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According to The Crime of Reason: And the Closing of the Scientific Mind:

In March 1986, Las Vegas newspapers buzzed with rumors that the MGM Grand Hotel and Casino had suffered its worst weekly take in history – including the week of its terrible fire. MGM had made the mistake of hosting a big physics conference. The scientists, it turned out, didn’t care for neon cowboys, tiger shows, topless barmaids and other distractions. In fact, they complained after returning home that these things had interfered with their concentration at seminars. Vegas cabbies got real mileage from this story and presumably generous tips too. No Las Vegas hotel has ever invited the physicists back.

Is the above story true?

JonathanReez
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    I did some research but I am coming up short of a real answer. I found evidence that the APS did indeed meet in LA in March of 1986. Apparently this guy spoke there. (http://www.mit.edu/~kardar/research/seminars.html) This guy gives a first hand account, but I am not sure if I trust him. (http://www.infinite-energy.com/iemagazine/issue72/marchmadness.html) He quotes a couple of headlines which do not appear anywhere else on the internet. He attributes some of these stories to the Las Vegas Sun. – BobTheAverage Oct 08 '17 at 19:36
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    The Sun does not have complete searchable archives going back to 1986. (lasvegassun.com/news/history/archive/) True or not, the American Physical Society repeats a MUCH shorter version of the claim on their page. (aps.org/publications/apsnews/199908/knowledge.cfm) This letter to the editor of some APS publication says he was there but is not exactly authoritative. letter to the editor of some APS thing. Supports the notion. Contains a quote which appears nowhere else on the internet. https://www.aps.org/publications/apsnews/201308/letters.cfm. All in all, this FEELS like an urban legend. – BobTheAverage Oct 08 '17 at 19:38
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    Even the microfilm catalog at University of Nevada, Las Vegas. Does not appear to have complete issues on microfilm. https://www.library.unlv.edu/collections/micro/nevnews/index.html – BobTheAverage Oct 08 '17 at 19:42
  • @BobTheAverage another strange thing is that scientific organizations seem to be routinely organizing conferences in Las Vegas these days. Although it would take more research to see if they're hosting their guests at the big casino hotels. – JonathanReez Oct 08 '17 at 19:45
  • Whether or not there are APA conferences in the MGM grand these days doesn't really prove anything. They were asked not to come back by someone who is probably now retired. – BobTheAverage Oct 08 '17 at 20:18
  • The traits described in this question sound a bit like traits of people with Asperger Syndrome. I tried googling sex industry Asperger Syndrome ... but mainly got hits about people working in the industry with Asperger Syndrome. – Andrew Grimm Oct 08 '17 at 20:28
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    It would not be unexpected. Physicists would generally have a good understanding of probability, and hence understand that you can't win in a casino. – Daniel R Hicks Oct 08 '17 at 20:43
  • @DanielRHicks I remember reading a version of the story which mentioned that as well. It would be great to find if it's true or apocryphic. – JonathanReez Oct 08 '17 at 20:47
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    @Daniel before reading the body of the question, I assumed that the physicists had engaged in [card counting](https://en.m.wikipedia.org/wiki/Card_counting). – Andrew Grimm Oct 08 '17 at 21:00
  • @AndrewGrimm - My understanding is that the casinos changed the rules to make card counting unprofitable about 10-20 years ago. But I suppose it was still an option in 1986. – Daniel R Hicks Oct 08 '17 at 21:41
  • @JonathanReez - It's one of many things that doesn't make sense in the Las Vegas shooting. The shooter was supposedly a numbers guy, yet he was a high roller. – Daniel R Hicks Oct 08 '17 at 21:43
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    From the headline "Las Vegas ... worst week in history" I thought it would be about this past week: 58 people killed by a single gunman. – GEdgar Oct 08 '17 at 22:31
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    I clicked on this imagining that the problem was the physicists winning at blackjack and poker... but no, they were just being nerds. I too went to Las Vegas and did not spend a single cent in a casino. – RedSonja Oct 09 '17 at 11:28
  • @BobTheAverage I've emailed prof. Kardar. – JonathanReez Oct 09 '17 at 16:59
  • @johnathanReez Interesting, but I am not sure what you are trying to accomplish. – BobTheAverage Oct 09 '17 at 19:09
  • @BobTheAverage if he replies with a confirmation it will be sufficient proof in my opinion – JonathanReez Oct 09 '17 at 19:14
  • @JonathanReez Major scientific conferences usually do not host their guests anywhere. They might have special deals with some hotels but ultimately it's up to each participant to book hotel rooms. When the conference is itself in a hotel (possible when not too large) participants may or may not choose to book within the same hotel. – gerrit Oct 12 '17 at 01:09
  • @JonathanReez I don't know how "X was there" can help te support or disprove the claim. I have spoken people who were there. That doesn't bring us any closer to the answer. – gerrit Oct 12 '17 at 01:12
  • I have a hard time with this one. Us techies tend to have a better understanding of numbers and thus gamble less. When Comdex came to town the casinos didn't make as much at gambling as usual, but the spicy shows did well (and often were spiced up for that week!) Comdex basically sold out the town, that would swamp anything you would get from a physics conference. – Loren Pechtel Oct 12 '17 at 22:20
  • This doesn't seem right: "No Las Vegas hotel has ever invited the physicists back." I don't think the hotels *invite* groups to hold conferences there. The groups make reservations. Are we to believe that all the Vegas hotels will reject reservations from groups of physicists? – Kip Oct 19 '17 at 12:35

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