Another "No Cameras Allowed" venue ...

dmr

dmr

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This has been circulating on some of the Las Vegas boards, and just confirmed by the Arizona Republic.

The Grand Canyon Skywalk, that huge U-shaped clear glass platform, which just opened, has a "No Cameras" policy, including cell phones.

Their excuse is that cameras and cell phones might be dropped and might scratch the surface of the platform.

There's no {expletive} way you are getting me out on that thing anyway, but if I were to go, getting some shots would be my main reason for it. There's speculation that they may have to drop this policy, since it will be a major deterrent (the others being a $75 total cost, a 15 minute time limit, and a rough dirt road to get there) to the success of the project.

Oh well ...
 
dmr said:
This has been circulating on some of the Las Vegas boards, and just confirmed by the Arizona Republic.

The Grand Canyon Skywalk, that huge U-shaped clear glass platform, which just opened, has a "No Cameras" policy, including cell phones.

Their excuse is that cameras and cell phones might be dropped and might scratch the surface of the platform.

There's no {expletive} way you are getting me out on that thing anyway, but if I were to go, getting some shots would be my main reason for it. There's speculation that they may have to drop this policy, since it will be a major deterrent (the others being a $75 total cost, a 15 minute time limit, and a rough dirt road to get there) to the success of the project.

Oh well ...
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Its disrespectful of me but I have a hunch there is a marketing genius behind this policy "we'll lose revenue because once people see pictures they won't need to come"

Like you pointed out though, many will not come if they can't take pictures of the family for the folks back home.

I think eventually they will cave because they have a lot of $$ to recapture on that big ticket facility which is basically a one trick pony.
 
Wow - theu must be nuts! I live in Scottsdale and was actually looking forward to a trip to the West Rim, incl. the new platform, but there really is no point if I cannot bring my camera - I will call them just to confirm that this is their policy and post their answer here. This is really stupid on their part. They just want to sell their postcards or whatever they have. Ridiculous.
 
I used to live in Vegas, and went to the canyon several times, never could I ever manage to take a photograph that would begin to do the place any kind of justice. Nothing can touch being there and looking at the hugeness of it all.
I guess maybe if I jumped out onto the rocks like that guy from the now famous email did, I would have had better luck!

Observation perches like that can be a pain when people are on one side of it trying to take a picture of their family/friends on the other side of it with the canyon in the background- nobody wants to cross the shot..
'Hold on, just one more--- as they fumble with the menus and try to see the display.'

Now if they only allowed film cameras, there would be no problems;->
 
I just called them and the rumor is true - no cameras on the skywalk. To make matters worse, they do not even have lockers to store your camera and if they find you with a camera on the skywalk they will fine you $500. What I can't figure out is how they managed to build this thing to withstand an earthquake, but they couldn't figure out how to make it scratch resistant! They must have never heard of a company called invisible shield - they make invisible covers for all kinds of glass and plexi glass (incl. for your didgi cams) and they give you a lifetime guarantee that it is resistant to scratches.

The lady I talked to was very upset about this rule as well - she is afraid that it will keep many tourists from visiting the skywalk - I told her that they certainly had lost me as a paying visitor. She thought it would be best to write letters to the tribe and complain about the situation.
 
The plot thickens ... here's a cut-paste from Usenet (yeah yeah, I know ...):

I was able to verify the camera policy by going to several different
web sites. They say that in the future there will be "stationed
cameras" and with those cameras you will be able to purchase
pictures. Doesn't make sense to me either.
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I'm not sure what they mean by "Stationed Cameras", but I kind of assume they will be like those pay binoculars that never seem to work right.

IMAO they are already setting the price point too high, and the no camera regulation is just another thing that lowers the value of the thing to the visitor.
 
Here's the question that I'll pose to the group...... I was under the impression that the "skywalk" was on reservation land? So whose going to fine you? the State, The Feds because it's a National Park or the Indian Tribe that built the venue?

Bunch of BS, they're going to sell photos from the gift shop to increase revenue. I think they'd sell more dramamine than anything else 😀

The best comment that I read so far is that no photo of any kind can do justice to this natural wonder!

Best,

Sherm
 
sherm said:
Here's the question that I'll pose to the group...... I was under the impression that the "skywalk" was on reservation land? So whose going to fine you? the State, The Feds because it's a National Park or the Indian Tribe that built the venue?

Bunch of BS, they're going to sell photos from the gift shop to increase revenue. I think they'd sell more dramamine than anything else 😀

The best comment that I read so far is that no photo of any kind can do justice to this natural wonder!

Best,

Sherm
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If the skywalk is the on the reservation, the tribe could fine you whatever they wanted, and would have to enforce payment. Reservation lands are sovereign lands of the tribe, and tribal laws would apply. That said, they would still have to allow due process to anyone that they fined. So, I guess that would mean right to contest or appeal the fine, etc.

Boy, its just getter better and better. Between the price, 15 minute time limit and other restrictions, I would never visit the thing.
 
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dexdog said:
That said, they would still have to allow due process to anyone that they fined. So, I guess that would mean right to contest or appeal the fine, etc.
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IANAL, but I've had several conversations with somebody who is, on subjects regarding what is legal to photograph.

My guess is, and again, IANAL, and I am not a Tribe member (IANATM?) that this is not codified in statute, even in Tribal code, but is some kind of facility use regulation. A direct quote from my attorney friend was:

"If an arrest is made or a summons is issued, there must be a statute cited."

I'm sure that if you were to sneak a camera out there, they would yell at you and probably ask you to leave, and if you did so peacefully, that would probably be it. (No habla Ingles?) 🙂 🙂 🙂

What he did add was that there are all kinds of catch-all laws of public conduct, trespass, disorderly conduct, disturbing the peace, etc., but that you usually have to push things, like refuse to leave, return without permission, or create a scene, for those to be thrown at you.

Not that I'm going to try anything anyway. 🙂

Boy, its just getter better and better. Between the price, 15 minute time limit and other restrictions, I would never visit the thing.
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Agree, plus from Las Vegas it's a slow trip down route 93 (or is it 95? I always get those two confused) across the Dam, then another hour to the Res, then $45 pp to get in (a Reservation with an admission charge??????) then a drive on a nasty road, then $25 more, and in 15 minutes it's all over. That's about $5 per minute!
 
What is the big deal of not being able to bring a camera on there? I mean what kind of spectacular shots can you get on the sky walk that you can't get from any other scenic grand canyon overlooks? Do you mean you want to point the lens down at the ground below and take pretty pictures of the tiny rock formations at the base of the grand canyon?(OOOH looks like I'm floating!) In that case, if I was the owner of the skywalk, I wouldn't want people's metal lenses scratching up the glass surface either!
 
Ronald M said:
Won`t be attending for sure now. Why can`t they just open a casino?

They can run the horses across it for all I care.
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I like your idea better, at least you can have fun at the Casino.... while they "part" with your money........... less obvious than the giftshop holdup.
 
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