"Fee and Loathing In Las Vegas" article

David McKee (LVA's Stiffs and Georges blogger) produced a cogent and accurate description of Vegas changes during the past few years in this article. Price hikes, service degradation, incessant fees, and gouging in general along with effects of Covid, F1, and other influences are addressed. Most of those here in the LVA forums are aware of all these influences and changes, but this is an enjoyable compilation of all the gripes many of us have voiced about Vegas visitation relative to the not so distant past. Good read, I think.

https://www.casinoreports.com/las-vegas-fees-charges

Thanks, I think this would be interesting, but...the link doesn't work for me, and I can't get to casinoreports.com, either. Any alternate routes?

I assume you can access McKee's blog page at LVA ? If so, link to the very recent  "Send in the clowns "  article and go to the provided link concerning "the price gouging" link in the very last paragraph of the article.

Link worked for me.  I don't think the casinos are going to stop until one of them reverses course and starts showing higher profits from more action and less fees.

Good artcle.  I haven't stayed on the strip for years.  What's the point?  It's very cool the first time you see it (for me it was still the Sands, Dunes, Stardust, etc...) but the past few years it just isn't worth it.  Not that the gouging is limited to the strip.  It isn't of course.  

Vegas is the ultimate reflection of consumer discretionary spending.    In 2006 there was a competition in Vegas for the Steakhouse that could serve the most expensive steak dinner.    Several topped $1000.   One place included diamond at the bottom of your martini glass.

and then there was a recession and that all collapsed.    Casinos were empty for 2 years while America licked its wounds.    Casino mgmt almost abandoned Vegas development for Macau.    And ultimately Vegas was forced to grovel for low end customers to come back.   We got better buffets, better room deals, cheap diner specials, $300 players club signup bonuses...and on and on and on.

i think we are on the verge of another reset.    

Vegas visitation is already down, and of course if we have a Trumpcession, it'll plummet much further; but I don't think there'll be a bargain wave this time around. The Vegas casinos seem to find deals and bargains really, really abhorrent these days. I think they'll just scale back operations--limit hours things are open, dial back customer service, reduce staff--and wait things out. I hope I'm wrong.

The casinos have already scaled back many services, accessible venue hours, and staff where  those assets pertain to average Joe gambler. The high rollers still get a decent shake at most joints. Of course they've continued to add to the ubiquitous house edge with carny games, higher machine hold %, and weird table side bets, etc.Players club earning rates have plummeted for the most part. I realize I'm preaching to the choir here  with all that. OTOH, alternate destination pricing has also skyrocketed; the Vegas gouge just seems more painful because of the value degradation relative to the past. .

Yet there are a few signs that a few joints are recognizing that their ultimate prized assets..eg customers..are beginning to vote with their feet. Small cases in point are the Palms ( all 3:2 blackjack) and dining specials of old at Stations properties. Less visitation and reduced gaming revenue trends ( excluding the recent record high January revenue results) will be the driving forces behind any return to value options from these Vegas corporate behemoths. We'll see.