Poll : 30 December - 12 January 2016

Analysis

The result of this poll was a surprise to the person who posted it (that would be me!), and it's standard LVA policy to steer clear of politics, unless they directly impact the industry we work in/with, so from the outset let it be clear that any editorial response that follows of a political nature is mine, and mine alone. The inclusion of "President Trump" at the time was, as indicated, intended as a humorous aside, but with the results in clearly there's more to it than that.

What follows is a representative sample of the feedback we received across the board. (P.S. To those of you who wrote in wondering what happened to the feedback related to the previous poll, which concerned your biggest disappointments of 2015, we didn't ignore, haven't forgotten, and will likely run them tomorrow in the QoD spot. We looked at the timing and just didn't want to commence the new year on a downer!):

• "Trump: Because he is not a politician and we need a new voice in that office. Someone who won't run from issues or hide behind the race card for issues. We need a man in there with a set of balls." [Ed: Okay, here goes. We (I) hear you and had a discussion along these lines just last night. I think the popularity that Donald Trump is currently experiencing has a LOT to do with the fact that he's not, ostensibly, a "politician," and whatever your political persuasion may be, his candor and outspokenness and lack of the what is now de rigueur but-not-necessarily-sincere political correctness, is refreshing. Sadly, and again I speak solely from a personal point of view, I think it's naive to regard him as "not a politician" and that his campaign is every bit as calculated and contrived as every other candidate's, if not more so. Objectively, I'd have to regard Trump's chances of winning as slim-to-none, but he's certainly putting a cat among the pigeons and bringing some color to the protracted political circus that every presidential campaign seems to comprise, no matter where you are. As a British citizen, I can't vote (although of course I pay my taxes - yup, as a trained historian the irony is not lost on me ;-) and it's interesting to speculate as to how a Trump presidency might go down, but I'm pretty sure it ain't going to happen.]
  
  
• "I couldn't find any that you listed that excited me very much. I wish all the hotels would stop trying to out do one another and just take time to renovate and update their facilities. Seems like they are all starting to show wear and tear. They need to concentrate on the customer that has been coming to Vegas for the last 10-15 years each year and show some loyalty to them by updating and lowering their resort fees before we all start staying home and visiting the local Indian casinos." [Ed: We have to say as we compiled the list, it seemed pretty lackluster to us, too.]
  
  
• "I'm rooting for (tho not necessarily expecting) some re-thinking on the part of casino execs as to what really attracts patronage--like better odds on blackjack games, better VP schedules, and the eensiest loosening of slot paybacks (even better would be a substantial loosening). No matter how good the hotels, restaurants, shopping, et. al., players want a fairer shake--and casinos would most likely see a rise in gaming revenues as a result of volume of play. I know I would play longer--and probably lose more--if I at least felt like the casino would like to play with me as much as I would like to play with it. A corollary hope is the disappearance of resort fees and other tacky add-ons. Fat chance of that one but if just one casino-hotel lost those fees, my bet is its revenues would increase in other areas. I'd even feel better paying a somewhat higher room rate w/o the insult of a resort fee." [Ed: Again, this is a purely personal comment, but I've been banging the same drum to whomever would listen for forever because it's a no-brainer, isn't it?! Guess not, or you and I would rule the world ;) Now the question is whether downtown and/or the locals casinos are willing and able to buck the trends playing out on the Strip, or if everyone will jump on the same bandwagon...]
  
  
• "As a local......IKEA, Cracker Barrel and Chick Fil A." [Ed: Thanks for the timely interjection and for bringing us back down to earth! ;-) My personal recollection of IKEA is something like 'Home Depot-meets-crazy golf -- with meatballs and vodka!' All I could find that I actually wanted was some light bulbs, and I accidentally stole a lemon squeezer, the one time I attempted to shop at one in the UK ... long story LOL.]
  
  
• "I am looking forward to absolutely NONE of these. Vegas doesn't need more shopping and mega resorts, the NHL doesn't need expansion, soccer is a niche audience, I couldn't care less about J-Lo performing in Vegas, and yada, yada, yada."
  
  
• "I'd like to see an NHL franchise so I could take a road trip to see the Bruins play in Vegas!"
  
  
• "Who is the smartass who said 'ha!' to President Trump?? Let's see if you have the 'kahunas' to admit to it! You will be singing a different tune in 2016!!" [Ed: Moi! It was all me! And I still corrected your punctuation for you, just to show there are no hard feelings ;-) ]
  
  
• " I went down the list with almost complete indifference, each alternative more irrelevant to me--if possible--than the last. But then Las Vegas has been getting more and more irrelevant to me for a long time, twenty years at least. I wonder if Lucky Dragon, Resorts World, the remodeled California, and the reopened Las Vegas Club will have resort fees, parking fees and 6-5 Blackjack--and will charge you extra for carrying your own suitcase into the hotel."
  
  
• "I can split the list into three. Looking forwards to: Resorts World - it's about time LV had a new resort NHL Franchise & Major League Soccer team - a city as big as LV and with as many visitors should have both (and while we're at it - how about baseball and football) J-Lo residency (you can't have enough headliners). Definitely don't want: Riviera Implosion - I would like the Riv to reopen. President Trump (President Clinton would be a different matter) DT + Putin = WW3 in my opinion. Take it or leave it: all the rest of the list." [Ed: Fair enough.]
  
  
• "Makes me real nervous when I hear that the California will be undergoing a major remodel. It will probably have a negative effect upon MSS and that would be tragic. But I do agree that something needs to be done with the Las Vegas Club. Maybe that will help the horrible mess that Fremont Street has become."
  
  
• "I chose NHL team because that is something I would attend on a Vegas trip (especially if they were playing the Blackhawks). The Riv implosion would just bring tears. We loved that place. But one of the best things about visiting Vegas once or twice a year is that there is ALWAYS something new or changed since the last time." [Ed: And that seems an appropriate note on which to end. Thanks!]