Las Vegas Weekly

November 13, 2009 · 11:45 AM

Photo Gallery: ‘Wounded Warriors’ receive a hero’s welcome

By Robin Leach

The Venetian pays tribute to the troops on Veteran's Day, Nov. 11, 2009.

Photo: The Venetian

It was a highly charged, emotional moment as 70 soldiers marched down the colonnade of The Venetian with more than 1,000 of the casino resort’s team members lined up to welcome the uniformed troops.

Hotel tycoon Sheldon Adelson of The Venetian and Palazzo and his wife Dr. Miriam Adelson had flown “The Wounded Warriors” from Washington, D.C., for an all-expense-paid, four-day Las Vegas vacation. It’s the fourth consecutive year the charitable couple have saluted the troops in honor of Veterans Day.

Each member of the military brought along a spouse or a family member. After an honor guard presented the colors, Napoleon McCallum, a veteran himself and community development director for The Venetian and the Palazzo, led The Pledge of Allegiance. The national anthem was sung by “America’s Tenor” Steve Amerson.

Rob Goldstein, president of The Venetian and the Palazzo, welcomed the soldiers to Las Vegas and the two properties and thanked them for their service. Sen. John Ensign and representatives from ThanksUSA and American Airlines, who had all helped organize the weekend, also were on hand to greet the troops.

The Blue Man Group not only welcomed the troops to their Venetian showroom for their zany, fun-filled production, but they also donated the entire proceeds of one weekend performance to ThanksUSA.

One observer told me: “It was deeply moving and difficult to withhold tears.”

Robin Leach has been a journalist for more than 50 years and has spent the past decade giving readers the inside scoop on Las Vegas, the world’s premier platinum playground.

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