A solution to smoke?

After spending most of the past two-plus years in Southern Nevada casinos, I can tell you without a doubt that the worst thing about it has been the smoke-filled air in most of them. Nevada casinos are among the few business premises left in which smoking is tolerated. In fact, it is encouraged, by cigarette comps, ever-present ashtrays and a culture that accepts smoking as the norm, rather than the exception. Many casinos, especially smaller ones, have ventilation systems inadequate to the task of keeping the air breathable. Some have established nonsmoking areas, but these are usually too small to be effective and/or they contain a limited selection of machines, rarely including the best in the casino (One notable exception is Green Valley Ranch Station Casino, which has an entire nonsmoking wing that contains some of its best video poker machines.)

Casino owners must know they're losing business from nonsmokers who either won't put up with the smoke or who gamble less than they would if the air were clean. But almost unanimously they have shown that they fear more the loss of business that would result if they were to bar smoking in large areas. Given the number of gamblers who seem to chain smoke as they plan, that may be true. But it does often lead to unpleasant and unhealthy conditions for employees and nonsmoking customers.

This weekend I experienced what may be the solution to this dilemma. A locals' casino in Henderson, Club Fortune, has installed what it calls "an innovative system from Moleculair Technologies that removes second hand smoke and other odors from the indoor environment." A blurb in the casino's monthly mailer invites players to "experience our natural, clean-smelling environment."

In the past, this casino has been one of the smokiest I've experienced. On Saturday night I stopped in to pick up my wife's and my free play, and my initial impression of this new system is that it works as promised. I made it a point to walk the entire casino floor, and the air throughout was clean and fresh-smelling. The casino was not at its busiest -- this was after the drawings had ended at 11 p.m. -- but there were quite a few people playing and smoking. I will visit during a different, and I hope busier, time of day this week to test the air again. But based on my experience Saturday, I'm very hopeful that Moleculair Technologies has come up with a product that will improve greatly the experieces of casino customers and employees.

Club Fortune's mailer gives a phone number for information on Moleculair Technologies: (702) 566-5555, extension 128.