The Vegas strip is synonymous with a
lot of things – gambling, mobsters and abundant buffets come to
mind – but gay folks getting hitched?
Las Vegas' latest reinvention includes
reaching out to the LGBT community and getting hitched is slowly
becoming the centerpiece of that marketing push.
It's not marriage, but Nevada's new
domestic partnership law is recognition of gay relationships. Since
the state began handing out licenses on October 1, over 1,000 couples
have lined up to say “I do.”
The new legislation comes as the strip
is increasingly turning rainbow colored.
Already, several gay icons have
headlined some of the strip's most sparkling resorts, including Elton
John, Celine Dion, Bette Midler and Cher.
Cirque du Soleil's erotic hit show,
Zumanity, includes a sensual sequence between two men.
And some of the strip's most famous
properties actively reach out to the gay and lesbian community. Both
of Steve Wynn's resorts, the Wynn Las Vegas and Encore, and Harrah's
have received perfect ratings on the Human Rights Campaign's
Corporate Equality Index.
Gay commitment ceremonies, then, were
the next logical step.
At least one promoter has pounced on
the opportunity. New York-New York
hotel & casino began offering a LGBT Commitment Package in
October. The package includes a two-night stay at New York-New York,
spa treatments, VIP tickets to Zumanity:
The Sensual Side of Cirque du Soleil, and, of course, an
appointment at the Luxor hotel's wedding chapel.
Erin Burcham, publicist for Zumanity,
told On Top Magazine that they have received a “really
exciting response” to the offer.
“I think there's already a really
exciting scene geared towards LGBT travelers [in Las Vegas],”
Burcham said. “I think it grows bigger and better every year.”
To book your Zumanity Commitment
Package, visit nynyhotelcasino.com/promotions.