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New data published recently has revealed gambling revenues have dropped by 3% in America’s party capital Las Vegas, prompting the Independent to suggest the city is in crisis. “With Americans cutting back on luxuries, and the price of transport rocketing, the so-called ‘Vegas vacation’ is facing the axe,” the paper reported. “This week, as the nation celebrated Independence Day, major hotels were taking stock of a fall in all-important room occupancy rates from their usually impressive 95 per cent levels to nearer 80 per cent.”
Leading American property index S&P/Case-Shiller last month said house prices in Vegas dropped by 25.9% year-on-year (compared to a US average of 14.1%) while the Independent said even lap dancers are struggling, though added that Vegas’ intrinsic resilience could save it, a point former New York club kid superstar DJ turned Vegas club owner Keoki agreed with. “Vegas does have a way of surviving; it always has and right now things are still pumping here,” he told Skrufff. “Jay Z just opened another club and people are flocking to it. Hip hop at least doesn’t seem to be going away anytime soon,” he predicted. “Vegas is an adult Disneyland and it’s always in the back of every American adult’s mind. It serves as an escape. And Americans believe that an escape is not only possible but actually necessary to get the kinks out of the system when necessary. We have to visit Mickey Mouse once a year at least,” Keoki continued.
Keoki opened the Exile Disco at the Art Club last year with Elvis impersonator Jess Garon, promising a ‘no fake people, no fake celebs, no hip hop and no hype’ policy’ and said they’re continuing their strategy of offering an alternative. “My club is still going, not as strong as we would like, but that’s probably because we don’t want to give in to the hip hop regalia,” he added. “Right now I’m working on my new album, which is a cross between goth, industrial, new wave and hip hop. Just kidding,” he laughed. “There’s no hip hop, just punky sounds and lyrics mashed up into some pretty cool dance music.”
