A giant Lenin statue at the new Mandalay Bay Resort, Las Vegas, was beheaded after the casino received complaints from visitors. The Lenin, a quaint symbol of the days of Communism, stands outside the Red Square vodka and caviar restaurant along the hotel's restaurant row.

Some felt that it was just like having a Hitler or Mussolini statue standing next to where people are trying to eat and gamble.

Mandalay Bay management, acting with characteristic Vegas sensitivity to anything that might interfere with smooth casino operation, ordered the statue beheaded. The neck stump and upper torso was splattered with white paint to simulate bird droppings.

Now the statue represents the triumph of oppressed peoples who have won their freedom. The head will probably return to the restaurant as part of a table. [04/18/1999]

February 10, 2012