Poll : 08 October - 21 October 2008

Analysis

A great response that provided us with some really useful data -- thanks to everyone who voted. And also thanks for the huge email response about the reasons for your preferences -- we're including as much of your feedback as we can below (excluding those people who chose Mississippi and Macau... Fair dos to those who wanted to vote for Wendover, Pahrump, Elko, Jean, et al -- at least they are in the right state!)

• "We live in LV but go to Laughlin approx. 3 times a year; we stay at Harrah's, where we can be "big fish in a small pond." The atmosphere is much less harried and hyper. It is neither an old folks home nor a 21+ not welcome type of town. We've always felt safe walking "the Strip" late at night; can't say that here and don't even get me started on why I refuse to go downtown...the parking garages alone are horrors."
• "My husband and I now prefer the Reno/Lake Tahoe area over the craziness of Las Vegas. In Reno you are treated in a friendly, caring manner as opposed to Las Vegas, where you are pretty much another number in the food chain. The odds are better, the scenery is better, and it's more laid back. Vegas has just gotten to be too much of the same old, same old: Too many Cirque shows, too many clubs serving the same overpriced bottle service and drinks."
• "The golf in Mesquite is terrific."
• "We fell in love with the Lake Tahoe region on our very first visit several years ago and make it a point to go back a couple of times a year. We live in Tampa, FL and delight in the contrast between our flat, tropical home state and the breathtaking alpine scenery of Lake Tahoe...Although we don't feel like we win as often as in Las Vegas, the beauty of the region, combined with the friendliness of its people, the variety of outdoor activities, and the casual, laid-back attitude make a refreshing change from teh heat, crowds, and over-the-top commercialism of Las Vegas. We still love Vegas for what it is, but when we crave something completely different, we go to Lake Tahoe."
• "Last March my sister and I took the train to Vegas (from Chicago). While Amtrak no longer makes a stop in Vegas, those bound for Vegas get off at Kingman, Arizona, then board a bus that takes you the rest of the way. That same bus drops travelers off in Laughlin as its first stop. Going through there has me considering making a trip there. It looks like a nice, occasional alternative to the turbo-charged Vegas scene and I can stay at Harrah's to keep my slot club points current."
• "I only visit Las Vegas because of the energy of this ever-changing city. It's like being on a cruise ship -- you just can't do it all!"
• "Last year we started maximizing our time at casinos in Mesquite and Laughlin. We found we didn't pay anything 7 days a week for rooms, had reduced rates for meals , and were not always waiting at busier times for anything we wanted to do. Even casinos we had never played were accommodating to our budget. We also found we were getting more comps for less time and dollars at play."
• "Laughlin: Been there and want to go back. Reasons = 5 or 6 hotel/casinos close together, like downtown LV, and the river provides pleasant sights and stuff too; Reno: Never been there, but would like to see what it's like in comparison to downtown LV. What's holding me back? Downtown hotels keep offering me free accommodations and other comps and the tour-bus company costs me only $60-$80 round-trip."
• "Lauglin: I believe that the slots are a hair looser and the people are much friendlier... Of course, the rooms are much cheaper. My wife and I have been discussing spending our week there instead of Las Vegas."
• "We've heard great things about the beauty of Tahoe and the hominess of Reno. Would love to visit each, but airline fares have always been so much higher to those destinations that we default to our "home away from home," Vegas."
• "Have<