Changes in Las Vegas After the Mandalay Bay Shooting

Families, friends, and other LA-citizens came to Route 91 Harvest to pray for those who were killed in the terrorist attack that happened a year ago. On October 1, 2017, a Stephen Paddock used the window of his Mandalay Bay suite on the 32nd floor and shot attendees of an open-air concert. As a result, there were a lot of victims: 500 got injured, and 58 were killed.

After this attack, MGM Resorts International faced numerous complaints as it was stated that it did not do all the possible to prevent the incident. After the number of lawsuits, the company is looking for mediation to find a compromise with the victims. While the company planned to argue that the act of terrorism committed on private land protects the owner from the victims’ claims, citing a seldom-used law; however, the society reacted immediately boycotting the company sharing #boycottMGM hashtags in social media.

This terrorist attack raised the question: what has to be done to protect both the residents and guests of the city better? While the Nevada casino sector and in particular Los-Angeles have always been considered as a soft target for terrorists, the events of the 1 October proved that there is a serious issue with safety.

It became critical for the operator’s business owners in the region to show the customers that measures have been taken and that Los Angeles became safer. Hundreds of bollards all along the Las Vegas Strip were installed to keep pedestrians safe from the attacks from the vehicles. The Mandalay Bay placed around-the-clock guards nearby elevators, and Wynn Resorts now have guards on the entrance to scan the visitors and their bags. As Stephen Paddock, the shooter was planning the terrorist attack for three days in his suite without changing “do not disturb” sign, it has also been decided to change the policies. Some operators announced that the sign would keep the employees away for 48 hours, while others even stated it to be 12 hours.

While right after the shooting, serious measures were taken, it did not change the overall situation in the city, known for its laissez-faire tourism. While some innovations indeed occurred, they are not enough to break the system. The casinos and other local businesses should keep a watching eye on their territories to minimize the risk by preventing any crime.