Author: TAM of Nevada

100 Years of History – Vegas’ Oldest Hotel and Casino Restored to its Former Glory

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Las Vegas SignThe Golden Gate Hotel & Casino, first opened in 1906, unveiled the results of its impressive $15-million renovation and expansion project last week with a glitzy speakeasy-themed event. This is the first major renovation project for the property in 50 years. New features include a 5-story luxury addition, new suites and vintage-inspired penthouses, an expanded casino floor, a new state of the art casino surveillance system, and a new lobby featuring vintage and historical items, many of which were recovered during construction.

From humble beginnings as stopover railroad outpost to its current position as one of the most buzzed about and happening cities in the United States, Las Vegas has a rich and vibrant history, and the Golden Gate Hotel & Casino is a part of that. The property was a local fixture from the beginning, through the Roaring 20s, the Rat Pack era, modern times, and everything in between. Congratulations to the Golden Gate Hotel & Casino on their exciting new upgrades and nod to Las Vegas’ history. To learn more about the history of Las Vegas, check out our blog post, “Viva Las Vegas: History of a Great American City.”

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© 2012 National Hospitality Institute®, TAM® of Nevada

Las Vegas Teens Learn About the Dangers of Drinking and Driving

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Late last week, local Las Vegas Legacy High School juniors and seniors learned a tough lesson about the dangers of driving while impaired. With the Every Fifteen Minutes program, participants were guided through a unique and powerful 2-day event complete with student and parent involvement, mock obituaries being read about participating students, and even a chance to tour what looked like an active fatal accident scene involving friends and peers.

By giving teens a close-up look at the real and tragic consequences of driving while impaired, there is hope that students will take the lessons to heart and make safe choices for themselves in the future. The Las Vegas Metropolitan Police Department has partnered with the Clark County and Las Vegas Fire Departments, University Medical Center, Clark County Coroner’s Office, Mercy Air, Ambulance services, Palm Mortuary and a host of sponsors to create this unique learning experience for Clark County teens.

Teens often have feelings of invincibility about dangerous choices and feel like nothing bad could possibly happen to them. By launching an interactive program to demonstrate the dangers of what could happen to them and other teens like them, it drives the point home. To learn more about the Every Fifteen Minutes program and activities, visit the LVMP website.

The program’s name was derived from the fact that in the early 1990’s, every fifteen minutes, someone in the United States died in an alcohol-related traffic collision. The NHTSA now estimates that the number of fatal alcohol-related collisions is lower. Now, approximately every 51 minutes, someone dies in a drunk-driving related traffic collision. As a TAM® Card holder or hospitality worker, are you doing all you can to help bring the number of drunk-driving related accidents even lower?

Remember to remain vigilant:

  • Display signage in your store or bar announcing that purchasers of alcohol will be carded.
  • Report any suspicious behavior or activity among patrons to your supervisor or manager.
  • Keep up-to-date with your TAM® training.
  • ALWAYS check identification carefully, especially for anyone who appears to be under the age of 30.

What you do think about the Every Fifteen Minutes program? What policies have you instituted at your business to help deter teen drinking?

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© 2012 National Hospitality Institute®, TAM® of Nevada

Serving Alcoholic Beverages in a Limo or Party Bus? TAM Cards are required.

Published on by TAM of Nevada3 Comments

Tourists and locals alike often rely on chauffeurs to transport them in limousines, sedans, and party buses for a variety of events and special occasions. Even if limo drivers and transportation companies cannot sell alcoholic beverages, in many cases passengers are permitted to bring their own drinks, and drivers will be responsible for carefully monitoring passengers. In the regular course of business, drivers may find themselves pouring glasses of champagne or other alcoholic beverages for passengers on airport pickups, nightclub crawls, chartered tours of the Las Vegas strip, wedding and bachelor parties, and more. If you work in a position where you may serve alcoholic beverages to passengers, you are required by Nevada state law to complete alcohol awareness training and obtain a TAM® Card.

Party buses and limousines are often times equipped with neon and strobe lights, televisions, and surround sound, all of which contribute to a fun and exciting atmosphere. Passengers are in a celebratory mood, and limo drivers have the responsibility of not only safely transporting them to their final destinations, but also making sure they are not over-served or otherwise behaving inappropriately. The recent death of a party bus passenger in New York serves as a reminder that safety is of the utmost importance and that drivers must remain vigilant (Las Vegas Sun). Always follow company policies and procedures when it comes to guest safety and make sure your passengers are aware of any necessary rules and safety regulations.

You can make sure that your passengers are having an enjoyable time, are served responsibly, and remain respectful of the vehicle and others. To learn more about safe beverage service, take the Techniques of Alcohol Management (TAM)® course offered by TAM® of Nevada.

Have you worked as a chauffeur in Las Vegas? What advice would you give to others for keeping passengers safe?

Resources

Teen’s Death on Party Bus Serves as a Warning – Las Vegas Sun

© 2012 National Hospitality Institute®, TAM® of Nevada

Is Your Staff in Need of Alcohol Awareness Training? TAM® of Nevada is Now Offering Onsite Classes and Proctoring for Reno/Sparks Area Businesses

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TAM® of Nevada is expanding! In addition to our Training Center in Las Vegas, we’re happy to announce we’ll now be offering classes and proctoring for students and on-site solutions for businesses in the Reno/Sparks area.

Employers have a duty to ensure that all of their employees are properly trained in responsible alcohol beverage service prior to their start of work. Want to take the hassle out of staying on top of those training requirements? TAM® of Nevada offers special onsite alcohol awareness classes for groups and companies, and we’ll make sure your staff is trained the right way. Want to know if our training solutions might be right for your company?

  1. Do you have dozens or hundreds of employees who are working day, afternoon and evening shifts? With employees working a variety of different schedules, you can ensure that everyone receives convenient training on-site at your location at convenient times. TAM® is able to offer alcohol awareness training for businesses scheduled on-site at their work locations several times throughout the year. With this option, you can count on a solution that works for your current employees, and ensures any new hires receive the same great training.
  2. We offer options that have your staff taught with one uniform training program to meet all state requirements. When your employees receive training at your Washoe County business, we can tailor a program to meet your needs. TAM’s capable instructors are available to hold regular classes and proctor exams at your facility, at your convenience. For example, we recently launched alcohol awareness classes for Smith’s® employees in Mesquite, NV, and are preparing to provide required training for over 100 students on-site.
  3. With enforcement efforts on the rise, why risk having trouble with something like alcohol awareness training? Local police agencies in Nevada have been increasing their decoy operations and busting establishments and their employees for selling alcohol to minors. Additionally, if someone is busted serving alcohol to a minor, one of the first things law enforcement may do is check their alcohol awareness card to verify that it is valid. Remember, not all alcohol awareness training is created equal. We can evaluate your staff’s current status to make sure everyone is in compliance and holds a valid alcohol education card. Check out our recent blog post, “Over Half of Reno Bars Visited in Alcohol Compliance Check Busted for Serving Minors. Are You Checking for I.D.?” for additional details on a recent decoy operation.

TAM® of Nevada has been tailoring training to meet corporate client needs since its inception. Please contact us today to learn more or to arrange training for your facility.

© 2012 National Hospitality Institute®, TAM® of Nevada