Poll : 28 December - 10 January 2017

Analysis

This poll received just under 5,000 responses and not surprisingly, one in four voted for the (fantasy) rescission of the parking fees; it received almost twice as many votes as the second-place finisher.

Here are a few representative comments about that.

“Of all the changes over the years, the one that will change our visiting Las Vegas is paid parking for the Strip casinos. We started going to Vegas in 1993; we loved all of the themed casinos that opened. We have stayed at about 50% of the casinos on the Strip, and as Southern California residents, we used to visit 4-6 times a year. Gone now are the great deals that we used to get for breakfast specials and buffets. Our always-comped rooms now have a resort fee. We have been visiting just once a year in the past 5 years. We drive in to town and love to visit out of the way restaurants and local antique stores during our trip. Paid parking is a deal breaker for us, as going in and out during our day will become costly. For the first time in over 20 years, we are not planning a visit to your town next year.”

“Unless paid parking is removed, the Strip won't see me, so any of the choices related to the Strip are irrelevant.”

“What about the rescinding of the resort fee? (Wishful thinking?)”

Quite gratifyingly, second place went to our new website.

“I am looking forward to the new website and hope the beginning is trouble free.”

As you can imagine, it’s a big job and the closer we get to finishing it, the more testing has to be done to insure a smooth transition and complete functionality. We’re still not ready to announce a launch date, but we can say with confidence it will be in the next two months.

“My vote for the new LVA website is for faster page loading and a functioning SEARCH feature. Also, is there truly a monitor as referenced for readers to ‘report this to a monitor’? If so, please acknowledge receipt. I "reported" only a couple of times but did not receive notice that it was received.”

Yes, there’s a monitor who intervenes in the forums when necessary, but doesn’t acknowledge every report. The new site will have the comment function enabled on every page (and we expect that commenters will stay on topic).

Just a few of you managed to muster some enthusiasm for the rest of the choices.

“No parking fee is really a dream but for reality purposes anything new or updated would be welcome. We always look forward to changes that have been made since our last visit.”

“I'm guessing that everyone will vote for rescinding parking fees, but I also added LVClub/Mermaids because the downtown area continues to get more and more interesting, and added the hockey team since there will be 40 chances a year to see the various NHL teams play (as opposed to 8 football games). I also checked Ellis Island, because it's always a fun place to go and anything that adds to that experience will make it even better.”

“I have been a Raiders fan from ND for YEARS and I will buy season tickets if they move to Las Vegas! And I will move near Las Vegas for the winters!”

“The Oakland Raiders will always be the OAKLAND Raiders to me. But my second choice for them would be Las Vegas.”

“I am really looking forward to visiting the Lucky Dragon! Just missed it's opening on my last trip.”

“Ellis Island's opening of a beer garden. As a huge fan of Ellis Island, I just spent the last half hour scouring the web looking for an article explaining the new beer garden. Do you have insider information and we are getting it first before anyone else?”

It was good to see Ellis Island place so high (fifth on the list). As for the beer garden, it will be called the Front Yard, a two-story 250-seat outdoor addition housing a new restaurant, bar, and stage with live entertainment; it’s expected to open in late spring. Also, Ellis Island has taken over the hotel from Super 8 and is currently undergoing a major renovation; they’ll be dropping the Super 8 flag in May.

A couple respondents added developments that weren’t on the list, though one wasn’t exactly relishing it.

“You neglected (thankfully) to mention the new home of the Las Vegas 51s in Summerlin (NIMBY... oh crap, it is).”

“Also looking forward to going to Morimoto restaurant. Have the LVA staff tried it?” Anthony Curtis attended the press opening of “Iron Chef” Masaharu Morimoto’s new eatery at the MGM Grand and wrote in this month’s LVA, “Morimoto probably won’t be regularly slicing and serving sashimi from a 122-pound fresh tuna as he did at the preview, and this will be a very high ticket, but if what we sampled was any indication, Morimoto could be something special even by Vegas standards.”

Mostly, however, what we heard from poll respondents was on the negative side.

“I don't pay attention to the NFL or NHL now, so having a team in Las Vegas means nothing to me.”

“I am so sick and tired of being nickel and dimed to death. I do not care that I will be losing at the gambling, but that should be enough for the greedy SOBs.”

“I think you're dreaming if you believe the Las Vegas Club and Mermaids will be redeveloped next year. The buyers are broke and cheap....not a good combination.”

“Wish you would have asked the poll another way. ‘Which are you least looking forward to have happen?’”

“None of the Strip-related choices had any appeal for me. I haven't been inside any Strip casino in years. Even the hypothetical return of free parking didn't click. That's supposed to get us to go there for 6-5 BJ, terrible VP schedules, metered drink comps, insanely expensive buffets, resort fees, franchise fees, etc? No, thanks.”

“None of the above.”

“I answered your new web site (I'm fine with the current web site) only so I could get here and say None of the Above. Nothing excites me on that list.”

“Since 'none of the above' wasn't an option, I'll send my opinion. I have always gone to Las Vegas for the enjoyable gambling experience and nothing in the poll had to do with gambling to me. I have pretty much given up on Las Vegas and will look for a place as near to the old Vegas as possible. Let the new generation (or whoever they are) have it. When I want an amusement park I'll go to one. Sorry. I'll truly miss you!”

“I would most like to see the owners remember that Las Vegas is the GAMBLING mecca of the world. I can't imagine how much more of a bankroll a visitor to the strip needs nowadays compared to just 10 years ago.”

“The LVA is a bright light in the world of Las Vegas and I value the daily updates. I wanted to have input to this poll: I have seen a lot of changes that make it more attractive to stay in Colorado than to make the effort to go to a place where we have to pay for basic features like Wi-Fi and parking as a guest (or player) in the casinos where I expect to walk away with a lighter wallet anyway. ”

As always, thanks to everyone who wrote in with commentary.