OPINION:

Will Las Vegas law usher street performers onto Strip?

The costumed characters and performers inhabiting the Fremont Street Experience are, for the most part, nonconfrontational sorts trying to make a living on tips.

They’re out there morning, noon and night, in various stages of dress (or undress in the case of the guys in Speedos), whether it’s a windy 55 degrees or a scorching 110. Some play guitar and sing; others wave and pose for pictures with wide-eyed grandmas and energetic children.

It’s a tough way to make a buck. They are often ignored and sometimes openly derided. And sometimes, there are confrontations. Metro Police have received enough complaints about buskers lately that downtown area Capt. Shawn Anderson said officers are watching out more for aggressive solicitation.

Performers aren’t required to be licensed and what they are doing is legal — to a point — but city officials are considering an ordinance that would regulate their actions. This is after the City Council passed several ordinances in recent months to crack down on drunkenness on Fremont Street.

Costumed performers, and confrontations between them and the public, aren’t exclusive to Las Vegas.

In New York City, for example, a proposed bill would require buskers in Times Square to register with the city, pass a background check and wear identification while in character. (“Yes, my police-issued ID badge says I am Ellen Wager, but really I am Barney!”)

Any ordinance for Las Vegas still is months away, but it seems likely regulation is coming.

City licensing staffers are seeking advice from performers, casino operators and consultants on how to craft a legally sound ordinance that regulates street performers.

Any ordinance would have to pass free-speech muster, and the American Civil Liberties Union is awaiting the city’s action.

“They have a right to be there, to associate and to speak or, in this case, perform,” said Tod Story, executive director of the ACLU of Nevada.

The city’s intentions are understandable and noble. It wants tourists and locals to be safe, and it wants people to keep coming back.

But Las Vegas’ law would not apply to performers on the Strip, which is outside the city limits.

Consider, then, what might happen if Las Vegas adopts a law similar to the one being considered for Times Square: Buskers who don’t want to pay a registration fee, can’t pass the background check or don’t want to put an ID badge on their showgirl costume likely would just shift to the Strip.

Welcome to Cirque du Sidewalk.

Tags: The Sunday
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