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Published Friday, May 9, 2008 | 2:20 p.m.
Updated Thursday, Oct. 30, 2008 | 2:14 p.m.
The Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority reported more of the same today: fewer visitors, especially convention goers, are coming to town.
Visitor volume fell 1 percent in March, compared with a 0.5 percent decline in February (minus the extra day for leap year) and a 0.6 percent drop in January.
The more compelling stats involve convention goers. The visitors authority isn't declaring doom and gloom, noting that the month's big trade show, ConExpo, drew an estimated crowd of 149,000 and is still the biggest show, based on square footage, in North America.
A few shows were held in February instead of March, in part because of the setup required for ConExpo, Kevin Bagger, director of Internet marketing and research, said. Trends are better explained over several months rather than one month because conventions are cyclical.
But the downward trend is indisputable. Four of the last six months have shown a decline in convention attendance, which was down 7 percent in March.
Room nights booked by conventioneers were down 16 percent in March and 11 percent for the three months ended March 31 compared with the same period last year.
Expense-card-wielding convention attendees have propped up Las Vegas room rates for years, so it's no surprise that average room rates are down 3 percent in the first quarter. Rates fell 1 percent in March.
Yet Bagger seemed pleased with hotel occupancy, which is down 1 percent in the first quarter and down 2 percent in March not bad considering the state of the economy.
Its only going to get worse. The BIG Strip corporations have their latest venture in China to help their bottom line but the smaller local casinos here in Vegas who rely on the locals to keep their doors open will be the most affected.
Locals are seeing it already with comps down to a trickle and play time on the slots just about gone.
Last year we had a mailbox full of comps from dining to free money from all the casinos we have players cards at.
Now the comps are few and far between and have been cut in half if not more.
Locals are going less and spending less. When we have a hard time keeping up with gas prices and food prices and mortgage foreclosures, the very first thing they give up is gambling. The small casinos need to bump their comps up for their regulars otherwise many a small casino will be looking like a ghost town before too long. Enticing players in with "have we got a deal for you" is their only shot at pulling some revenue. When Players feel like they're being taken advantage of, they wont return.
We spent 400 dollars in a few hours playing penny and quarter slots last week at a local casino. Not one machine would give playtime. So out the door we left and we wont return to that casino for a very long time. When we find one that at least gives us some playtime (more bang for our buck) they will get our patronage more regularly.
We usually visit Vegas 4 times a year,, this year we will visiting only 1 time. Increased air fare makes local casinoes more attractive. Also I see very little difference in slot play between local casinoes and Vegas Casinoes. If you want the business you are going to have to give the players a better gambling deal than the local (non Vegas) casinoes..
The casinos down in San Diego county provide large, comfortable buses to deliver gamblers from various parts of LA. The Vegas casino that figures out how to provide a weekend package of transportation, food comps and a room could grow its business even during down economic times...just like Bob Stupak did back in the day...
Legalize prostitution. That would pump some more fresh blood into things.
The days of the "bargain trip" to Las Vegas are over -- THANK GOODNESS! I'm tired of seeing the trashy people that the never-dying myth of "bargain Vegas" of the 1970-1980s attracts. I went to see Tony Bennett on New Year's Day a few years back in the Circus Maximus -- Tony Bennett ... Las Vegas ... New Year's Day ... Ceasars Palace ... get it? -- and while were there in a suit and an evening dress, we were surrounded by people who could barely manage clean t-shirts and dirty flip flops. I say go for glamour and forget the rest. If that means downsizing the industry and the population ... GOOD! Then we can get back to the standard of living we had here before the influx.
New Year's Day with Tony Bennett and leisure suits, ah, the glamor of Las Vegas...put the top down on my 4000 pound convertible (it gets 10 miles to the gallon), lite me a Lucky with my trusty Zippo, pour another stiff one and we'll toast ol' Blue Eyes...those dirty people, hippies I call 'em, they should be washing my car over at the Country Club or picking up litter in Caesars Palace parking lot...can't get a decent cigar in this town anymore and the punk at the restaurant doesn't even know my name...what's it all comin' to?
Well, there for sure was nothing like the old days. RPJ had it right, people were dressed up and it was really great.
I worked as a pool boy volunteer at the DI in the summers of 55-56, and it was classy and the best.
I do love Las Vegas no matter what, and do miss how it was.