Question of the Day - 16 February 2022

Triple the gaming taxes in Las Vegas.
Evidently the Las Vegas casinos are in competition with the Las Vegas City government.
After all, aren't City taxes always raised higher and give back less?

Make it illegal to smoke in the casino. I think if it’s illegal in all the casinos and have close smoking centers it won’t put a dent in revenue. It’s one of the pluses in Illinois.

Hard to choose just one!  how about "D" "all of the above" except for maybe the last one.

As a retired doctor, I've got to agree with Donzack that smoking should be banned in all casinos. It not only harms the health of the smokers, but also those around them.

In addition to the top 3 items in the list, we agree with Donzak that it's long past time that smoking is banned in the casinos.

Agree with the above. I won't go back to Vegas until smoking is banned. Can't smoke in Canadian casinos and it's fine.

Greater diversity of casino ownership to create more competition

Roll everything back 10 years! Bring back all the buffets, the Stardust, and mostly the generosity of the casinos.

For more than 30 years I have had 30% deducted from any slot winnings over $1200. I can eventually get it back but have to go through hoops to do so. That $1200 with inflation is worth over $2500.00 in today's dollars. Las Vegas needs to lobby the IRS to elevate the amount on which witholding taxes are applied. With current inflation and costs it is one of the reasons it does not warrant this Canadian to come to Las Vegas anymore.

Improved lighting.  Especially in some poker rooms. 

I stay at the MGM Park - no smoking anywhere in the building including the Casino floor.  I say let freedom and free enterprise work.  If the MGM Park gets to being always full, another MGM hotel is bound to follow.  Proposing Bans is just a sign  of intolerance. As for 2nd hand smoke, the studies I have read say it is the same as living in a city center with the related pollution.  In other words, not a big deal.  I do find it nice and reasonable, however, that there is not smoking in all poker rooms.  However, if one casino wants a smoking poker room, they should be allowed to try it and let the free market decide.  

17 years ago I had a chest X-ray. The doctor asked me when did I quit smoking. I never smoked anything in my life at age 55. He said it looked like I smoked all my life and quit five years ago.

On cabs, I might propose using a zone system for the whole city.  I still get taken on a lot of "tours" by one specific type of driver. 

Having over 20 items and asking people to choose either one or all doesn't make for a study of "what's wrong with Vegas". You'll either have those above, who all would eliminate smoking, those who just say "all of the above" and those who can't answer because they would choose more than one, but not all. And it is foolhardy to think that someone who says "I won't go back until..." would actually change their attitude if just that one thing was changed. But what would it take to go back? 2 of the choices, 3? 6? all? So all that the poll does is just create a bitchfest. That being said, I believe that with the increasing competition all throughout the country, what Vegas needs to do is convince people that Vegas is a better option than the other gambling choices they have. Some of the commentors talked about Illinois, Canada, etc. Vegas needs to get you to travel.

Coffee makers back in the rooms would be nice.  The Starbucks  "tax" can be tiring and long line ups as well.  I bring one with me.  The Boyd hotels, like the Gold Coast, still have them, one reason I use to stay there instead of the  Rio during the Poker World Series.  But, the market has spoken and it does not mind the coffee makers being gone in most hotels. The Delano still has them as well but you have to bring you own K-cups or pay high prices for them. 

Well, I think if one item does stand out, it might be useful for the Casinos to know. Aside from smoking, which is more about controlling other people that modifying the "way Vegas  works", If I could change one thing, it would be how the taxi system works.  The ride shares should be putting some pressure on them, but no the less, I still get my "tours".  As aside, while I assume "Bring back the Mob" was meant in a humors fashion - I did, in fact, find the customer experience under the Mob more enjoyable than the corporate interface.  Part of it may be that gaming no longer dominates the revenue stream.  AS I understand it, they now make more money off the four segments of: Clubs' Restaurants; show and rooms than the Casino floor - not sure I believe that but at $50 per vodka shot at the Wynn Beach Club it may well be true. 

There's so much wrong with Vegas now, no single improvement would make much difference. Therefore, I suggest that a high-yield nuclear device be detonated at the intersection of Las Vegas Boulevard and Charleston. Turn the whole joint into a thousand-foot-deep smoking, radioactive crater. There wouldn't be any resort fees or 6:5 blackjack in that nice big hole.

Any of the suggestions above the would cost the casinos money to implement is just not going to happen unless they know they'll make it up eventually. The days of using buffets as loss leaders to get you in the casino in hopes you'll gamble after you eat are long gone.

The stink of cannabis in the streets is horrible though. It's not like the strip and Fremont smelled like roses before pot was legalized, but it was legalized for private use only. Why bother writing that into the law if it's not going to be enforced? Start building pot lounges where smokers can smoke all they want, then raise the penalty for public smoking to $1000 fine and mandatory 24 hours in jail.

1. Eliminate smoking.
2. Raise the taxable threshold to $4001 (I chose hitting a royal at $1 denom as the new limit)
3. More cashless options for gaming.

Alan has it correct. You limit ownership of strip resorts to two max and see the competition return.

Topless dealers and video poker in the bathrooms

How about moderating the A/C in the summer?  Going from 95 walking between casinos to 60 inside is not only uncomfortable, but counterproductive.  If I'm too cold I'm going to get up and leave that machine or table I've been pumping money into, plus think of the energy savings.  And yes, it really is all about my comfort.

Have you seen LV Blvd & Charleston lately? A nuke would be an improvement

Create public spaces where cannabis consumption is legal (so that there is less of it happening on the street)

Shorten the ridiculously long red lights

Bust up the casino oligopoly

Require real-time posting of current table minimums on a public website

Outlaw all time-share hustling within casinos and hotels and outdoors on the Strip and Downtown

Increase enforcement and penalties for jaywalking on the Strip

Anyone who loves to constantly complain about "how much cheaper Vegas used to be" will be forcibly sent to education camps where they will learn some basics of economics and inflation so they can stop whining like ignorant dotards

Create a mandatory "child-free zone" for 1 mile around the Strip, all casinos, and other adult-oriented businesses

Anyone who tries to toss out "just one more bet" when the dice have been passed to the shooter will immediately be ejected from the casino. If they are the shooter, they will be banned for life

First of all, I found myself agreeing with about 90% of the items on the original list.  That pointed out how sad Las Vegas has become, compared to where it was.

I agree with Brent,  "break up the casino oligopoly".  That is a good idea and VERY DOABLE with legislators who want to improve the visitor experience.  I'd limit any corporation's ownership to no more than 3 casinos anywhere withing a 100 mile radius of Las Vegas.  This would bring in more competition.

I agree with shortening the ridiculously long lights.  These long lights are an incentive  running the red lights. I was slowing for a yellow light,only to have the car behind be honk the horn,speed around me, though a red light, just missing a car coming across.

I partially agree with Kevin and the nuclear device, but,with an adjustment. About 20 - 30 years ago there was talk about a neutron bomb, worked on people and limited the property / infrastructure damage.  Casinos are "neutral, its casino management that sucks

I'm thinking that nuke that KL speaks of should be detonated two miles from where-ever he vacations.
Such a Vegas improvement!
	
[email protected]
For the price of two Starbuck's Mocho choco,lattes with steamed organic cream from grass fed cows, and 12 sugars, you can go to Mallmart and buy a $15 coffee maker with all the fixings.
We 've been doing it for years, and when you leave, we've always had a very appreciative housekeeper happy to take it home.

Their are several websites that will tell you the expected rate for a taxi from point A to B.

When you first enter a taxi tell the driver to take the direct route to your destination, use your smart phone to record that conversation.

If you should get a "tour" (actually termed "long hauling" in the trade)instead then only pay the expected fare.

If the driver complains offer to call Metro to settle the disagreement, most will drive off quickly.

Some may try to bluff you or even threaten you, just dial 911, tell the operator a taxi driver is threatening you and give the drivers name and cab number and take a picture of him and the cab.
If the driver is stupid enough to stay, he will be arrested but some will continue to try to get you to pay the excess charge thinking Metro will make you pay (the crime is called "theft of service").

Replay the recorded conversation and watch him get arrested.

I can’t really disagree with any of the comments. But I’m sure the corporate brass are calling each other, sorry, texting each other and laughing out loud. How about less glare on the video poker machines so you still have some retinas, rods and cones left for the next session. I think the nuke would render the area radioactive for quite some time. B-52s carpet bombing more practical.

For pity's sake upgrade the TVs with modern capabilities, including channel toggling.  Fix the unbearably LOUD opening "welcome" channel...a shock to the system.  Spend a little money on Turner Classic Movie channel (free to the guest) and other free classic movie channels.

Put a Keurig-type coffee system, including at least 4 K-cups, in every room.  Ridiculous to have to put something on just to go down and find a cup of coffee to get the day started while you dress etc.  These would not require cleaning like old coffee makers of yore.  Beau Rivage (Biloxi) and Harrah's Laughlin has these in every room.

$10 minimum 3-Card Poker.  3-Card Poker tables are crowded.  They'd come out ahead with playable minimums.  Or $5, but that's dreaming.

The ridiculous hi-way robbery "service" charges attached to in-room dining orders are an insult.  Ditch those, or at least lower them to a reasonable charge.

Eliminate smoking or at least cigar & pipe smoking in the casinos.

Build a dome that extends over the entire square/round Vegas valley, so that the entire city area can be air-conditioned.

Why would it be better to have topless video poker in bathrooms?

Instead of all those choices, just add 1978 as one.