Harrah’s in Laughlin says Tea Party can’t hold rally in parking lot

Harrah's has told Tea Party Express organizers they can't hold a Saturday morning rally in the hotel-casino's parking lot to kick-off a bus convoy up to Searchlight.

The hotel-casino said Thursday that the parking lot is private property and can't be used for such a political event.

The Tea Party Express had announced it was planning to hold a small rally at 9:30 a.m. in the Harrah's parking lot before driving buses, RVs and cars the 30-plus miles up U.S. Highway 95 to Sen. Harry Reid's hometown for a major event calling for the defeat of the Democratic senator.

Former Republican vice presidential candidate Sarah Palin, a conservative political star, is the main speaker at the "Showdown in Searchight" rally that's expected to draw 5,000 to 10,000 people.

Wade Faul, senior vice president and general manager of Harrah's Laughlin, issued a statement explaining the hotel-casino's reasoning.

"Harrah’s Laughlin will not be the rally point for this weekend’s Tea Party Express. Harrah’s respects the group’s rights as they relate to individual freedom of expression in public forums; however our private parking lot is not a public venue and therefore Harrah's Laughlin will not permit any rally activities to take place anywhere upon its premises including, but not limited to, the parking lot," the statement said in part.

Harrah's officials said they had personally notified Tea Party organizers, who seemed to have agreed not to hold a "rally," although it appeared they still plan to leave from the Harrah's parking ot.

Levi Russell, a Tea Party Express spokesman, said: "It's not a rally. We're just gathering there around 9:30 to form up our caravan."