Faith is strong in ‘sin city’

Press, 11 July 1989, Page 22

Faith is strong in ‘sin city’

Las Vagas has more churches per capita than any other city in the United States. Cynics suggest that the 40 faiths represented are trying to counter the guilt of its “sin city” image. Now the city fathers are trying to swing the focus away from, the $6.6 billion-a-year casino industry to Nevada’s other attractions. They want to spread the word that it’s a family destination with more natural attractions close at hand like the Grand Canyon and the mighty Hoover Dam. But Las Vegas’s main drawcard

is likely to remain the glitz and glamour of its night life and gambling, where big name stars can always be found and hotels try to outdo each other with the lavishness of their shows. It is a city where the slot machine is king - there are more than 58,000 of them. Rows of them are waiting to greet you in the arrival hall at the airport and more will beg to take your last quarters in the departure lounges as you prepare to leave. The “pokies” were first installed in the casinos to keep the spouses amused while their more

serious partners played the card tables. But in recent years the jackpots have become so enticing that the money they digest is now second only to craps. Most of the machines have appetites for one dollar tokens but many will accept quarters, even nickels. In Caesar’s Palace, however, I watched in almost sickening awe as one customer stuffed $5OO tokens three at a time into what must surely be the Emperor of All Slots. Losing a mere $lO in quarters didn’t feel quite so bad after witnessing that.