Just in time for Spring Break in Las Vegas this April, the MGM Resorts have announced plans to start charging for parking at their Strip Hotels. Plans are to impose the new charge to coincide with the opening of the T-Mobile arena. First they tighten our machines so the good line wins and bonuses do not come up so often. Then they raise the minimum bets per line so that 50 cent games are now 60 cent ones (and worse). Then they add resort fees for amenities we often do not use such as gym fees and internet fees and spa fees...we came to play, not to work out. Now they are talking about adding parking fees. Where will it end? "Pardon my French : ) but when will we stand up and declare as Howard Beale did in Network "I'm mad as hell and I'm not going to take it any more"! Well, we can't actually do that, but we'd like to. The news was released January 16, but I'm sure we'll be hearing it discussed for weeks to come. Here's an article from 1/16/2016 Business Day where you can read the bad news. I have copied it to my Blog from my entry on Slot Fanatics.
"MGM Resorts announced on Friday that it would become the first major casino company in Las Vegas to end a longstanding and popular perk: free parking. The move could bring in millions of dollars annually, and transform a tourism hot spot that increasingly caters to visitors who come for expensive attractions other than gambling.
MGM Resorts, the largest hotel-casino operator in Las Vegas, said it would charge $10 or less for overnight self-parking at most of its properties on the Las Vegas Strip starting this spring. MGM Resorts has 35,310 hotel rooms and 37,000 parking spots on the Strip, which are at a premium during major events. The parking fees will be imposed at Mandalay Bay, Delano, Luxor, Excalibur, Monte Carlo, New York-New York, Vdara, Aria, Bellagio, the Mirage and MGM Grand.
Valet parking will cost still more, but some parking at the Circus Circus hotel and the Crystals and Mandalay Bay Place shopping centers will still be free. The company did not provide details on the fees, but it said that parking would be cheaper at some hotels. Those in MGM’s loyalty program will be able to earn free parking rewards. The fees, though unexpected, fall in line with casinos’ focus on expanding their database of gamblers through reward programs, according to Alex Bumazhny, a gambling analyst with Fitch Ratings."
Here is additional information from the Las Vegas Review Journal: The Cosmopolitan does not have plans to follow in MGM's footsteps. Wynn says it will monitor the situation. The Palazzo and Venetian declined to comment. The Circus Circus will continue to have free self-parking, but there will be a fee to valet park. Las Vegas locals will be given a grace period for free parking after the program begins and can maintain free parking status by enrolling and earning privileges through M life, the company's customer loyalty program. MGM Resorts says it will invest $36 million to improve parking facilities at its Strip resorts. The parking program is part of MGM's profit growth initiative to increase cash flow by $300 million annually by 2017.
I'm sure you all have a lot to say in response to this news. Articles on the internet are already opining that it doesn't affect visitors who fly in to Vegas and take the shuttle or taxi to their hotel because they pretty much stay on the Strip their entire visit and don't need a rental car. I guess they have never seen the bumper to bumper lines of cars crowding the 15 making the pilgrimage from Los Angeles to Las Vegas each week! First resort fees, now parking fees! Where will it end? What do YOU think of this new way to pick our pockets and take even more of our vacation dollars?
I agree with the comments made in this article and the one written on Dec. 19 (Pachanga). It is true that slot machines have been tightened in recent years and there are fewer give-always nowadays. I remember, when my wife and I used to visit Las Vegas 15 or 20 years ago, we used to collect coffee mugs from a variety of casinos. When we returned to LV last year (after a long hiatus), we were surprised to see that this tradition was eliminated along with many other generous food offers. Furthermore, the machines have become tighter in LV and here in the Northeast. I noticed that some of the older machines, that they still have, tend to be a little looser. But unfortunately, without incorporating any bonus rounds, they are boring after a while. Finally, I was happy to learn a few facts about Pachanga from Jennifer's article. I didn't know anything about this casino which has beaten both Foxwoods and Mohegan in the latest USA Today survey. Interestingly, the top three spots went to Native American casinos.
ReplyDeleteNick, I am sorry not to reply to you sooner. I don't read my own blog once it is posted usually unless I am looking for something. I appreciate your writing very much. I don't know too many Nicks - we all use aliases whenever we correspond - but I am wondering if you could be sauropod. (There are two other Nicks I now know who are both playing in the March Madness slot tournament, but I didn't know them when this was written.) I hope you are sauropod, but if not it's still great to hear from you. Thanks for commenting. Jen
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