In less than a year Las Vegas has become sanitized, homogenized and much easier to rationalize as a destination for well-scrubbed families from around the world. If visiting Las Vegas used to seem like going to the zoo, it now seems a lot more like looking in the mirror. N owhere is this transformation more visible than at the new Hard Rock Hotel. This shrine to the post-MTV generation points directly towards the future. Instead of acres of lurid, florescent, floral print carpet, there are bleached hardwood floors.
Gamblers sit around funky black roulette tables in the shape of grand pianos.
Slot players pump rolls of dollar coins into spiffy new Jimi Hendrix machines hoping to line up three Purple Haze symbols for the big jackpot. The Cashier isn't even called a Cashier anymore. At a casual glance, there isn't a single square foot of traditional green felt in sight on the casino floor. D on't get me wrong though. These are all cosmetic changes.