A lot greener than you’d think, says Las Vegas Sustainability Officer (yes, we have one) Thomas Perrigo. Among those companies getting recognition of leading the way in “green” initiatives is Harrah’s Entertainment, which has reduced its energy consumption by vast amounts in the last seven years. That’s one way to shore up the bottom line.
Actually, Harrah’s is ubiquitous where forward-thinking initiatives are concerned. Consider the high-tech keys Cisco Systems is designing for Caesars Palace. “By touching the key to digital signs … [customers] see deals for fine dining, massages or shopping at Harrah’s 10 Las Vegas hotels,” writes Bloomberg. To its credit, Harrah’s realized that the immensity of its Strip portfolio — and the accompanying information overload for consumers — demanded a 21st century response. Introducing this at Caesars reinforces that property’s cachet, although one presumes Harrah’s is planning to weave a cat’s cradle of such digital message boards throughout most of its Vegas properties … though one never knows about Imperial Palace.
Of course, Harrah’s is still dining out on its eschewal of odious “resort fees” — and rightly so. It’s even launched a Web site touting that fact. The company is banking very cleverly on the ire generated by sandbagging one’s customers with an obligatory fee for optional services. (If I don’t want to use the hotel gym, why should I be charged for this “amenity”?) As a Harrah’s veep puts it, “We follow what our competitors are doing … and we have witnessed some unpleasant conversations in lobbies.” I’ll bet.
If anything, Harrah’s ought to be particularly sensitive on this issue, having botched its “Buffet of Buffets” promotion last spring. After making an offer so generous it wouldn’t have penciled out, Harrah’s clawed it back overnight. Bad move. Agita all around. Anyway, is it worth the “resort fee” kick in the pants to stay at a slightly nicer casino-hotel — given that Harrah’s hasn’t been keeping up appearances to the same extent as its Strip competitors? On principle, I’d say, “Yes.” “No,”
One shining good deed that went almost unnoticed was Harrah’s partnership with Clean the World. At least 10K “gently used” bars of soap have been sent from Paris-Las Vegas to the Florida-based nonprofit, which repurposes the soap for poverty-stricken corners of the world (i.e., most everywhere). Happily, this will also generate or at least sustain some local jobs. Clean the World is opening a recycling plant in Clark County and, with Bally’s Las Vegas, Caesars and IP on board now, Harrah’s thousands of little soap bars should keep recyclers busy for a good, long while. If this isn’t the feel-good story of the casino industry in 2010, show me a better one.
Even as Harrah’s plans to quasi-IPO the 10% of the company owned by Paulson & Co., not everyone is feeling warm fuzzies about it. KDP Advisors‘ customarily outspoken Barbara Cappaert was characteristically blunt in her assessment. “This is not enough to have us upgrade our ranking on Harrah’s, particularly after the poor second quarter the company just reported. Instead, it’s just another headline that appears promising but in fact does nothing to de-lever an already over-leveraged gaming company.”
Indeed, considering the steep discount at which John Paulson got his tenth of Harrah’s, will his savings be passed on to the stock market in the form of a comparably low introductory share price? Nor do many seem to think that proceeds from the offering will go toward reducing the company’s notorious debt load.
One sign that Vegas casinos are adjusting to the new economy is an unlikely growth sector: family reunions. If you want to get everyone together in a place that’s readily accessible and relatively affordable, Las Vegas makes a good deal of sense … unless you’re my parents, whose aversion to Sin City keeps them away.
“Anyway, is it worth the “resort fee” kick in the pants to stay at a slightly nicer casino-hotel — given that Harrah’s hasn’t been keeping up appearances to the same extent as its Strip competitors? On principle, I’d say, “Yes.””
On the principle that I don’t want to encourage resort fees, I say, “No.”
“Clean the World… which repurposes the soap for poverty-stricken corners of the world.” Maybe they could ship some to Tamares for the Plaza & Vegas Club hotels – to replace those chip-size discs they leave for guests.
Seriously, I think it’s very good for ecology & jobs. (Just waiting for Ms. Angle’s take on it to decide if used soap is evil or not.)
Hey, I like the family reunions strategy, too. Brings in business to sell rooms & attractions during the current downturn, and some of those new customers will go back home and spread the word about “good times in Vegas.”
“Anyway, is it worth the “resort fee” kick in the pants to stay at a slightly nicer casino-hotel — given that Harrah’s hasn’t been keeping up appearances to the same extent as its Strip competitors? On principle, I’d say, “Yes.”
This statement is so very true. I think you are generous in referring to other casinos as slightly nicer. The level of neglect going on at the Harrahs owned casinos on the strip is disgusting. Just walking through it’s easy to see, after staying at them it’s even more visible.
Whoops. That “Yes” should have been a “No.” (In other words, “resort fees” aren’t worth it.) My apologies for the confusion.
Whoops. That “Yes” should have been a “No.” (In other words, “resort fees” aren’t worth it.) My apologies for the confusion.
– My faith is restored. 🙂