Massachusetts booms; Know your enemy

January was very, very good for Massachusetts casinos, which raked in $97 million, pretty darn good for a state with only three gambling halls and a 17.5% leap over last year. The biggest overachiever was Plainridge Park, vaulting 24% to $12 million. Scarcely to be outdone, MGM Springfield jumped 23% to $23 million, mainly on the strength of strong slot winnings (+28%), while tables were up 4%. The big dog, Encore Boston Harbor ‘only’ hopped 15% to $62 million, driven by a 23% increase in slot winnings, whilst table win was 6% higher.

When it comes to consumer protection, Nevada‘s Democratic congressional delegation has adopted a ‘screw you’ stance, rallying to the defense of odious resort fees. If you stay in Las Vegas, you’ll find yourself paying up to $46/night for such should-be-optional items as “in-room Wi-Fi, free local calling, fitness center access, and boarding pass printing.” (Throw in taxes and a stay at The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas costs you $102/night more than advertised.) Naturally, you can’t opt out of the resort fees, even if you make no local calls, don’t use wi-fi or the fitness center or print your boarding pass at Harry Reid International Airport. In the words of President Biden, “I know unfair it feels when a company overcharges you and gets away with it.”

Well, if it were up to the likes of Rep. Dina Titus (D, above), they’ll keep on getting away with it. Advancing a truly bullshit argument, Titus said lamely, “I’m sure the president knows Las Vegas resorts really are resorts.” Which doesn’t make the fees any less bogus or compulsory. And if the ‘resort’ product is so superior (and we don’t entirely agree), why aren’t those fees baked into the upfront cost instead of an extra ‘socko’ when you go to process your transaction? Also getting in on the malarkey was Sen. Catherine Cortez Masto (D), who offered this bit of doubletalk, “I’ll make sure this administration’s proposals stay focused on eliminating surprise fees, not punishing our world-class hotels and casinos for charges they already disclose up front.” Sen. Jacky Rosen (D) and Rep. Susie Lee (D) tried to strike a more consumer-friendly note but generally toed the Big Gaming line as well.

Of course, we know that the likes of Titus, Cortez Masto & Co. are doing the bidding of their corporate masters in Big Gaming. Hate to see those campaign contributions dry up, wouldn’t we? Nor do they want to kill a $2.9 billion annual golden goose. They’re joined (naturally) by the American Gaming Association, which contends that, in the words of the Las Vegas Sun, “expedited night club entry, shuttle services, parking and high-speed internet are among services paid for by resort fees.” Perhaps so but that still doesn’t answer the question of why casinos have to hide these extra charges and ambush you at the last moment before booking. AGA President Bill Miller (below) argues that the resort industry is being upfront, but we don’t see it that way.

“These additional services and amenities make for an elevated travel experience, with an attention to detail valued by guests. Resort fees are a signal to our customers that they will get more than just a well-appointed room,” Miller wrote the Sun. Clearly he’s never stayed at The Linq or the seedier parts of MGM Grand. Like Miller, the American Hotel & Lodging Association begged the central question of why the fees have to be secreted, saying, “These fees directly support hotel operations—including wages and benefits for hotel staff—and when they are applied, hotel websites clearly and prominently display them for guests during the booking process, in accordance to FTC guidance.” Well, their definition of ‘prominent’ and ours is quite different, based on firsthand experience. As for “wages and benefits for hotel staff,” pay ’em yourself, you stiffs.

UNLV hospitality boffin Anthony Lucas also strummed Big Gaming’s lyre, warning that resort fees could be replaced by a la carte charges, which most consumers (including us) would surely find preferable. Why pay for the ‘free’ newspaper that we don’t have time to read, for instance? Or opt out of using the pool (which often entails additional charges now)? “Before we had them [resort fees], a lot of hotel guests were complaining about being nickeled and dimed, that every time they used their resort’s amenities, they had to pay for it,” Lucas lamented. And does being charged for something you’re not using make it better? We beg to differ.

Before we leave the political sphere, be it known that the Nevada Democratic Party has conducted a purge of its ranks, sacking over 230 members of the Central Committee, including the political director of the Culinary Union. Is this wise? The Culinary provides the shock troops for the Dems’ ground campaign, going door to door in blazing heat, doing the dirty work of retail politics. Admittedly, it’s not like Ted Pappageorge is going to take his union and defect to the GOP. But alienating your strongest bulwark hardly seems like a smart move, especially when the last election cycle was won by a hairsbreadth. As Pappageorge says, it’s discouraging to the rank and file. He writes, “It’s unclear if [this] purging of the rolls is an attempt to disenfranchise voters or just plain incompetence, either way, their actions are unacceptable and Nevadans deserve better.” Can’t argue with that.

As a belated nod to Chinese New Year, here’s the display at Borgata in Atlantic City. From what you can see, they don’t go as far overboard as, say, Bellagio, but’s a nice gesture all the same.