The Casino District

Thursday, September 27, 2012

For this walking journal I was unable to make the journey because I am feeling really under the weather. However, I have spent a good few journeys in the casino district. And being from Las Vegas, I’ve had to come face to face with the reality that each “neighborhood” holds.

                For one that comes from out of state, casinos may be the highlight of their bucket list. Cheap buffets, gambling, excessive drinking, and a crazy experience are what they seek. But for the local resident, casinos still hold value, yet they are seen through a different perspective. An outsider sees a city of gambling and poor choices while the resident sees family neighborhoods that surround a district that is their livelihood since any Nevadan knows that gambling and tourism brings in the greatest revenue for the state.

                For me, I see the university as a safe haven where faculty, staff, and campus police work day and night to keep its students out of harm’s way. For those who have seen The Truman Show, starring Jim Carrey, the main character, Truman, is born and raised on a television set which he thinks is reality. Everything he sees and hears and experiences is carefully chosen by the directors of the show. This can be paralleled with the events of the campus. Although the people present are all adults, the advertisements are censored and events approved by a special committee. The actions of its people are also controlled by the ones chosen to run the facility: campus police, resident directors, professors, employees. All has to be done according to a strict set of rules. It tries to bring diversity in the safest ways as possible.

                On the other hand, the casino district faces significantly less guidelines to what it can or cannot do. You may see pictures hanging from the front or sides of buildings with nearly naked woman. Then on another you may come across signs that advertise other adult shows or activities such as gambling or drinking. For those who aren’t from Reno, this becomes its identifying image.  This diversity that it offers is very open and out there regardless of its critics. Being scandalous is what makes it so intriguing.

However, if one is to travel further into the downtown area, one can discover the beauty of the Riverwalk along with its assortment of restaurants and local hangouts. This is a reminder that there is more to this city than just crude obscenities. The casino district is only a small glimpse of what Reno truly has to offer—quality education, the Truckee River, and community that has a strong spirit as it feels a sense of small town in a city atmosphere.

That is so interesting that the “casino district” used to be “off limits” for the college students. It’s as if though the students were continually being protected from the harsh reality of the world. I still do think that some students stay away from the area because of the vast amounts of wanderers and questionable people, yet it is a place that one can learn some street-smarts while also having a good time.