Question of the Day - 27 January 2008

Thanks to all the people –- too numerous to mention individually –- who took the time to send in their thoughts regarding our recent Reader Poll concerning some of Las Vegas’ more unwelcome trends. We received feedback from tourists, locals, and even casino employees who sympathize with the grievances of the other two groups.

Of course, prices are going up everywhere, not just in Las Vegas, and everyone likes to vent a little every now and then, but much of your feedback was so specific, heartfelt, and based on long-term experiences here that we were left with the feeling that this poll really touched a raw nerve among a great deal of people.

We offered you 13 suggestions of our own and, as anyone who tuned into yesterday’s results will have seen, the disappearance of the older smaller properties and their character and personal service was the most popular response, which complements the general theme you pinpointed of a declining "attitude," for want of a better word, from valet parkers no longer opening your door unless their tip is visibly in hand to the general rudeness of staff and your fellow visitors.

The city is certainly changing at a frenetic pace and it's highly unlikely that the clock will be turned back to the "old Vegas" in any way, shape, or form, but at least any of you who are missing those days and read what follows will know you’re not alone. We're happy to provide this forum for everyone to express their point of view and concerns.

• "The worst trend I’ve seen is that Las Vegas, in the last decade or so, has been steadily taking itself too seriously [and] as a result, it is not quite as fun. With a recession looming, it will be interesting to see if people will still drop $2K at the tables, while paying $250/night for a room at the Wynn and $150/person for a steak dinner."
• "Although I could easily pick 'tighter slots' or 'worsening traffic' or a half-dozen of the other possible answers, the thing that is really making me sad is the attitude that only the filthy rich or the extremely beautiful are welcome anymore. I realize that casino owners can’t make the kind of profit they want by catering to people whose income is under a million, but we were the people who ‘built’ the town with our slot dollars and beer budgets."
• "The rudeness of tourists is on the upswing."
• "The worst trend I’ve witnessed is the major decline in customer service. Gone seem to be the days when visitors were ‘wined and dined,’ not just with great comps, but with plain simple courtesies and respectful attitudes, where an adult used to feel like a kid at Disneyland. I don’t see those days coming back."
• "I think rude/oblivious/obnoxious people: The people who walk down the middle of a three-person aisle and simply cannot be bothered to change what they’re doing to acknowledge/accommodate others. I am 6’2" and 210 lbs and I’ve taken to stopping in the spot I'm in when I’m confronted by a group of people who won’t even leave space for one person to go. I’ve had a couple of head-on collisions with much smaller people who seemed to be totally stunned to realize that there was someone else in the casino. I do this as a public service, to help others who are less mentally adept at seeing their surroundings :-). Sometimes I think a light saber would be useful ..."
• "Tighter comps and less personal service are becoming the norm. I’ve been a regular visitor (3-5 times a year) since ’91. Now I only go once a year –- the fun Vegas I knew is gone."
• "One answer will not cover the spectrum. The tightening of slots, video poker, etc. has really turned off many of the people who come to visit us here in the valley to gamble. Many have just stopped playing when they come. The terrific increase in room prices is also beginning to get conventions to start looking for the next great place."
• "The