Question of the Day - 15 December 2019

We’ll start with MGM Resorts International because it levies a crazy quilt of parking fees. Despite undergoing a complete reinvention from Monte Carlo to Park MGM, the company’s new trophy property does not have charging stations (guests are referred to Aria, of which more below). Neither does Mandalay Bay.

At Aria, it costs $18 a day to park and you’d better bring your own charging cables if you’re expecting valet to re-juice your car for you. (There are also charging stations in self-parking.) 

Bellagio requires you to turn your car over to the valet for recharging and it will set you back $30.

At Luxor, charging is available only in valet (same at the Mirage), with self-parking costing $24/night. At the Mirage, parking is $16 for two hours, $18 for two to three hours, and $24 per day.

MGM Grand has a charging station in the south parking garage and it’s free, but it will cost you $15/day to park there.

Circus Circus offers free charging (and free self-parking to hotel guests) but a security staffer says “It changes every couple of months.” Excalibur has a charging station on the first floor of its new parking garage, along Tropicana Avenue, with wallet-friendly self-parking charges of $8 for one to four hours and $10 for four to 24. Electric recharging is available on the second level of the New York-New York garage, where parking is $9 for one to two hours, $12 for two to four, $15 for four to 24. Mandalay Bay guests can juice up at Delano, free of charge, although parking there will cost you $12 for one to four hours, $15 for four to 24 hours. Charging is free at the Four Seasons but it has the most expensive parking in town: $35/day. It’s also $35/night at Waldorf Astoria Las Vegas (formerly Mandarin Oriental) and recharging your car is free—provided that you’re a hotel guest.

All Station Casinos properties except the Palms have charging stations and they’re all free to use. You have to get a pass at the front desk to get into VIP parking at Fiesta Henderson and Palace Station, because VIP is where the chargers are. Charging stations are in valet parking at all other Station properties except Fiesta Rancho and Sunset Station, where they’re in general parking (right next to VIP parking in the case of Fiesta Rancho. Green Valley Ranch has Tesla chargers in addition to regular ones Since Station recently poured $700 million into upgrading the Palms, we’re a bit surprised that charging stations weren’t among the improvements.

The Cosmopolitan only has Tesla chargers, which are free to use. Casino parking is $10 for four hours, $15 for every 24 hours. According to The Associated Press, all Caesars Entertainment properties—Caesars Palace, Harrah’s Las Vegas, The Link [sic], Flamingo Las Vegas, The Cromwell, Bally’s Las Vegas, Paris-Las Vegas and Planet Hollywood—have charging stations. These are all free to use. Parking itself will cost you $15 a day at all hotels except Caesars Palace, where it is $18/day. Caesars also teamed with Tesla to open a “supercharging” station near the High Roller observation wheel.

Only one Boyd Gaming casino has chargers: the Orleans. But, says company spokesman David Strow, “Electric cars need to be parked through our valet to have access to the chargers.”

Adds the Associated Press, “It is the first site in Nevada to feature 24 V3 hookups for Tesla owners to rapidly charge batteries for about 180 miles of range in about 15 minutes.” Caesars Vice President for Engineering & Sustainable Operations Eric Dominguez explained, “We made a commitment a while back to reduce carbon emissions by 30 percent by 2025. This is something that helps to promote clean transportation. It really aligns with our environmental commitments here at Caesars.” Only 7,000 electric vehicles are registered in Nevada but Las Vegas’ biggest feeder market, California, has 318,000 electric cars on the roads.

The Cannery has a charging station, as does M Resort. The latter’s does come with a nominal fee, “maybe a couple of dollars … it’s pretty cheap, I know that.” Wynn Las Vegas and Encore offer free charging services, but only to hotel guests. Complimentary charging stations can also be found down the street at The Venetian and Palazzo. Treasure Island has no charging station. But if you go to the bell desk they can take care of it for you.

Silverton has a charging station in front of its timeshare building and it’s free to use, as is the one at South Point. On the other hand, Downtown is a vast wasteland where electric vehicles are concerned. We are, however, assured that “it’s in the works” at the Golden Nugget, the pace car of Downtown properties. The D directs electric-car users to a charging station off-property at 701 E. Bridger Street. Westgate Las Vegas has charging stations on the first floor of its parking garage, although they’re property of Hilton Grand Vacations, not the Westgate. A security officer assured us, “You can just pull up there. I’m sure it’s OK.”