VICTOR JOECKS: Las Vegas Strip crimes threaten iconic brand

The decline of San Francisco shows why Las Vegas officials should clamp down on crime and homelessness in and around the Strip.

Las Vegas is one of the world’s most iconic brands. Across the globe, it’s known as a place to have fun and be entertained. That’s why Las Vegas welcomed more than 38 million visitors last year.

Tourism is obviously vital to Clark County’s economy. Diversification efforts sound nice, but the tourism-industrial complex remains dominant. Think back to start of the pandemic in 2020. Then-Gov. Steve Sisolak shuttered casinos and other businesses. Many other states did, too. But Nevada saw the highest state unemployment rate — ever. The jobless rate soared to 30 percent.

This is why safety on the Strip should be a paramount concern. If people don’t feel safe here, their interest in visiting will decline.

It has not been a great week in that department. On Tuesday, a man held a woman hostage in a Caesars Palace hotel room. During the hourslong standoff, he broke a window and tossed furniture toward the pool, which had to be closed. He was likely smoking meth.

On Sunday night, police arrested a man for running naked through a casino and “gyrating” on a poker table. The police report said, “He appeared to be in an altered mental state.”

On Monday, video of a fight inside the Encore made national news. “Massive fight breaks out between women at one of Vegas’ swankiest hotels,” a headline on the sports website OutKick read.

After Memorial Day, the site reported on similar incidents on Fremont Street with the headline, “Las Vegas looks like a war zone as massive fights unfold.”

It’s easy to dismiss these incidents. Las Vegas attracts millions of tourists a month in part by tacitly encouraging socially unacceptable behavior. Some people get wild. The Caesars incident was a one-off.

Plus, Las Vegas has recovered from much worse, such as the 1 October tragedy.

True enough. Visitation isn’t in danger of dropping off dramatically in the short term. But look at San Francisco. Imagine telling someone five or 10 years ago that it would be facing a bleak future in 2023. That wouldn’t sound probable, but here we are.

More than 15 retailers have left its downtown since 2020. This summer, the owner of the Hilton San Francisco Union Square Foot defaulted on its loan, preferring to give up the hotel rather than make payments. This would be like MGM Resorts International walking away from its lease on the Bellagio. That doesn’t happen if things are going well.

One of the biggest causes of San Francisco’s decline is the rampant homelessness, street crime and open drug use. People don’t feel safe there.

That’s why it’s worrying to see videos of homeless people threatening others or passed out on the Strip and Fremont Street. Las Vegas has headline-producing crimes and drug addicted or mentally ill individuals routinely harassing tourists. Not great.

The seeds of future failure are often planted during seasons of success. Las Vegas officials need to clean up the Strip today to ensure we avoid San Francisco’s dire fate tomorrow.

Victor Joecks’ column appears in the Opinion section each Sunday, Wednesday and Friday. Contact him at vjoecks@reviewjournal.com or 702-383-4698. Follow @victorjoecks on Twitter.