January gaming revenue falls 7.7 percent on the Strip, 2.8 percent statewide

This data seems supports the idea that "Strip" casino hotels are pricing themselves out of the game. Downtown did nicely with a 9% gaming revenue increase, and this is with the Las Vegas Club closed for renovations.

Article

Apparently there aren't as many people willing to pay, pay, and pay for 1) ripoff "resort" fees, 2) early check in fees, 3) 6/5 blackjack, 4) long hauling, 5) bottle service, 6) overpriced car rentals, and 7) over priced dining as the bean counters and strip casinos thought.

That's the conclusion that I've come to.

According to the March LVA gaming revenue on the strip has declined to less than 35% or total revenue. Statewide gaming revenue is now 43%. Vegas, particularly the Strip has become a destination spot rather than a gambling mecca, thus the deemphasis on treating gamblers well

For a long time I've felt that most "strip" hotel casinos have become stupid expensive. I however do not support the belief that we need government intervention in an effort to lessen the cost of Boiler's Las Vegas vacations.

People voting with their wallets always works quite nicely.

Of course this has nothing to do with weather related flight cancellations on the East coast and thru out the Mid-West, or that early January is a slow time for conventions and many shows are still on hiatus. That didn't affect tourists locations at all.
Downtown has done a remarkable job in marketing itself to the younger crowd the last few years.
As far as car rental prices go, Vegas is easily one of the cheapest tourists areas in the country for them. In January, I paid $336 for 28 days. I was supposed to get a Nissan Senta bu ended up in a Camry thanks to a yard guy giving me an upgrade for $20.

Well, the article and subsequent data is about gaming.
As far as resort fees, strip patrons don't care. Early check in, same.
6/5 BJ, strip patrons aren't there to gamble.
Long hauling, they take limos.
Bottle service, now your getting to the heart of the strip patron. Most would like to see higher bottle service fees. This would bring more exclusivity to their experience.
Over priced dining is the same, it can't be high enough. The more expensive the better.

The strip is getting less and less of their revenue from gaming and more and more from the party crowd.

I am not surprised at this at all. Even 10 years ago when I would take my young executives to Vegas they didn't gamble, they just wanted to hang out at the pools and party all night.
My wife gives a weekend trip to Palm Springs every year to all her young associates. It has become a much anticipated tradition in the firm. I do not believe the casinos get any patronage at all from this group. It is all about the pools, the golf courses and Zelda's.

Conventioneers, infrequent visitors, party crowd want to stay on the strip; that is where the action is. They don't want to stay downtown & stay in Holiday Inn Express accomodations or stay miles away at a Stations hotel.

The above couldn't tell a 6/5 vp game from a 6/5 bj game, so there isn't an incentive to improve the odds. Charge $40 for a buffet that off strip is 1/4 of the price. Very few know better.

The comment below has been corrected to show a response to Billy's post...............since PJ didn't comment.


The January revenue numbers were compared to January revenue numbers from the previous year, so Billy's comment about January always being slow doesn't apply. The balance of the state saw numbers increase, while the strip gaming revenue dropped dramatically during the same time period.

Another potential explanation is that Billy's month long spending spree wasn't spent on the strip this year.

Did January 2015 have the storms that January 2016 had? The balance of the state doesn't depend on people from the East Coast. Belly up to a bar on the strip and chances are you will be within ten feet of a New Yorker. When I'm in Laughlin, people remember me as the guy from NY.
Then you have the obvious- no Superbowl weekend in January 2016, but our resident genius 's have already factored that in, I'm sure.