Friday, July 4, 2008

Trek folds in Vegas

Star Trek: The Experience is ending its run at the Hilton in Las Vegas. The whole "Trek" theme to the Hilton was one that I always found a bit odd, and I say that as both a Trekkie and a fan of Sin City. I think it's a testament to the enduring appeal of Trek that the thing lasted as long as it did, especially as other hotels and casinos upped the ante on spectacle and luxury.

I've been to Vegas many times, and even stayed at the Hilton for a convention once. I enjoyed my time there, since I could look through all the Trek paraphenalia at my leisure. It really was a good collection, and that to me was more interesting that the "rides." I also spent a few hours drinking blue, smoking and bizarre cocktails at Quark's. However, the most enduring memory for me was sitting at the blackjack tables for hours on end, with the dealers outfitted in classic Trek Starfleet uniforms. Sadly, it seemed that many of the casino personnel weren't properly trained in Trek lore, or just found me to be an overserved geek. Comments like "that's a real Kobayashi Maru" (made when the dealer was showing an Ace up) or "I feel like a redshirt" (after losing several hands in a row) or "Dammit Jim, I'm a doctor not a gambler!" (ditto) didn't even get an acknowledgment. But it was still fun.

Is there any other "franchise" that could support a casino theme? Star Wars jumps to mind, obviously. What about DC or Marvel comics? Universal horror movies?

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