Apparently Las Vegas casinos—and specifically those of MGM Resorts International—have not learned from the ill-will generated by resort fees and paid parking. Now, as discovered by Scott Roeben, MGM is instigating an insidious “surge pricing” for sundries like water and toothpaste (not cheap to 
begin with), with prices escalating in direct ratio to hotel occupancy. The more people who stay, the more you pay. This is an abomination and yet another indication that Big Gaming thinks you are a bunk of marks who are to be taken for everything they’ve got. Mind you, if the geniuses behind this idea chafe at the sight of patrons bringing pallets of bottled water to their room, just wait, it’s only going to become more prevalent. MGM is test-flying this odious new concept at the bottom of its food chain, i.e., Excalibur.
Roeben thinks this is the latest manifestation of infamous MGM 2020 and we’re not about to disagree. We’d love to see how CEO Jim Murren spins this. Writes Roeben, “MGM Resorts has been scrutinizing every aspect of its business to increase profits, and we suspect they’ve done market research showing tourists don’t particularly care if their sundry store dental floss is $3 or $4 when they’re on vacation. If they don’t seem to care, why commit yourself to the lower price when demand goes up?” Sounds like typical MGM logic to us.
* In the same spirit, The Cromwell has removed its fifth- and seventh-floor complimentary coffee stations. Yes, the nickel-and-diming spirit in Las Vegas crosses company lines.
* A guest at Aria wanted to take a shower but was put off by the chocolate-brown water issuing from every tap in the hotel bathroom—not even the chalky-white “water” to which Las Vegans are inured. KTNV-TV has the video. It’s yet another sign that the penny-pinching at MGM has gone too far.
* How do you follow Donny & Marie? If you’re Flamingo Las Vegas, a residency by Paula Abdul is what the doctor ordered. Mind you, Abdul’s singing career took a nosedive once she left the comfort of the recording studio in favor of live performance and was exposed. But then, Caesars Entertainment did wonders for Mariah Carey in terms of backing tracks and other electronic wizardry, so there’s no telling what it can do for Abdul.
* All that preliminary hype about Japan‘s Master Fencer in the Kentucky Derby may have been for naught. Online wagering site Kentucky Derby Online Bet doesn’t even put Master Fencer in the top five, favoring Omaha Beach to win the run for the roses.
* In Macao, while Sociedade de Jogos de Macau was markedly profitable in 1Q19, its flagship Grand Lisboa lagged the enclave in hotel occupancy. It filled 95% of rooms, compared to a 97% average for Macao as a whole.
* Sheldon Adelson‘s minions at the Las Vegas Review-Journal have been sent forth with the memo that declining visitation to Las Vegas (March was down again) isn’t due to resort fees and paid parking. Yeah, right. Whatever you say, Sheldon. (Las Vegas Sands has the highest resort fees in Sin City.)
* In case anyone was nostalgic about Japan‘s occupation of Singapore during World War II, there will be a festival of Japanese culture at Resorts World Sentosa (built over the site of a WWII prisoner-of-war camp). With Genting Group nakedly wanting to get a Japanese casino, we can understand the pandering but it may leave a nasty aftertaste in the mouths of Singaporeans.
To be fair, in my personal experience, people often truly do not give much thought to pricing while here. I was in the Aria lobby last week and someone asked me where the closest ATM was. I pointed to the one on the floor within line-of-sight, but then told her that if she walked 30 seconds to Crystals, there was a fee-free ATM, so she wouldn’t have to pay the $7.99. Her response, verbatim, was, “I don’t care, I’m in Vegas!”. I regularly see full $50 6:5 tables next to empty $50 3:2 tables. I don’t like it as a customer, but I can’t fault MGM for recognizing that there’s an enormous amount of pricing elasticity.