What a Gamble :)

I LOVE history, it ROCKS,
better yet, it is pretty cool when it repeats itself.


Take Hot Springs and it's GAMBLING PAST. History buffs like myself know that "gaming" in Hot Springs has gone on since one Indian bet another Indian that it would rain. Yet, Gaming (of some sort or another) has been here CONSTANTLY for 200 years.



You see, in MY lifetime, I was a SMALL child living outside of Little Rock and I would look and the local Newspaper and see that Sammy Davis Jr. (IN THE 1970's MIND YOU) was at the "Vapors" a "dinner club" in Hot Springs. WOW!! and BIGGER THAN THAT!! Phylis Diller was coming the next week and John Mathis was 2 weeks after that. I was a slow kid, but i knew that we lived so far back in the woods (culturally) were getting Saturday Night Live on Mondays...(and we did not "GET IT" all the time then). What were these LAS VEGAS STARS doing in HOT SPRINGS ARKANSAS ?? I was stumped. Then in the mid 70' (i was 12 - 13) there was a new Governor (NOT BILL) in town and he called raids on ALL the gambling tables and slots in HS, so ended (for the while) an era.



Was this new? HARDLY ! Only to a snot nosed kid who had NO CLUE. You see, in the 20's and 30's Al Capone and other gangs REGULARLY came in HS. It was where Al tried to get "the cure" (read STD's here) with the healing waters, and just like with the Indians, Hot Springs was neutral. No gang wars here. If you had a beef with someone in Chicago, you left it there. By the way, Hot Springs was a nearly direct train ride from Chicago, as it was ALWAYS hailed as "the cure" (again read STD's here). The routine was that you took a weeks worth of baths, rested, exercised, at well, Gambled, and drank LOTS of water (after the Mercury Bath or the Sitz Bath). If after ALL of that, you could walk the mountain trail over to Gulpha Gorge (other side of hill in Hot Springs National Park), you were declared .... CURED! I am in good health and LOVE outdoor walks and trust me.. if you can walk that 3.7 miles, YOU ARE CURED! of WHATEVER you have or had :).


Ok, Enough history for one blog, What is happening and how does it affect Hot Springs Village?
Gambling is STRICTLY forbidden in Arkansas EXCEPT in 2 places. Hot Springs (at Oaklawn) and in West Memphis (at the greyhound racing track). You see, we have NO lottery, no casinos, no Indian reservations, no gaming... PERIOD. Until this spring when the legislature decide that West Memphis and Hot Springs could have LOCAL voting to all this. Well, you can see the future from here. Oaklawn (who's horse racing season ended in April) offered some slot machines at that time.

NEWS: This week, Oaklawn has NOW HIRING - DEALERS signs on the main drag.

THIS IS HUGE. It is expected to change everything.


So, what is so big about it ? Harrah's has bought a 14 acre run down shopping center just 2 blocks down the street, in addition to the Majestic Hotel (600 rooms) in downtown.

I am certain that we will be "busting out all over" pretty soon.

What does this mean to you ?

I don't know .. we all see things differently.. but this looks like an INVESTMENT on the HOOK.
Take a look here .. and you tell me ! :) I do not think we will see prices like this again.



hug someone you love :)

dennis



btw, make sure to sign up for the free lot giveaway