Laughlin, Nev., casino parking

An ordinance that banned dry camping in Laughlin, Nev., casino parking lots was revised by the Southern Nevada Health District in late July, giving local resorts the nod to invite RV owners back.

The Southern Nevada Health District updated its existing public accommodation regulations to address dry camping facilities and newer models of self-contained RVs.

And local resorts breathed a sigh of relief.

"We are looking forward to having our RV visitors back,” said Laughlin Tourism Committee President Lisa McCabe. McCabe is vice president of marketing at Flamingo Laughlin.

“These RV campers are an important part of Laughlin’s clientele. We actively market to this group and look forward to their arrival each winter,” McCabe said.

In January 2006 — at the peak of winter visitor season in Laughlin — the Southern Nevada Health District issued a cease and desist order to casino resort properties, effectively banning dry camping in Laughlin.

“It was terrible, we were asking some of our best customers to drive away,” said Laughlin Tourism Committee Executive Director Jena Morga.

Until the cease and desist order was enforced, many of Laughlin’s resorts had allowed self-contained RVs to park overnight or for extended stays in casino parking lots.

Laughlin Tourism Committee estimates that RV travelers had a $50 million annual-impact on town-wide tourism.

The evictions caused anger in RV community. Web blogs, T-shirts and “letters to the editor” of local newspapers decried that many dry campers felt the casino resorts were to blame.

Casino executives, the Las Vegas Visitors and Convention Authority and the Laughlin Tourism Committee began working to ensure the dry camping ban was quickly resolved.

At the urging of Laughlin resorts and several of Nevada’s elected officials, the Health District developed new regulations, which were approved by the Board of Health on July 27.

The changes allow existing health-permitted facilities to continue to provide dry camping accommodations to RVs legally without having to meet the requirements of the State of Nevada RV/Campground regulations.

Casinos must obtain a permit from the Southern Nevada Health District  to allow dry campers.

"The intention of the regulation," Morga said, "is to ensure our resorts meet health, safety and environmental health standards and this is something we have always done. We are very happy to have these good folks back in town."