Ya know what I love about Vegas? Casino competition. When they sweat, we win.
A couple corporate casino number crunchers are sitting around at the bar, cooking up short con schemes, and wondering, “So! How can we squeeze another couple of bucks — No, wait! How can we really hose these yahoos out of as many of their hard-earned scheckels as (in)humanly possible? Let’s add a resort fee and charge ’em for things they’re already getting! And a parking fee! And raise prices on everything, even coffee, and make it real hard to cash TITOs, and even charge for plates and tableware on room-service deliveries. And while we’re at it, let’s keep laying off employees to save on the expense side.”
Well, that worked like a charm, to the tune of a billion smackolas a month for a few years and you’re all fat and happy. But you know what? The regulars aren’t just grumbling, but are finally downright PISSED. “Vegas ain’t what it used ta be. Where’s value gone? I’m bein’ hosed six ways thru Sunday.”
A lot of them got their revenge. How? They stopped coming.
Empty rooms. Shows closing. Gross gaming revenue down 10 months in a row. International tourism down 20%. Corporate shills sweating. What to do? Sober up? Fuggedabouddit.
Lightbulb moment. “Let’s drop resort fees!” Brilliant.
Now, I don’t hate to say I told you so. I’m glad I said, “The trickle of No Resort Fees this spring is gonna turn into a river.”
I reported many no resort fee deals (call it NRF), like Treasure Island and Fontainebleau. And just last month Golden Nugget and just this week Resorts World. Ka-ching. Next!
Oh, and a shout out to Four Queens and Binion’s, which are always NRF (plus great video poker and points promos).
I’ve already written about the awesome $125-a-day package at the Plaza: 2 nights, 2 meals a day, unlimited drinks, NRF, and free parking. (Or try their bingo deal.)
Now Downtown Grand is running to catch up: two weekend nights, $100 food an beverage credit, 4 drink tix, upgraded room, free parking (that’s a given) NRF for (drumroll) 250 smackers. Add the food-bev credits, toss in the $50 matchplay at checkin, and you’re talking a Hilton-quality room for $50 a night. On the weekend.
(Use code SMRWEMD. During the week SMRWDAY.)
This is the Vegas I love. Great quality, low cost, gamble till dawn.
And here are a couple of other cool your ***off freebies. $2 ice cream cones at Baskin Robbins right now and my new favorite, at Tiffs Treats, 45 days of a dozen cookies delivered to you or a friend for $99! A $1,000 value. Yummy! And no Red Robin burger debacle either; I already bought it, but Summer Passes are limited, so if you have the munchies or just a sweet tooth, as David Lee Roth sings, JUMP!
Special Announcement: My next, and hopefully last, surgery is Wednesday July 2. Please say a prayer. Whether you believe or not, it helps. Well wishes, sacrificial goats, vestal virgins, it’s all good. Except what exactly is a vestal virgin anyway?
My fondest desire is that all bean counters everywhere in Vegas lose their jobs.
A “vestal virgin” served in the temple of and dedicated to the Roman goddess Vesta, virgin goddess of the home, hearth, and family.
Good luck with your surgery, Bobby. I had my first-ever major surgery last month, and one of the few things that has cheered me is the thought, prayers, and best wishes of others, even though I’m pretty much an agnostic. Knowing people care helps, and who knows? Maybe there is a God and he/she listens to prayers and does something!
100% Raymond.
And the best to you and your great support friends and family.
Family/community/
friends.. however that looks for each of us is key to health and happiness, and science proves that.
The number one terminal disease in the USA? Loneliness.
Re Prayers..and God.
Math question
If/does God exist and if so should we pray?
Answer: Yes. There’s very little downside and a lot of up.
2) Duke Univ. performed a Prayer Research study experiment where, (without the patients knowledge), half a group of cancer patients were prayed for while the other half not.
The half that were prayed for had significantly better results.
My conclusion from personal experience tiurning things over through prayer,( and I consider myself secular and spiritual but not religious), is it helps and it works.
I don’t know if God exists but I do believe we are connected in ways we don’t completely understand.
All the best