Where you have casinos, you must have parking because the lure of those flashing lights and the potential of some quick profits is pretty compelling to many people.
It’s also pretty compelling to the less-savory elements of society. Parking garages around casinos have so frequently become sites of theft and violence that many in the industry are sounding the alarm and calling for changes.
Bad designs, poor security and open access to the public are problems
Parking garages are meant to be utilitarian, so they’re often designed with ease-of-access and motor vehicles in mind – not the human beings who have to operate those vehicles.
As a result, parking garages offer the perfect cover for would-be criminals, regardless of their intentions. They have tons of sloping ramps, poor visibility into the enclosures, multiple levels, isolated stairways and other problems that make committing acts of violence – and getting away with them – much easier.
Thefts, armed robberies and violent assaults are not uncommon in casino garages, and experts say that the problems need to be fixed. While better-designed buildings are part of the solution, garage owners can do more to limit the dangers people face by simply doing things like:
- Adding fencing or screens that make it impossible for pedestrians to enter or exit except through gates (where they can be seen)
- Adding panic buttons, surveillance cameras and sound surveillance devices to monitor activity within the garages
- Improving lighting, especially in and around stairwells and elevators
- Adding uniformed security details (so that they’re visible), especially after dark
Casino owners have a certain amount of responsibility to make sure that they provide a safe environment to their guests – and that includes in their parking garages. If you were injured in a violent attack in a casino garage, you might be able to claim compensation for your losses.