I hate Las Vegas. I seriously hate it.
I go to a lot of conferences and conventions, and while I'm not really thrilled that most of them could be anywhere -- I mean, a convention center is a convention center, a convention hotel is a convention hotel, from north to south or sea to shining sea -- there is something a bit relaxing about the predictability of most conference sites.
Except for Las Vegas.
There is not one moment in Las Vegas that you can forget you are in Las Vegas.
Now, if one is in New York City or Philadelphia or San Francisco, that's a good thing. To be reminded that one is in a world-class city full of interesting cultural and historical landmarks, beautiful architecture or natural settings, music, art, film, shopping... whatever... is a good thing. And yet, when I'm at conferences and in convention hotels in those places, rarely, if ever, does that happen. I may as well be in some small, anonymous airport oasis in the neon.
No, only in Las Vegas do the slot machines in the lady's rooms of restaurants ensure that not for one moment can you forget you're in the tackiest convention town on the planet.
I don't drink. I don't gamble. I don't enjoy being around people who are doing those things. I don't like Las Vegas, as no doubt you've deduced, being smart folks with above-average reading and comprehension skills.
I do like veterinarians and veterinary medicine, so hopefully the fact that I'm going to Las Vegas for a veterinary conference will balance out the fact that I hate... wait, it's coming.... Las Vegas.
Sigh. That is all.
It's unfortunate you feel this way. Instead of dogging Las Vegas, a place I have called home for 25 years, why don't you explore the great culture the city does have. There are museums, art exhibits, beautiful Red Rock Canyons, spas, skiing at Mt. Charleston, historic downtown buildings and some of the finest shopping and restaurants one could ever hope for. I loathe when an outsider like you comes to our city, my "home," and says there are slot machines in the women's restrooms, when clearly there are not. So what if you don't like gambling and drinking or people who do (wow!), do something else worthwhile of your time while visiting Las Vegas. It has more than you allege is your one-sided opinion.
Posted by: Loves Vegas | 14 February 2008 at 02:40 PM
There's a flaw in your reasoning. I'm not in Las Vegas as a tourist. I'm attending a convention as part of my job. Your gripe isn't with me, but with the industry that has made Las Vegas a convention destination and allowed all of us who are there to attend work-related functions to get no sense at all of the "museums, art exhibits, beautiful Red Rock Canyons, spas, skiing at Mt. Charleston, historic downtown buildings and some of the finest shopping and restaurants one could ever hope for," none of which, by the way, were mentioned in the promotional materials I have received for any event I've ever attended in Las Vegas. No, all the hotels brag about is how close they are to the convention center or the Strip.
I'd love nothing more than to experience the place I am when I'm there... but as I said, even in New York or San Francisco, when I attend a convention or conference, I may as well be anywhere. Vegas is one step worse than that, because it presents you simply with the worst of its difference from other places, and none of the best.
People who go to conferences and conventions, especially working press, virtually never have the time to sight-see, shop, or get out into the countryside. If a city's tourist and business communities want to use conventions as a tool to promote tourism to their area, they have to do a better job of selling what they have to offer than Las Vegas does.
In other words, if having been to Las Vegas for a number of conventions, and gotten the impression I have, whose fault is that: Mine or the highly active convention industry's?
Posted by: Christie | 14 February 2008 at 02:53 PM
It's too bad we're going to miss each other by days in Vegas. :( We could get some culture! I hear that The Liberace Museum is NOT to be missed. :)
I've actually grown to like Vegas, since Michael and I go there quite often to see shows. But I can only handle it for a couple of days at a time. I start to see blinking lights in my brain after that. I have enough stuff blinking in my brain without adding that. LOL.
Love ya,
Travis
Posted by: Travis | 15 February 2008 at 07:01 PM
Have fun at the Western States Vet Conference. I went there sever years ago and was overwhelmed with the horde of people attending the conference. I too am a no gambling, no drinking, no Vegas-style stuff person and I had a hard time with the quasi-culture there on the strip.
Posted by: all but 1 | 15 February 2008 at 08:38 PM
Not sure if you saw this piece in USA Today on Wednesday: http://www.usatoday.com/news/health/2008-02-12-dog-arthritis_N.htm?loc=interstitialskip
Dr. Julie Ryan Johnson will be at the conference if you want to meet with her about the stem cell treatment.
- Lauren
Posted by: Lauren | 15 February 2008 at 09:55 PM
"People who go to conferences and conventions, especially working press, virtually never have the time to sight-see, shop, or get out into the countryside."
Oh dear, I am SO with you there. At Global Pet Expo, I saw the inside of the San Diego convention center and the inside of the Omni hotel. And the eighth-mile of blacktop between them. NOTHING else!
Posted by: Gina Spadafori | 17 February 2008 at 05:54 PM