It was news nationwide: Indian gaming raked in a record $25 billion in 2006, “outpacing that of Vegas.”
The Associated Press reported that the 415 casinos run by 200 tribes in 28 states nearly doubled their dough in five years, while Nevada casinos drew a mere $24.08 billion in 2006—$12.6 billion from gambling and the rest from shows, vittles and vodka.
All of this should make us worry more about America’s common sense than our own survival, but that’d be unnatural.
One-third of Nevada’s jobs are in tourism. And 80 percent of Nevada’s fastest-growing jobs pay less than the federal living wage—cashiers, sales clerks, maids.
Is it finally time for some economic diversification?