Will a Casino fly in NYC?

Oh man this is exactly what we do not need. Casinos don't exactly attract the most winning crowd.

I agree that we do NOT need to attract the casino crowd. Maybe it's what Las Vegas has to do to exist, but they're in the middle of a desert and who would want to go there otherwise.

I have no problem with casinos per se, but I can certainly see the "crowd" argument. Same logic as a strip club or any other such institution, really...

I HATE Las Vegas. I will be so bummed if we get a casino. It is filled to the brim with the lowest common denominator always.

A casino in NYC would bring in more tourist. Plus, people may come here instead of or in addition to Las Vegas. I would say this city could stand for more entertainment to boost revenues.

@JenMac Agreed. The city is too special to try to attract the lowest common denominator here. We totally can live without casinos, everybody. There are few cities that are as much of a tourist magnet as good old NYC.

@DBlack so true.. I hardly think a casino would make NYC more desirable than it already is!

@Uptowngirl: It's not about desirability. It's about much needed revenue. Perhaps if this city got a lot of revenue from casinos, they would not raise taxes like they do. And just maybe the city would not have to cut budgets.

@hhusted that's true but think of the kind of crowds casinos usually attract.. I dont gamble ..in fact I abhor it ..that's why I think its not a good idea.. selfish? maybe ..but then who is going to listen to me?

Yuck, yeah: casinos will only attract casino-going people, and who wants those? Let them stay in Vegas.

Or stay in Atlantic City.

And: I don't think tourists are going to be flocking to Queens to play slot machines. Come on. Tourists have better places to gamble. It's not going to attract tourists - more like local gamblers.

Seriously, if you come to New York and can't think of anything better to do with yourself than to spend all day in a gambling hall, then you're just better off not coming to NY.

I used to bartend in a casino boat, and let me tell you - that was the most depressing scene EVER. Yes, some people do venture out to the casino for a bit of fun and celebration, but the crowd was mostly addicts and people who gambled for a living who were also probably addicts. And since drinks in casinos are free, most people got off the boat a menace to society. Not pretty. Most of the people there came so often that I knew many of their names and what they were drinking all day.

@Everybody: First of all I am not a gambler. I never did and never will. I work to hard for my money to blow it away. But I am an expert at blackjack and was considering going for a license at a casino in Las Vegas. When I applied they claimed they had no vacancies, so I gave up. But that is for another post.

What I really wanted to say here is that I do not accept gambling, but from a business point of view I can see how having a casino would bring in the revenue. That is the way I am looking at it. I do not like the riff-raff that comes with gambling. I've been at the casinos in Vegas and watched the people at the blackjack table. I saw how they acted. If Bloomberg can find a way to curb the behavior of the people attending the casino, then maybe there would be no problem. What do you think about that idea?

How do you curb the behavior of people attending a casino? A casino is not going to suddenly attract the kind of crowd that anyone wants in their backyard, no matter what Bloomberg does.

@BroadwayBk: Have police around to watch things. Like I said, it was just an idea.

Even with police around you can't ensure that people aren't sleazy and depressing addicts. None of the behavior that BroadwayBK was describing is actually illegal, just unsavory. And I'm not sure how scrupulous it is for anyone to profit from people's nasty addictions, which is what casinos do, for the most part. As BroadwayBK pointed out, the people who really use casinos as just a fun place to burn a few hours with friends are in the minority.

@Uraniumfish -gambling is a terrible thing. My grandfather is addicted to internet "sweetppstakes" scams and it's really been quite hard and disappointing on all of us.

@ajadeidealist I knew this kid who worked in finance who would lose astonishing amounts through internet betting. Hes was about 22 and when I asked him what what new, he would say things like, "Lost $25,000 today." He was making such absurd amounts of money back then that I guess he could afford it. Seemed so stupid.

Gambling is the dumbest thing of all time. The few times that I have played craps, I kept thinking, "man, I just lost a pair of shoes I wanted."

@Everybody: I understand you are concerned about casinos and the riff-raff that they may bring, but NYC needs money desperately. Therefore, if you are against casinos, what other ways can this city make money without taxing the citizens of this city?

@hhusted I think they will continue to tax us no matter what casino/ no casino for the general perception in Albany seems to be NYers are rich and can afford to pay!

@ajadedidiealist Sorry to hear that. I saw a lot of that kind of thing in my casino bartending days... it was very sad, to say the least.

@Uraniumfish But the house always wins. I've seen a lot of people eek out a living playing blackjack, but it isn't much of one. I've heard a lot of those "I lost x thousands of dollars today" quotes as well.

Uptowngirl: That is what I heard to. If Albany and NYC's mayor get their way, NYC will only be for the rich. Meaning only rich people will be living here.

@BroadwayBK I also knew some mathematicians in college who went to Vegas to count cards. They reported back that, yes, you can count cards successfully, but if you spend about 40 hours a week counting cards you could make the equivalent of 40K yearly salary. So then it's just like having a full time job.

@Uraniumfish: I thought card counters were not allowed in casinos. I guess it depends on the casino.

@hhusted I know zilch about casinos.. have never gambled and don't intend to start anytime soon so don't know what they permit and what they don't. I have the impression that most gamblers are sleazy folks don't know if that's accurate or not .. I once stayed in a casino hotel in Genting Highlands in Malaysia and it was totally tacky not my cup of tea at all.

@hhusted No of course they're not allowed but people do it anyway. In the case of my college friends they worked as a team. As I said, there was a financial benefit, but not really so high that you'd want to do it for that many hours at a time. Anyways, in the case of my friends, it was just a fun experiment to try out for a week, and then they all went back to college and to real careers.

Yeah, you can be thrown out of a casino for that. And I've never seen such tight security as they have in casinos. They don't kid around about that kind of thing.

No one can prove you're counting cards, though. The people who do it are pretty clever types with fantastic memories, and they do it all in their heads. To anyone watching from the outside, all you see is somebody playing for hours at a stretch, and I think that's indistinguishable from gambling addicts who spend hours and hours at the gambling tables.

Right - but if you are winning too much it becomes suspicious, and they do keep an eye out for that sort of thing. A good way to be banned from a casino is to win too much.

Mathematicians counting cards? Didn't a movie come out about that very same topic recently?

@NeverSleeps aha I remember that as well.. its 21

@BroadwayBK How would they enforce that without looking like jackasses? The probabilities are that every once in a while some lucky schmoe is going to have a good day and win more than the average. They can't kick him out for that. Now if he keeps returning day after day, and winning consistently, maybe they'd get suspicious. But there are aton of casinos in Vegas and you can go into a new one each day for a good while.

@Uraniumfish: If you are winning too many hands, the house will consider you a card counter and will, at their desecration, throw you out of the building. A friend of mine graduated with a double major, one in number theory, and the other one in quantum physics. He went to Vegas on vacation, and when he and his girlfriend were at the blackjack table, he had won over $50,000 at one point. One of the managers came down to the floor and noticed he had won so much, and ordered him to leave. His girlfriend complained that there was no law in winning. The floor manager said they did not like card counters and asked them to leave. He picked up his winnings and left.

@hhusted Yeah, I see what you mean about them patrolling for card-counters, but the casino certainly ends up looking like a bunch of jerks for kicking them out. At least he got to keep his winnings.

It's not that they enforce it while trying not to look like jackasses - they don't care if they look like jackasses or not. It's not like casinos are known for their customer service, and it's not like such behavior is going to endanger their business. Quite the opposite. Like I said, I worked in a casino and have witnessed the crazy security precautions and the lack of tolerance for anything unsavory.

@BroadwayBk Hopefully you didn't have to work in a casino too long. I can't imagine, but that kind of scene must get to you after a while.

@Uraniumfish I didn't - it was surely the worst service job I have ever worked. So depressing, and it definitely gets to you after even a short period of time. I worked with a bartender who had been working there for more than a decade, and he was the biggest sourpuss I have ever met. It's the kind of job that wears you down.

As I imagine it, a high concentration of people with mental illnesses all in one place. (Shudder)

@BroadwayBK The scene you describe is quite dismal so unlike the glamorous casinos of Hollywood movies where everyone is nice looking and well dressed. I have never been to Las Vegas or even Atlantic City for that matter, have never really been enamored of it.

I'd say it was about half and half - half populated by sad little addicts and half with groups of people out for a good time. But the people who worked there the longest knew so many of the customers' names and drinks - because the same people turned up again and again.

@uptowngirl Wow! We are all three online at the same time! Anyway, yeah - that's how I found it. I've been through Vegas and the hotels are definitely flashy and glamorous, but places like this don't attract the best crowd overall. I mean, prostitution is legal in Vegas. What kind of a crowd is that going to draw? That's been my experience, anyway. But I am not opposed to having a gambling night with a group of friends. I just never want to be that guy that shows up and gambles his life away every day.

@BroadwayBK I totally agree. Gambling is so big all over Asia and suddenly poker nights are the new thing especially with women. Instead of going out to a bar or restaurant for a 'girls night out' , I have friends who have a weekly poker night. They abandon their spouses and boyfriends for a night each week and stay up all night playing poker. Apparently they play small stakes but I can't see what the fuss is all about I much rather go out for a night on the town.

@uptowngirl It's just a fun a way to hang out. Grabbing a drink with a group of friends is okay too but dependent somehow on consuming alcohol in a place that's usually loud and not conducive to conversation.

@hhusted - have you seen the film 21? That's all about MIT students who are number geniuses counting cards to win at the casino. I haven't, but I really want to; what a cool idea! Let's hear it for the nerds!

Vegas is the grossest. Anyone who has ever been to one of their pool parties can attest to what kind of people gambling meccas attract. And, we already have enough sketchballs in NY.

@BroadwayBK: You have probably seen it all, right?

@Uptowngirl: I went to Vegas and Atlantic City. Vegas is a lot nicer looking as far as environment is concerned. I like playing cards for the competition of it. Plus, the concentration you have to use to figure out what cards have been played, and you have to follow certain rules as well. My father taught me poker when I was a teenager and we played it all the time. I learned a lot. I got so good I was able to beat anyone who dared challenge me. I was hired as a poker dealer at a party last year. Got paid good money for three hours of work.

I've never actually been gambling - I guess I've never been interested. When I was much younger I thought it would be cool to visit Vegas, but nowadays I'd rather spend my money on a more lovely vacation.

@hhusted Then you would do very well in Asia where gambling and gamblers is a big thing

@NeverSleeps Me too every time I earn a bit of money I want to run away on a beach vacation

@Uptowngirl: I think Asian people may throw me out when I begin winning too much. :) :)

@uptowngirl Yes! Maybe that's what we could use to drive up NYC tourism: a beach resort. Ha, ha. Then again, do we really want to drive up tourism?

@JenMac I went to school with a guy who grew up in Vegas, and although he was tall, good-looking, and very smart, he was profoundly weird, something I attributed directly to the Vegas atmosphere. That place can't be normal.

I knew a guy who grew in Vegas in my high school, and he was *definitely* weird (a nice guy, sure, but weird to the extreme). Vegas does seem like a pretty weird place to grow up.

I thought of this forum the other day when I was watching that MTV show When I was 17 (or whatever it's called), the show that takes pop stars and has them talk about their life in high school. Ne-Yo apparently grew up in Las Vegas, and he insists that it was an incredibly boring place to grow up. The strip, he says, is just that one street and if people could see the rest of the city they wouldn't think it was so amazing.

@NeverSleeps The guy I know described long stretches of time of staring at walls for lack of anything to do out there. That can make you pretty weird, I guess.

I always think that gambling looks so glamorous in (mostly James Bond) films at places like Monte Carlo and Monaco, but I know that's not the real truth - in real life it seems awfully seedy, sad, and exploitative. And, as they say, the house always wins.

@ajadedidealist Completely agree.

@ajadeidealist Indeed. That's why I can't possibly enjoy betting: I KNOW the house will win so what's the fun in that?

@Uraniumfish agreed.. You would think such common sense would deter other gamblers but no they still go head and take their chances anyway

@NeverSleeps: I went to Las Vegas four years ago, and while there, my girlfriend and I traveled away from the casinos. We wanted to see what was outside of casino alley. Much of the area appeared to be desert terrain.

@hhusted Yeah, if I went out to Las Vegas that's where I'd go too: the desert.

@Uraniumfish: Yeah, especially since the casinos have nothing to offer me. Besides I love the heat of the desert. It is so open and widespread. No one on top of you. What a great feeling.

@Uraniumfish Ha.

However, knowing that I get impatient and restless after even a week out in the country, I wonder how long I woudl last in the Vegas desert before I start hallucinating from boredom.

@Uraniumfish You should pick up a Hunter S. Thompson Spend Zero Boring Minutes in the Desert Kit next time you head out to the outskirts of Vegas.

@Uraniumfish: Just bring a long a few good books and a man. That should keep you occupied for a while. :) :)

Haha... like it's a beach out there? That's what I like to bring to the beach.

@NeverSleeps; I hear ya. If you are a beach person that would be the thing to bring.

@Uraniumfish I can totally relate.. me too I seem to need action, action all the time.

@uptowngirl Yeah...same here. But then again what else can you expect from a bunch of seasoned urbanites?

Thanks, guys, I now have a clear coping strategy for the Vegas desert...

Hahahahahahaha. What has become of this thread?

@BroadwayBK: Good question. Interesting how people can go off topic quickly. We were talking about casinos for a while.