Reno Needs a Face Lift

When people think of Reno, Nevada, they think of gambling and casinos. However, the people who live in Reno think of cheap storefronts and gambling addictions. Who is right? Unfortunately both groups are. Nevada, and Reno, are known for the number of slot machine casinos that they offer the general public, but along with that comes all the ugliness as well. Plus, Reno is not a young city, which does not help them either.

The city’s leaders say that it is time they started putting their focus on something besides slot machines. They think that instead of focusing on the slot machines and gambling, they should be focusing on the beauty of the area, like the Sierra Nevada Mountains that surround the city.

They say that they are aware that the slot machines and casinos are their life blood, as they give millions of dollars of revenue to the state and the city, and nine of the fifteen biggest employers are casinos as well. They are also good for tourism, but they are also adding to a seedy side of Reno.

Many say that the downtown area looks cheap with all of the pawn and payday loan shops. They also say that they are looking at record numbers of gambling addiction calls into the Nevada Council on Problem Gambling’s hotline – with more than 2,600 calls coming in. More than 14% of those calls are from Reno residents.

Opponents of the slot machines also point out that slot machine and gambling revenues have been declining over the past few years, especially in older casinos. They say that the majority of people want to head to the Strip in Las Vegas to do their gambling because that is where all of the flash is. They think it is time that they started putting their focus somewhere else.



Back to July Archive or Slot Machines