Will those storm drain tunnels be dry by then?

Also … I hear that Echelon Place will be the crown jewel in the Boyd empire.

Oh wait, we’re talking about Las Vegas.

They’re not. Unless you have a structure that is secured by either a steel or CMU frame (concrete masonry unit,) it’s more than likely that its internal design could be weaker; that is to say that the Queen of Hearts’ exterior walls may have been built out of brick, but its structural support may have been wooden frame structure.

I think brick masonry does give some strength to the building, but not a whole lot; usually it”s for ascetic appearances. It’s no different than a when a tornado approaches straight at a small, one to two story house: bricks can be penetrated, wooden structures collapse.

Given it’s appearance, I think it was built before 1980, when the building codes were much looser. The vacancy of it also doesn’t give the place justice.

As far as building a new City Hall, I think its kind of awkward. They already have one from 1973 up and running. Why build another one? ‘Cuz the neighborhood looks blighted? If so, fix up the neighborhood and build something that’s workable. Not build another City Hall for Christ sakes……

I was standing around up at the Flamingo Monorail Station watching a backhoe type thingee working on the derelict Bourbon Street. Back around 2006 or so. I guess since it was not as big and close to the street (Flaming Oh), they decided to take it apart with a backhoe rather than implode it.

The dude operated it expertly. Ripping into different floors, reaching in there, pulling, then retreating, yanking out walls, then doing it again, little by little.

Next to him was a dude standing there with a water hose. Apparently there to keep the dirt and dust watered down so it don’t fly everywhere. Doin’ that environmentally friendly thing.

Well, after a little while, this backhoe was digging with the claw part on the second floor. Then the third floor. Then, all of a sudden, the building shuddered.

Then I laughed my ass off watching this backhoe driver waving at the dude with the hose. After he warned him, he sat down quick, violently hit a gear and backed it away from the derelict Bourbon Street at high speed. The dude with the hose THREW it down on the ground, turned and ran flailing his arms with this horrified look on his face, boogying as fast as he could away.

The whole damn southeast corner to the middle of the building just pancaked down all at once in a pile of wood, steel, dust and fabricated walls and ceiling!

The dudes were standing around scratchin’ their heads in amazement at how fast it went down.

Apparently, they closed Bourbon Street right on time. Because that sucker would have fell apart with little urging. It was a death trap waiting to happen.

I find it a bit funny that the awning on the hotel didn’t appear torn or punctured after two-thirds of the wall that it was decorating came crashing down on it.