Titanic hotel should be sunk

Las Vegas will soon see another era of booming resort construction. Plans include the reincarnation of the Aladdin Hotel, as well as a project by local resort mogul Steve Wynn that promises to outdo the extravagance of his Bellagio property.

One planned development is the Titanic, with the hotel and casino being a  land-based replica of the ill-fated ocean liner. Las Vegas is not exactly a city known for its good taste, but a Titanic-themed hotel is not simply more of the same gaudiness we expect Sin City to offer; it is sick and demeaning.

Here is a brief history lesson. The Titanic, boasted by her builders as an unsinkable ship, hit an iceberg which tore through the hull on April 14, 1912. More than 1,500 passengers perished at sea, mostly from drowning or freezing to death in the brutally frigid water, according to Encarta. The sinking is one of the worst maritime disasters in history.

The Titanic Hotel plan wants to ride the coattails of James Cameron's 1997 blockbuster film, centering on the romantic adventures of a fictional young couple who happen to ride the ship on its ill-fated voyage.

Yet Titanic's sinking is still a tragedy, no matter what light Hollywood — or Las Vegas, in this case — tries to frame it.

Even though the Titanic Hotel is still on the drawing board, the concept alone is degrading to those who died that April night and anyone who recognizes the somberness of the accident.

Maybe this is the worry wart in us, but the world works in mysterious ways, especially when tampering with history. What if, one day, a fire or some other mishap occurs at the Titanic Hotel, and everyone inside finds themselves in the same predicament as the ship's passengers did in 1912?

The Titanic Hotel plan should be swiftly jettisoned.