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The Bear Growls: Reno bums and street people
By LVBear | December 14, 2010
Reno is getting worse in that even in good weather such as the last few days, bums are coming in off the streets to suck up free drinks in the sportsbooks that do not closely police their “drink tickets.” Recently, in a large sportsbook, I watched as two drunken bums argued and almost fought over a disputed call in a football game being shown on the big screen. It was hilarious, because obviously they had more important things to worry about in life than a football game.
I think the casinos do not really know how to handle the bums. Security is often too stupid to tell the difference between a street person and a legitimate patron who dresses like a bum, but really is a customer who likes to sit in the sportsbook all day and yell at football games. Resources have to be devoted to ferret out one from the other. Having many street people present, especially bad-smelling ones, annoys patrons. But throwing out large numbers of people may result in a few patrons being thrown out for no reason other than dressing badly. That could happen to me. :>)
I don’t know the solution, but I know the problem is getting worse. Harrah’s is probably the worst right now, with bums coming in off the Second Street entrance just east of the book. Harrah’s is challenging perennial leader Cal-Neva. Sands Regency always has bums hanging around; Peppermill is right up there as well, with Eldorado, Atlantis, and Grand Sierra in the running. Grand Sierra is a surprise, because it is quite a walk from anywhere bums usually congregate; maybe they take a shuttle from downtown? But Grand Sierra is so large they can seemingly become invisible inside the cavernous facility, and avoid scrutiny by security. Or a few bums can pool their money together and buy a $30,000 condo at The Summit, that was attempted to be sold for $400,000 a few years ago.
JA Nugget has few, almost no bums hanging out, nor does Boomtown. Of course, Boomtown, with its latest downgrade of table games, could use some bums — the bums might play at higher stakes than the few remaining patrons, and make the place look less deserted.
Just like dealing with casino employees, it is important not to antagonize these folks. Some may not be playing with a full deck, so to speak. Some may be drunk, others just plain mean and dangerous. I was accosted by one outside Sands Regency a couple of trips ago. My yelling at him and brandishing a can of pepper spray resulted in his quick retreat. Be careful out there.
Topics: Boomtown, Cal-Neva, Grand Sierra, Harrah's, John Ascuaga's Nugget, Peppermill, Reno, Sands Regency, Sports Betting | 4 Comments »
4 Responses to “The Bear Growls: Reno bums and street people”
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December 18th, 2010 at 1:47 am
I thought all casinos were very quick to give “The bum’s rush” to all these despicable vermin…. oh wait,,, that is their attitude towards card counters!
I think you will find that law enforcement in the vicinity of casinos is often influenced by persons able to wield political influence over such matters as affect property values.
If bums are being sent into casinos that are more distant than expected, you can find a real estate developer or an owner of crack houses will be behind the operation!
It used to be that “blockbusting” was illegal, but now cities and real estate moguls do it via social service programs. Give some bums a ride to a casino for a few months then make an offer on the real estate.
December 18th, 2010 at 1:56 am
>a few bums pooling their money can buy a 30k condo
>at The Summit, that sold for 400k a few years ago.
Sounds good. Can you introduce me?
Also are similar deals available in Vegas, I’d prefer to be near The Strip. Do you know any bums there? I’m willing to cut down on my purchases of MadDog 2020 for awhile to make the payments but I need help with the downpayment!
January 1st, 2011 at 4:19 pm
It seems that some people are doing their own Time Shares amongst family members or the like and are buying condos or homes in Las Vegas, but I doubt bums are really able to get the down payments together.
Its probably the fact that for some Reno casinos, the real estate is the asset and the casino license is not. This probably brings in various pressures on the casino owner in the form of bums, parking enforcement, DUI enforcement, etc. Its simply economically to someone’s advantage for a casino to go under and the real estate to be sold as real estate rather than as a casino.
A few premises liability actions may change the casino’s tune for awhile, but not by much.
January 16th, 2011 at 7:18 am
News Flash: If you could figure out that they were two drunken homeless bums, so could the other people in the sports book, including the ticket writers, the waitresses and the security guards!
If it was treated as “all just part of the entertainment” by others and by the casino, then that is what the casino is going to continue to do. The fact that bums are in the area of the casino may be due to a variety of factors but how they are treated once they are inside the casino is not due to real estate values or police enforcement policies.