Why even bother with Vegas anymore?

Actually the "Tri-cities" is located in the state of Washington.
(not that anyone probably cares)

It's easily recognizable by the nuclear glow!!

Lee O., exactly!!

Don't know much about his-toree
don' know much about geog-raphy
don't know much about the class i took
don't know much about my science book

J

Rick,surprised you didn't say this, well sing. I'm a shitty singer, no musical skills whatsoever,none,zip,nada.

Can you get a $8 steak with a beer at these other places? A $30 clean enough room?

This type of Vegas Bargain offsets some of the cost and other issues mentioned. Also the diversity there and the competition there for our business.

AC charges $10 to park you car. If you are there a week and move the car each day that is about 1/4 of my airfare to Vegas.

In Tunica you are lost without a car. So from Western FL, it is Biloxi, or Vegas and for the extra couple of hours airborne, Vegas Baby. FL casinos are few and far between.

That is why I keep going.

SW nonstop keeps me going back, they are the only one. If they stop that, I may rethink it.

We have been going to Vegas for the last 10 years. Some years it was 2 times, some 3, mostly just once a year. The trips have gotten longer each time we come out.

Vegas is not like any other place!!! Yes, you could go to any casino and have that experience. But, the choice of rooms from super nice, to just plain and everything inbetween is available. You can eat at any time of the day or night anything you would want. There is the best people watching in the county, where else can you see crossdressers, hookers, batman, and everything else.

I love this place, many times we have come and not won at gambling. Just the thought of the trip and the experience was worth the price of admission. Pick a show any show you have your choice, it runs the gambit. Donny and Marie, Tom Jones, Strippers, it is all here.

I can't get any of this at the indian casinos in our state. Give me VEGAS!!!!

OP referred to 3 issues (airfares, catering to an "elite, younger crowd" and less gambling) and stated "there isn't much reason for a middle aged person to head to Las Vegas anymore."
I have to respectfully disagree with that conclusion, since I resemble that demographic. In my experience, I've found there is something for everyone, regardless of age or finances, to visit Vegas for. It's not aimed at any one group.
I don't really feel that there is less emphasis on gambling, just that there is more variety being included for other entertainment options being added in the casinos now than there used to be (more dining options at all ranges of price, more entertainment venues and options, etc.)
Airfares have indeed risen due to a variety of factors. However, it seems that most people are pretty savvy shoppers and watch carefully for deals on airfares. Those deals are still out there - not necessarily as frequently (or as unsustainably low) as before, but still they are out there and people still utilize them.
From here in Vancouver I seldom fly out of our own airport because I am a price conscious, middle aged traveller and it is more expensive to fly from Canada. Instead, I choose to drive 20 minutes across the border & fly out of Bellingham, Wa on one of the two airlines that operate to Vegas.
Pre 9/11, Bellingham/Las Vegas seat sale fares were often found for $99-120 return. Post 9/11 they range from $125-175 return. Regular (non-sale) fares now range from $250-400, while they previously ranged about $150-300. That's just not enough of an increase to keep me from travelling to Vegas. It's all part of the cost of taking a trip to a place I enjoy visiting over and over again.
Judging from the traffic stats from McCarran, many other people feel the same. LVA regularly posts these stats on the "Today's News" page and they have been steadily rising for quite a while now.
For example, this post from March 30,2012:
Passenger Counts Up: Passenger counts at McCarran International Airport continued their upward trajectory last month, according to figures released Thursday by the Clark County Department of Aviation. More than 3.1 million passengers passed through the airport in February, up 6.6% on the same month last year, aided in part by the extra Leap Day in 2012.

As others here have indicated - it's a personal choice as to where you want to spend your leisure time and money, but I don't think you can make generalizations about who would or wouldn't want to go to Vegas anymore, or why. To each their own! Cheers!

I was in AC a few years ago and ran out of beer (always keep it in my room). Had to go down to a bar on the floor and pay 5 bucks for a beer, went to get on the elevator to take it up to my room, and was questioned by security. I decided right then that they were no Vegas. Just one example, but it's so much looser in Vegas, and they worry very little about all this trivial bull that AC and others worry about.

Replacing every square inch at a hotel with a nightclub or bar and putting a Friday's in casinos replacing the coffee shops I think is a good indicator of the demographics changing. This points to the "elite young crowd" the OP referred to. But there are still places to go if you do not consider yourself young and/or elite.

The Chateau replaced the fountain at Paris. Friday's is everywhere. Every time something like this happens I think creates less incentive for the middle age people to pay higher airfares to return.

Add in the fees for the rental cars almost doubling the price and even less incentive.

But again where else can you find the Vegas atmosphere? It ain't Tri Cities, been there and said...oh when I walked into a casino there or somewhere around there. I think they had a punch card game, had not seen one of those in a while...

V

I guess it depends on how you look at it, but the demographics aren't changing. We are. Vegas has always attracted its targeted demographics. It's just that now we are getting older and no longer the in the target demographic. If Vegas wants the elite 21 to 40 year old demographic and if 10 years ago this demographic liked coffee shops, cheap buffets and lounge singers, then there were boring old coffee shops, cheap buffets and lounge singers in every hotel. Now, the same demographic wants casual restaurants with more pizazz. As we get older, we don't stay in the demographic; we join an older demographic.