A:
We took a poll of people on both sides of this question: military and ex-military, as well as Las Vegas promotion experts. The consensus: Special deals for military personnel, active and veteran, come and go. Often around Memorial Day, a military-minded casino will offer a special discount (buffet, show, room) for members of the armed services and at any time of the year, you've got nothing to lose by asking.
As no one we queried could point to any specifics, we did some digging ourselves. Here's a selection of some of the current deals we found, some of which are pretty impressive.
- Luxor: Offers 10% off prevailing room rate for active military personnel. Present your ID at check-in.
- Imperial Palace is offering a 10% discount off room rates for government and active military personnel through Dec. 20, 2007. Again, present your ID at check-in.
- Both Mystère and KÀ (at TI and MGM Grand, respectively) offer a whopping 50% off ticket prices to both active and retired members of the military. It's limited to four tickets per ID (as usual, this must be presented at the box office when you collect your tickets) and for KÀ it applies only to tickets priced $99 and up. For Mystère, the discount is good on all price categories. Tickets must be booked via phone or box office reservations, i.e., not online.
- Lance Burton at the Monte Carlo used to offer a permanent military discount, but now it's only an occasional promotion. Worth checking when you book, just in case.
- The Adventuredome amusement park at Circus Circus has a number at Nellis AFT IT&T office to call for information about military discounts. The number is 702/652-2193.
- If you're tying the knot, the Viva Las Vegas Wedding Chapel will pay the $60 minister's fee for you if you present current military ID.
- And if you're planning a last hurrah, for example, before embarking on the road to marital bliss, the famous Chicken Ranch brothel out in Pahrump has a printable coupon on their site for "$100 toward a party with the lady of your choice" valid for active and retired military personnel and they also honor coupons from their competitors. Click here for the coupon.
As one of our respondents remarked, "Although I don't have any specifics at the moment, as a former military man, I can tell you a lot of places will give a military discount just for asking (and showing a military ID). It's kind of an unadvertised special, not unlike discounts for Nevada residents, seniors, and kids. All you have to do is ask. Sometimes it's a yes, sometimes it's a no (and often it's the deer-in-the-headlights stare)."
It sounds like a Vegas Quest to us. Since you and your Navy buddies are coming out here anyway, why not ask every cashier you encounter if there's a discount for active military? The worst that can happen is you'll have to pay full price. Otherwise, you might save yourself a few bucks.
Let us know what you find out and we'll start to keep track of military discounts. Also, if anyone out there in QoDLand knows of any ongoing and notable discounts that we missed, please send them in.
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