s said that people don’t come to the desert, they come to an oasis in the desert. Las Vegas proves this in spades.
Without our easy access to an ample supply of water—at least ample when compared to any other location that averages four inches of rainfall a year—Las Vegas would look just like the other vacant, sun-baked desert outposts that dot the American Southwest.
While some take aim at casinos like the Bellagio and the Venetian, accusing them of mismanaging the most precious resource in the West, the fact is that the casino operators are well aware of the need to conserve water. Nearly every drop of water used inside their properties is recycled and put back into Lake Mead. And the water the casinos use that can’t be is minimal, and when viewed as an industrial use, which, after all, it is, it creates considerable profits that make it the hands down winner in terms of money generated per gallon used.
The real issue is that it’s not the casinos that are careless in their use of water, it is us— you and me—the residents of Las Vegas. When we wash our cars in the driveways or at facilities that don’t recycle the wash water; when we run the sprinkler trying to keep green an expansive lawn in 110 degree heat; when we refuse to landscape with native plants accustomed to high heat and low moisture, we are throwing away water. Throwing away water in the desert is not advisable.
Water is essential to the Las Vegas way of life, and not just in the physiological sense. Water runs through the massive cooling towers that keep the casinos cool; it fills the pools where people play and relax and recharge their batteries for another night on the town or at the tables; and it inspires ethereal awe in its aesthetic uses in the fountains at the Bellagio, the replicated channels of Venice at the Venetian and the fire-and-water features in front of Red Rock Casino. Without it, the casino industry wouldn’t be thriving like it is, and many of us would be out of a job. To quote J.C. Davis, a spokesman for the Southern Nevada Water Authority, “We live in the desert. We might want to start acting like it.”
That we live in the desert is clearly evident now, with the first official day of summer marking the start of the nearly three-month stretch where 100-plus degree days become the norm.
While the summer heat means spending a lot of time in the cool comforts of the greatest invention of all time—air conditioning—it also means that it’s time to soak up some sun and lounge by the pool. Sure, only a lizard would find it comfortable to lounge around on a pool deck hot enough to melt sandal rubber, but the pool scene isn’t exactly about comfort, it’s about checking out the, er, talent, if you will. And, of course, a quick dip is great for what ails you, if what ails you is heat. With a growing number of pool parties and poolside concerts, we’ve compiled a list (see page 24) to help you find the pool or party you’re looking for, from Ditch Fridays at the Palms, to summer concerts at South Point, to the latest Las Vegas pool trend—the European-style pools which don’t abide by antiquated, gender-biased notions such as only men can forgo a top by the pool.
I would also like to welcome our new readers at several Harrah’s properties—Caesars Palace, the Rio, Flamingo, Harrah’s, Imperial Palace, Bally’s, Paris and O’Shea’s—who are now receiving Casino Connection. I hope our new readers, just like those who have been with us since day one, find our publication educational and entertaining, and take advantage of some of the offers our advertisers are making to the city’s casino employees (our online giveaway at www.casinoconnectionnevada.com is now fully operational). And, as always, I would like to remind everyone out there that this is your magazine, and to that end, we are always interested in hearing your opinions. If you have story suggestions, concerns, or know someone who is deserving of some recognition, don’t hesitate to contact us through the phone number or the email addresses printed to the right of this column.
Without our easy access to an ample supply of water—at least ample when compared to any other location that averages four inches of rainfall a year—Las Vegas would look just like the other vacant, sun-baked desert outposts that dot the American Southwest.
While some take aim at casinos like the Bellagio and the Venetian, accusing them of mismanaging the most precious resource in the West, the fact is that the casino operators are well aware of the need to conserve water. Nearly every drop of water used inside their properties is recycled and put back into Lake Mead. And the water the casinos use that can’t be is minimal, and when viewed as an industrial use, which, after all, it is, it creates considerable profits that make it the hands down winner in terms of money generated per gallon used.
The real issue is that it’s not the casinos that are careless in their use of water, it is us— you and me—the residents of Las Vegas. When we wash our cars in the driveways or at facilities that don’t recycle the wash water; when we run the sprinkler trying to keep green an expansive lawn in 110 degree heat; when we refuse to landscape with native plants accustomed to high heat and low moisture, we are throwing away water. Throwing away water in the desert is not advisable.
Water is essential to the Las Vegas way of life, and not just in the physiological sense. Water runs through the massive cooling towers that keep the casinos cool; it fills the pools where people play and relax and recharge their batteries for another night on the town or at the tables; and it inspires ethereal awe in its aesthetic uses in the fountains at the Bellagio, the replicated channels of Venice at the Venetian and the fire-and-water features in front of Red Rock Casino. Without it, the casino industry wouldn’t be thriving like it is, and many of us would be out of a job. To quote J.C. Davis, a spokesman for the Southern Nevada Water Authority, “We live in the desert. We might want to start acting like it.”
That we live in the desert is clearly evident now, with the first official day of summer marking the start of the nearly three-month stretch where 100-plus degree days become the norm.
While the summer heat means spending a lot of time in the cool comforts of the greatest invention of all time—air conditioning—it also means that it’s time to soak up some sun and lounge by the pool. Sure, only a lizard would find it comfortable to lounge around on a pool deck hot enough to melt sandal rubber, but the pool scene isn’t exactly about comfort, it’s about checking out the, er, talent, if you will. And, of course, a quick dip is great for what ails you, if what ails you is heat. With a growing number of pool parties and poolside concerts, we’ve compiled a list (see page 24) to help you find the pool or party you’re looking for, from Ditch Fridays at the Palms, to summer concerts at South Point, to the latest Las Vegas pool trend—the European-style pools which don’t abide by antiquated, gender-biased notions such as only men can forgo a top by the pool.
I would also like to welcome our new readers at several Harrah’s properties—Caesars Palace, the Rio, Flamingo, Harrah’s, Imperial Palace, Bally’s, Paris and O’Shea’s—who are now receiving Casino Connection. I hope our new readers, just like those who have been with us since day one, find our publication educational and entertaining, and take advantage of some of the offers our advertisers are making to the city’s casino employees (our online giveaway at www.casinoconnectionnevada.com is now fully operational). And, as always, I would like to remind everyone out there that this is your magazine, and to that end, we are always interested in hearing your opinions. If you have story suggestions, concerns, or know someone who is deserving of some recognition, don’t hesitate to contact us through the phone number or the email addresses printed to the right of this column.
Greg Jones is managing editor of Casino Connection Nevada, as well as associate editor of Global Gaming Business magazine.
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