A Merlin dummy comes out of a little kiosk, and a disembodied Merlin voice is heard over loudspeakers complaining of that pesky dragon. He shoots what appear to be firecrackers out of a stick and the dragon retreats. The show, presented every hour on the hour from 8 p.m. on, was 10 minutes in length, seven of which was noise. The success of Las Vegas' free shows is easily gauged. On any evening, that sidewalk is thick with foot traffic - a turnout that is significantly greater than that found on the other side of the street, despite the presence of the lavish new Venetian.
Casinos live and die off foot travelers.
Even if, for the moment, there is no discernible jingle in some of the pockets.