Tag: las vegas

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?

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

© 2012 National Hospitality Institute®, TAM® of Nevada

Casino Security – A New TV Show to Profile Vegas Cheaters

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Do you work in security at a Las Vegas casino property? It may not always be as glamorous as an Ocean’s Eleven plotline, but casino security and surveillance in Las Vegas is a serious business. As a security guard, one has to be aware of their surroundings at all times. The job at hand is to maintain the safety and security of the staff and patrons of an establishment, and to diffuse any potentially hazardous or disruptive situation before it can happen. The job can present some unique challenges on the casino floor.

Every year gamblers come to Vegas to try their luck, and a small number of them come with the intentions of cheating the system. There is a new documentary series titled “Cheating Vegas” set to premier on Sunday on the Destination America cable channel which will detail how these cheaters try to gain an advantage, and what casinos are doing to stop them. Sunday’s premiere episode will showcase the impressive security features inside the Aria resort. Are you planning to tune in?

And remember, Nevada law specifies that security professionals in Clark County must obtain a TAM® Card prior to the start of work. It’s not just cheaters and thieves that need to be managed in a casino setting; security professional needs to be on the lookout for disruptive patrons, rowdy drunks, and even dishonest employees. To learn more about what to watch out for if you work in security or are considering a career as a security professional, read our blog post, “Casino Security – Suspicious Activity to Watch For.”

What types of scams or suspicious behavior have you witnessed while working as a security guard? What tips would you give to someone looking to work as a security professional in Las Vegas?

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© 2012 National Hospitality Institute®, TAM® of Nevada