Jul
24
Written by:
William Lutz
7/24/2010 12:21 PM
LAS VEGAS – Sometimes it’s amazing the power of words. Today’s Americans for Prosperity Right OnLine conference is occurring at the Venetian Hotel in Las Vegas. At the conference’s general session today, delegates heard from Andrew Abboud, vice president of government relations and community development for Las Vegas Sands Corp, the parent company of the Venetian.
Abboud told delegates that when President Barack Obama told the American people last year that businesses taking stimulus funds should not go to Las Vegas, the impact on the hotel was immediate. Abboud told delegates that the Venetian lost $6 million in hotel room revenue due to cancellations occurring in the immediate aftermath of Obama’s speech. He said the lost food and beverage tab came to about $5 million. And that’s just one hotel. Imagine the impact on the whole city of Las Vegas, which is currently experiencing 15 percent unemployment.
By the way, in other news, Right OnLine director Erik Telford told delegates today that the attendance at Right OnLine exceeded that of the liberal Netroots Nation (being held at the Flamingo Hilton this weekend) for the first time. Oh, and the Venetian is the one non-union hotel on the Las Vegas Strip but has the highest pay for its employees – a fact that brought the house down with applause when announced at Right OnLine.