by The SHOT Show always has a number of “official” hotels where their travel company has negotiated special rates for attendees and exhibitors. One of the pluses of staying at one of these on-the-Strip hotels is that there is shuttle bus service to the Sands Expo Center.
For those that are not aware of it, Question 1 on the ballot in Nevada is on universal background checks. It would criminalize the sale or transfer of a firearm between private individuals unless a background check was performed by a FFL. While there are limited exceptions to this, the first offense is a gross misdemeanor and the second offense is a Class C felony.
This initiative was proposed by Nevadans for Background Checks which is a front group for Michael Bloomberg and his Everytown Moms for Illegal Mayors. Tara Paone is a listed as a director of this group. As Jeff Knox notes, she is also the Treasurer for Everytown and was listed as a director in Washington State’s I-594 universal background check initiative.
I am firmly of the belief that if this initiative passes that the SHOT Show, Safari Club International, and other firearms related organizations should forever move their trade shows and conventions out of that state. You don’t reward states that don’t respect your civil rights. The LGBTQ community is very good at this.
That got me to questioning who was financially supporting the initiative and who was funding the opposition. Here is where it gets interesting. There was the big money (over $100,000) donations from Everytown and from Seattle billionaire Nick Hanauer. Hanauer spent over $1 million in a successful effort to pass Washington’s I-594 initiative. These type of donations were expected. What I would not have expected were substantial donations from a number of the casino and hotel companies.
- MGM Resorts International – $25,000 – 1/22/2016
- Caesar’s Enterprise Services LLC – $25,000 – 12/29/2015
- Wynn Resorts Ltd. – $50,000 – 9/29/2015
There is nothing like biting the hand that feeds you. Just so you are aware, let’s see what hotels and casinos belong to each of these groups. I’ve noted whether it was an official hotel or not as well.
- ARIA
- Bellagio – Yes
- Vdara
- MGM Grand – Yes
- Skylofts at MGM Grand
- The Signature at MGM Grand
- Mandalay Bay
- Delano Las Vegas
- The Mirage – Yes
- Monte Carlo – Yes
- New York – New York – Yes
- Luxor – Yes
- Excalibur -Yes
- Circus Circus – Yes
- Anthology Suites & Villas
- Bally’s – Yes
- Caesars Palace – Yes
- The Cromwell
- Flamingo – Yes
- Harrah’s – Yes
- The LINQ – Yes
- Paris – Yes
- Planet Hollywood – Yes
- Rio
- Wynn Las Vegas
- Encore
- The Ventian – owned by Sheldon Adelson’s Las Vegas Sands
- The Palazzo – owned by Sheldon Adelson’s Las Vegas Sands
- Elara – owned by Hilton
- Hilton Grand Vacations – owned by Hilton
- SLS Las Vegas – owned by Sam Nazarian’s SBE Corp.
- Stratosphere – owned by American Casino & Entertainment Properties LLC
- The Cosmopolitan – owned by Blackstone Group (investment bankers)
- Treasure Island – privately owned by Phil Ruffin
- Tropicana – owned by Hilton
- Trump Las Vegas – owned by you know who
- Westin – owned by Marriott International
Nevada is quickly turning into Eastern California. If this passes, not a dine should be spent in Nevada by pro-gun individuals.
Hilton has a universal policy prohibiting firearms in guest rooms. Keep that in mind.
Hilton has a universal policy prohibiting firearms in guest rooms. Keep that in mind.
I've heard that. Still they are not funding Bloomberg's Question 1 in Nevada.
Why not support the free market and get an AirBNB instead?
This is a good suggestion. While I'm not 100% knowledgeable on how AirBNB works, I know plenty of people take advantage of it. I have stayed in many bed and breakfasts in the UK and Ireland.
How many of those hotels allow guns on their campus? I was in Nevada this summer and saw signs on anywhere with 2 machines prohibiting weapons anywhere on the property; if you drive there, you couldn't even legally keep a weapon in your car.