Will Las Vegas finally legalize prostitution?
Perhaps the most widely ignored legal reality in Las Vegas (except for the open container law) are the laws against prostitution. From brothel prostitution to escorts, there is no form of legal prostitution in Clark County, which includes Vegas. The confusion is caused by the fact that Nevada is the only state in the nation with legal brothel prostitution, just not in Vegas. The closest legal brothel to Vegas is the Chicken Ranch, which is just minutes from the county line by car.
Whenever Vegas has hit an economic road bump in the last decade, the idea of legalizing prostitution has been floated as a solution, and then gone nowhere. There are a few reasons for this. The state Legislature would have to pass a law allowing prostitution in Clark County and that would severely hurt the tax base of the smaller counties that depend on the money that comes from brothels. The state of Nevada -- despite the willingness, indeed, occasional eagerness of the brothel industry to be taxed -- has been reluctant to craft any integral role for the brothels in the state tax base. The view was based not only on resisting the temptation for expansion but on a general belief that as the state left behind its Western libertarian roots, rural Nevada would eventually grow out of the need for brothel taxes as suburbs blossomed, replacing the empty ghost towns and desert nothing between Reno (where prostitution is illegal) and Vegas. Also, the casino industry (especially Steve Wynn) has in the past opposed any attempt to legalize prostitution in Vegas. Finally, no previous economic crisis Vegas has faced has lasted long enough to begin a dialogue about opening up Vegas to legalized prostitution. Once the crisis fades, interest vanishes.
Of course, the biggest sponsor for considering legalized prostitution in Vegas is Mayor Oscar Goodman. But because prostitution is an issue to be decided on the state level, his support for exploring the use of the oldest profession for downtown redevelopment has never received any serious attention.
Now, state Sen. Bob Coffin has given fresh life to this old idea by simply bringing it up as a serious proposal. According to the Sun, "This is the first time in recent memory that a legislator has taken up this issue." Unsurprisingly, Coffin need not care about political fallout as he has reached his term limit for service and will not have to run again. Just as interesting, the article's one clear opponent to expanding Nevada's legalized prostitution system to Vegas is identified only as a "ranking Assembly Democrat." What does it say about changing times and attitudes when the opponents of expanded legalized prostitution do not want their names in a story connected to that position? Obviously, behind this push for expanding legalized prostitution is Nevada's budget mess. To give one example, the governor's proposed budget may require cutting close to half of UNLV's state funding. Therefore, no one is leaping to oppose ideas that can add money to help fix this mess.
So, here we are in 2009, and Nevada does not have enough money and everyone knows it. And everyone accepts that an awful lot of prostitution is going on unregulated and untaxed in Las Vegas. There are no new arguments about this issue, just changing times. And, unlike a recent proposal to lower the gambling age to 18, expanding legal prostitution does not seem as offensive to the general populace of Sin City, many of whom probably never knew it was illegal in the first place. After all, why should Nye County (where the Chicken Ranch is located) get the tax benefit from Vegas tourists?
Still, as much as downtown Las Vegas might support this idea, I doubt the casinos have changed their position. Resorts are opposed to most things that take their customers off the property to spend money. And without the support of the gambling industry, legalized prostitution in Las Vegas would be almost politically impossible.
But these are economic times like Vegas has never seen before. And I suspect this idea will get more attention than anyone imagines this go-around. The time to discuss legalized prostitution for Las Vegas has arrived.
I certainly have mixed views on whether this would be good for Vegas tourism, the community and the customers and workers who frequent this sort of entertainment. Many of my opinions were formed when I was working on a story and spent a week living at the Chicken Ranch and observing the business up close. And as this moves along, I will share those thoughts and memories with you.
But for now, I am curious about what you think. Would legal prostitution be another way to make Vegas a fantastic fantasy spot for you, or would it make Vegas a hopelessly seedy neighborhood stacked with many of the world's most expensive and luxurious resorts? Would you be more or less likely to visit Vegas if there was legal prostitution available in some form?
These are questions getting a new look in 2009 as Vegas continues to lose residents and visitors, faces an unprecedented drop in gambling and remains the foreclosure capital of the country. Is it time to bring on the hookers to help save Las Vegas?
Photo: Dallas combs her hair at the brothel Donna's Ranch in Wells, NV. George Frey / For The Times
As far as I can tell from my last two trips to Vegas that while prostitution may be illegal, the resorts (Wynn accepted) seem to turn a blind eye to it. In September at the Luxor I was approached by girls 4 times in the space of about an hour, In December at the Mirage their seemed to be more “working girls” than customers in the casino at 2 in the morning.
From talking to a few of the dealers at the casino’s they told me that the Casino’s are well aware of which girls are working their properties but seldom do anything about it unless the they become overly aggressive in their solicitations. However, just what defines “overly aggressive” is beyond me, a couple of the girls that approached me were fairly brazen and not at all bothered when I told them I was there with my wife.
Personally speaking I doubt that legalizing prostitution will do much to draw tourists in and if you pardon the pun my turn more people off visiting. Right now my least favorite thing about Vegas is running the gauntlet of porn slappers on the strip, God forbid having to do it in the casino with the working girls and besides is there any city in North America that doesn’t have prostitutes.
I also think that throwing the doors open is going to open a Pandora’s box where if it is legal you are going to invite an influx of prostitutes from all over the place looking to ply their trade with less hassle from the authorities and with these girls will come their pimps and other associated problems with crime and drugs (and I think Vegas already has enough of those problems without inviting more)
Prostitution exists and will probably always exist no matter how much pressure is exerted to stop it. The policy I think that is going on right now appears to be one of “don’t ask…don’t tell” and rightly or wrongly is probably the best approach at this time. So my opinion would be to keep the status quo.
Posted by: Jim W | January 22, 2009 at 09:24 AM
An interesting concept. Good article, Richard. Definitely makes you think about it.
The interesting part of your article is the fact that this idea was brought up by a politician who is nearing the end of his term. I would imagine for any other politician to bring it up would be like a death knell for the furtherance of a career in public office. Because even though prostitution is legal in Nevada, I have noticed there is an unwritten law about advertising it openly or even talking about it. It's kind of like the State says, okay, you guys who are supposed to control it go ahead and control it, and send us the tax money from it, but make sure they don't advertise it alot and out in the open on billboards and stuff, word of mouth only, can't get the conservative voters riled up, let's keep it a little bit shoved under the rug, out of sight...out of mind, this gives us an option to deny we condone it, but we'll go ahead and reap the benefits from it. It's an uneasy alliance between the perception of the taxpayers and appeasing them while at the same time having the legalized prostitution law in the sovereign State of Nevada.
I guess to come up with an answer to the questions you pose, you have to know a little bit about the background of the legalized prostitution law in Nevada. From what I understand, when prostitution was first legalized, it became legal ONLY in counties that had a population of less than 200,000 people. So, basically this made legalized prostitution effective in every county of Nevada excluding Washoe (which covers Reno) and Clark (which covers Las Vegas). The reasoning behind this law was because the people of Nevada didn't want to attract nor wish the patronage of the unsavory element (as it was determined to be the opinion back then) of the military.
So, it's not a matter of legalizing it in Washoe and Clark Counties, it's just a matter of amending that portion of the existing law to strike that exclusion from it. To make legalized prostitution State wide. And, as an aside, that excuse to not attract and patronize military is overcome by events...because there are far worse things to worry about than soldiers, sailors, marines and airman running around loose with low morals and high libidos and causing havoc and disturbing the peace.
That's my understanding of the origins of it.
Now, if that amending of the State Law were to happen, there are a lot of questions that will happen.
Will it help the economy? Don't know. Will it stop street walker prostitutes? No. Will it stop those prostitutes that are serious drug takers from plying their trade? No. Will it attract unsavory characters and criminal elements...be it the ones running the places or as customers there? Probably...the possibility is there and exists.. Will this legalized prostitution be bad for casino/hotel business? Probably...because as you said, casinos HATE it when customers leave and go somewhere else other than their casino. And in turn, will police have a harder time and crime be in an upswing? Maybe...but it may drop in other areas.
So, there are snowball effect type stuff to wonder about. And probably a lot more other stuff to think about other than what I typed above.
Just my thoughts.....
Posted by: ColinFromLasVegas | January 22, 2009 at 09:36 AM
I can't see this as being a good thing for Las Vegas. If you look at the parts of town that have things like sex clubs, then you realize that they bring nothing to the area but problems. Take the area over on sahara and maryland parkway. This area is filled with seedy sex clubs and is not an area where you would want to be late at night. Actually It's probably not an area you would want to walk around in at anytime.
This issue is such a joke anyways! We already have brothels everywhere in Vegas. Go down to China Town and try to walk a block without seeing 30 or 40 "Massage Parlors"
Posted by: Network in Vegas | January 22, 2009 at 10:52 AM
Jim W - assuming you're straight, I have to say that only a straight guy would think that "Don't Ask Don't Tell" is a good policy in any situation. Either it's legal or it's not, just as with gays in the military. Encouraging people to sneak around or lie is not healthy for any society.
Posted by: Mark | January 22, 2009 at 02:06 PM
Legalize it to take any pimping out of the business, to make sure the women (and some men) are well cared for medically.
At the same time, offer as many other options to sex workers as possible. If they need mental health care, and that is why they wound up selling their bodies, give them all the care they need. If they lack and academic education, get them back in school.
Make it so sex work truly is a conscious choice, not something (mostly) women do because they feel they have no other choices, or they had such horrible upbringings that they have no real sense of self.
Posted by: Carol | January 22, 2009 at 02:16 PM
Register workers, regulate activities, enforce compliance, and set reasonable professional standards (I'm not kidding).
Posted by: DC Reader | January 22, 2009 at 02:29 PM
no change legal or not. I had no idea it was illegal
Posted by: Alejandro Salazar | January 22, 2009 at 02:33 PM
As a resident of Las Vegas, I can assure anyone reading this article that laws prohibiting prostitution do not actually prohibit anything in my city, aside from the collection of tax dollars from this very common service. Sort of like anti-drug laws, anti-prostitution laws successfully create economic power and influence to be held in the hands of society's most shady and unscrupulous individuals.
"Girls Straight to Your Room in 30 Minutes" signs are to be found all over the tourist-heavy areas of my city (and the tax dollars collected only reflect the service of a "working person" simply showing up at someone's room). I think that if adults want a strange person in their room in thirty minutes, I think it's weird, but as an adult, I think they should have the final say over what they do w/ their bodies and time. This is something government has no stake in; or do they, in the form of tax dollars?
If one takes a look at the Las Vegas Valley's high school graduation rates, classroom overcrowdings, and teacher pay-cuts, I honestly don't know how anyone could turn their back on the means by which we can pay for our monetary shortfalls.
One major point that the article's author misses is the fact that this city is run by LDS. If you know this, you know prostitution will never, never, never be legalized in Clark County, regardless of how badly the non-Mormon community may need the monetary help.
Posted by: Terry Guesman | January 22, 2009 at 03:00 PM
Leave it as is...customers will find a girl legal or not, if it's legalized, Vegas would be fludded and the smaller brothels will go under. If the shows, gambling, and booze isn't good enough for Vegas patrons, I doubt a legal working girl would make it more enticing.
Posted by: David | January 22, 2009 at 03:31 PM
From my point of you, the oldest profession on earth, prostitution should be legalized. First though all sex workers obviously must be of age and have proper identification as well as to get tested for anything health related weekly. This also needs to be behind closed doors at a registered brothel or whatever else. And a big one this should be no where near a school or any place that kids are at, hospitals and churches. After that bring in the tax revenue and use it for something like transportation or other needed services. Thats my take.
Posted by: Brandon | January 22, 2009 at 03:39 PM
legalize it, don't criticize it.
Posted by: shiny | January 22, 2009 at 03:49 PM
Sex tourism to Vegas would make gambling and convention tourism seem like side businesses.
Posted by: YoEleven | January 22, 2009 at 11:08 PM
This article is missing something...
Wait..I feel it...
What is Criss Angel's take on legalizing prostitution in Vegas?
Yep, that was it. A mention of Criss Angel.
Posted by: Big Karl | January 22, 2009 at 11:18 PM
This is the best news ever. Wait, we are talking about pot right?
Posted by: las vegas escorts | January 24, 2009 at 07:35 PM
Don't you just love how idiots like this guys comment just above mine doesn't talk about what's being said and links to an escort site? Where's the moderation of the site, I find myself reading less and less of the LA Times for these very reasons.
Posted by: Jerad | August 29, 2009 at 12:56 AM
I like to see it legal every where .. I wish that, I love all the girls of Las Vegas .
Posted by: sam | September 04, 2009 at 02:17 PM
vive the legal prostitution ,we wanna to see free Vegas .
Posted by: sam | September 04, 2009 at 02:19 PM
No. As a Las Vegas resident, I find this to be very sickening. Yeah, I know that there's legal brothels all through Nevada, but I find that very embarrassing. Brothels, and legalized prostitution is something from the Old West ... Not the 21st Century! When I moved to Las Vegas, from Wisconsin, I was very ashamed to find out about the brothels. It's already embarrassing when you take a walk on the strip, and have to walk past those guys handing out stripper cards.
I'm just glad that they don't allow that kind of stuff in Las Vegas. Maybe it's from being raised in the Midwest, but I just pray to God, this doesn't happen.
Posted by: Scott | September 04, 2009 at 10:10 PM
Where will this leave all the Las Vegas escorts and escort services? Will they go to work for legal brothels in Nevada or keep doing street level escort work?
Posted by: las vegas escorts | October 21, 2009 at 12:41 PM