Elizabeth Gilbert

In the following article written for Spin magazine in the mid—1990s, Elizabeth Gilbert describes how the Hard Rock Casino in Las Vegas employs a rock and roll theme-rock star memorabilia on the walls and slot machines, etc.-to appeal directly to younger gamblers. The casino exploits the "outlaw culture of rock" to sell gambling to suburban vacationers, in the author's opinion. Gilbert is a regular contributor to GQ magazine and the author of The Last American Man.

ONE FINE AFTERNOON, I AM SUNBATHING BY THE swimming pool of the swank new Hard Rock Hotel and Casino in Las Vegas, Nevada. I am enjoying a cocktail when a Hootie &the Blowfish tune comes on through the outdoor speakers: "Only Wanna Be with You."

The song is not a favorite and I dive into...