Question of the Day - 07 July 2025

Some good changes in Las Vegas vs "the good old days":
1. Wifi being provided free in hotels, restaurants, etc.
2. A more permissive attitude to photos & video in casinos.
3. Less racism & homophobia in casinos, restaurants, etc.
4. Easy access to information (via cellphone) re: good values, casino rules, etc.
5. Slightly better public transit in Las Vegas.
6. ABC, CVS & Walgreens to avoid minibar charges
7. Better TV resolution and greater channel selection in hotels.
8. Larger hotel rooms — oldest hotels (El Cortez, Golden Gate, Binion's) have the smallest hotel rooms.
9. Better fire, safety, and disability access standards in buildings.
10. Easier to compare prices (via web) for airline tickets.
11. More entertaining slot machines: video slots with bonuse screens & larger jackpots, rather than "boring" reel slots with small jackpots.

Have definitely made it easier to go off Strip.  Sure, you could always get a taxi from a Strip (or Fremont Street) resort to take you virtually anywhere.  Good luck getting a cab back if you weren’t at a hotel with a taxi stand.  You’d have to find a phone book (this was before smartphones) and call a taxi company and wait around for an hour or two, hoping that they’d deign to show up.  

The Strip sidewalk, at least from MGM to Wynn/TI is so much more of a pleasant stroll now.  The east side, especially, was a gauntlet of porn slappers, broken concrete, merchant T-shirt racks, people congestion, general messiness.  I don't know how best to describe it for anyone who wasn't 'there' years back, but it is all the difference now.  Thanks.

Candy 

Don't forget the Pedestrian bridges across Las Vegas Blvd.. at the major intersections Trop. Flamingo etc,

When I first visited Las Vegas in 1979, there were no players clubs. In my mind players clubs can be a blessing and a curse (I feel compelled to gamble only where I have tier privilege) but I also hardly pay for meals or items from the gift shop, e.g., because of my accumulated credits. Add to this the big corporations that now own lots of casinos nationwide, again a blessing and a curse, whereas in 1979 each casino was it's own company and brand. I have several casinos within 30 - 60 minutes from my home using the same players club so I get the benefits and credits of the players club that originated in Las Vegas here at home.

Along with the Raiders must add the wonderful addition of the Golden Knights!! And all that goes along with them including increased visitors since I’m quite sure that there are many that come only to see a hockey game!  I’m not local, but have family that are so am lucky enough to have been able to attend several games at T-Moblile Arena.  Not only does the team play great hockey, but the non-playing ‘shows’ are wonderful too!!

I really like the convenience of hopping on the Monorail to get from the Sahara to MGM and all points in-between rather quickly, and for a lot less than taking a cab or ride share.  Also, getting the day or multi day passes made it easier to just hop on and hop off at various spots along the strip. 

1. The way some of the older properties (Strip & Downtown) reinventing themselves to keep up with the times and still providing a historical glimpse  of days past.
2. Pedestrian consideration (i.e. elevated crosswalks on the strip)

Vegas plus
Jonathan Jossel at Plaza, the Vital Vegas world of news, Vegas-specific podcasts (e.g., 360 Vegas, Crap Vegas, On the Corner of Main, City Cast Las Vegas, Five Hundy), Vegas-specific influencers on daily social media (e.g., Vegas Starfish and Jacob Orth), smartphones to send immediate Vegas photos, Vegas Vicki moving inside Circa, TITO, Zombie Burlesque, North Strip new developments, Linq Promenade, WNBA Aces!

Pedestrian overpass, T Mobile arenas and area around it, Sphere and Fremont Street closure to cars are my favorite things since we’ve been coming here.

Only one I consider better is the Neon Museum and it's actually a blast from the past. Be interesting to see if anyone picks the FU1 pavement 🤣🤣

TITO
Ticket Redemption Machines
Fast Pay
Matching Tier Status

Allegiant Stadium  / T-Mobile Arena / Las Vegas Aces / Golden Knights

Allegiant Stadium
Ride Share (uber, etc)

I think ticket in ticket out is the best change, and I will admit, when it first started I didn't like it or think it would stay. But I came to realize that my hands were cleaner and it made for easier play. The ticket changer/bill breaker is a great plus also.

PARK MGM going smoke free is a nice change of pace and maybe a harbinger of the future.   As mentioned previously I think the LINQ Promenade and the High Roller are a nice upgrade.    Peter Lugars at Caesars is a nice addition to the excellent steakhouse scene.  Seconding the monorail as a great way to get between south and north ends of the strip.               

Both the amazing sportsbook as well as Stadium Swim are huge upgrades for Vegas.

To me the Arts District is one of the best changes. It’s a great alternative to the strip and Fremont. Great food, cocktail and dive bars and a great way to get away from gambling for a day

Day clubs (pool)
DJ Residences
High End restaurants
Taxi cab "zones" from airport
Uber / Lyft in other area

tito machines, newer machines

Pat Tillman Memorial Bridge. made it easy to see the Hoover dam. traffic not backed up all the time
Southpoint and M Resort . nice places to stay and gamble away            from the strip.
Monorail is great  
I thought Cira would be bad for Downtown but seems it has helped downtown a lot.
High Roller Ferris wheel
Ticket-in, ticket-out (TITO)

All the improvements to LVA!  Finding Andrew!  We love the you tube videos.       
The updated versions of the Pinball HoF and the Shelby Center.     
I agree with Sandra, the linking of the properties under 1 owner has been very valuable.  Since Hollywood opened in Illinois in the 1990's, we have lived 20 minutes away.  But playing there didn't help us when we traveled to Hollywood in Tunica.  It was very frustrating. But now I get offers from the M and other properties.  It's been very helpful with the Boyd properties too.  :-D We travel a lot!    
TITO is great, but I don't like getting coins from a bill breaker.  
LOVE was a great adddition, so sad it's gone. 
Southpoint.  Anthony, do you know how it feels when you have 2 good friends that don't like each other?  
 

Skill based slot machines which came and went in the 15 year time frame were life changing for me on the positive side. Although I do love TITO, I still find myself occasionally seeking out coin droppers to remember just how dirty your hands really got. I gotta admit that I pray everyday that Stage Door will reopen. Fremont Street Experience has really made me love Vegas. I've always been deep into live music and saw Yellow Brick Road at KkLZ's June Fest way back (I think) LOL but the simplicity of seeing great bands on Fremont Street is good for my soul. Dang, I do miss Johnnie's guitar playing for Alter Ego though. Man, what a awesome performer he was.... i may have to find him in Chicago some day

A big one is the Park going smoke free.

1) Sphere
2) Tech attractions, specifically immersive attractions, the Arte Museum in particular.
3) All of the new restaurants; I can recall that in the mid 1980’s the Riviera made a lot of news for the then novel idea of allowing fast food franchises like Burger King to open outlets in the casino.

Pedestrian bridges.