Strong weekend seen for Las Vegas tourism

Friday, Feb. 14, 2003 | 10:54 a.m.

Las Vegas is parlaying the popularity of Valentine's Day with a three-day weekend, thanks to a friendly February calendar -- but higher fuel prices are making some casino resorts nervous about their future prospects.

The Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority says there will be more people in town this Presidents Day weekend than were here for Super Bowl Sunday.

"It's very fortunate timing to have Valentine's Day preceding the three-day holiday," said Rob Powers, a spokesman for the LVCVA. "We're anticipating a very good weekend."

Valentine's Day traditionally draws hundreds of romantics to Las Vegas to secure a $50 Clark County marriage license on Feb. 14 and to get married at one of about 65 Southern Nevada wedding chapels, including 27 at resorts. Marriage licenses are particularly popular in Nevada because a blood test is not required and there is no waiting period for the issuance of the document.

The Las Vegas Marriage Bureau in the Clark County Courthouse is open until midnight tonight and is open 24 hours on holidays.

Presidents Day, observed the third Monday in February, is one of the most popular three-day weekends for Las Vegas, said LVCVA research director Kevin Bagger.

"January is generally a slower month (for Las Vegas) and Presidents Day is the first widely celebrated three-day weekend after the holiday season," Bagger said. "We're taking advantage of some pent-up demand after the holidays."

Bagger said this year's Presidents Day weekend is expected to draw 283,000 visitors and result in motel and hotel occupancy of about 97 percent of capacity Friday, Saturday and Sunday. That's about the same number that came to Las Vegas for the weekend last year.

The LVCVA projected visitation of 271,000 in Las Vegas for the Super Bowl this year. Bagger said he has yet to receive documentation of what actual visitation for Las Vegas was on the weekend of the National Football League's premiere event.

But one thing that's different about the Presidents Day weekend this year compared with last year is the cost of getting to Las Vegas. In recent weeks, the price of gasoline has skyrocketed.

The American Automobile Association said uncertainties in the Middle East, an oil strike in Venezuela and a seasonal decline in refinery production in the West have sent gasoline prices soaring to February records.

Nevadans are paying an average of $1.69 a gallon for regular unleaded fuel -- 7 cents above the national average -- but the average price in California is even higher at $1.80 a gallon. Some consumers in the Los Angeles area are paying $2 a gallon for fuel.

The statewide average for Nevada is up 14 percent from the previous month and AAA officials said gasoline is at its highest level ever for a February.

In a recent Las Vegas appearance, Don Barden, owner of downtown's Fitzgeralds hotel-casino, said he is concerned about the economic health of both the drive-in and fly-in tourism markets. Barden said rising gas prices coupled with the fear of more terrorist attacks and the uncertainty surrounding a potential war with Iraq may keep people at home.

But the LVCVA's Powers said the recent spike in gasoline prices shouldn't have a big impact on Las Vegas.

"Even with the higher prices, it shouldn't be much of a deterrence to visitation from Southern California," Powers said. "For an auto trip from L.A., you're looking at a (price) difference of about $10 or so compared with what gas cost a few weeks ago. That's not going to stop people from coming here."

Bagger said statistics bear that out. He said most data gathered by the LVCVA indicate that higher gasoline prices haven't affected visitation since the energy crisis of the '70s.

But a spokesman for Harrah's Entertainment Inc., says the price of a different fuel -- jet fuel -- could become problematic for Las Vegas in the future.

Gary Thompson said the Harrah's and Rio hotel-casinos are sold out this weekend and revenue per available room is up 13 percent to $223 per day companywide from a year ago, which he said was "strong compared with the rest of the industry."

The figure is calculated from the company's estimated room and casino revenue.

Thompson concurred that higher gasoline prices that may raise the cost of a trip to Las Vegas by $10 or $20 from Southern California shouldn't hurt the city.

"Aviation fuel prices are more of a concern than gasoline," Thompson said. "If the price of (plane) tickets goes up and people stop flying, it could force more of them (airlines) into bankruptcy. That's a bigger concern than what is happening to people coming from less than 500 miles out."

He said Las Vegas-based National Airlines "was sailing along until jet fuel prices went up" and that triggered the company's filing for bankruptcy protection in December 2000. The airline went out of business 23 months later.

Michael Coldwell, regional director of public relations for Park Place Entertainment Corp., which operates Caesars Palace, Bally's, Paris-Las Vegas, the Flamingo and the Las Vegas Hilton, said the company's resorts are near capacity for the three-day weekend.

"Judging from our occupancy rates, gasoline prices have not diminished the demand for the room product," Coldwell said. "With a double holiday weekend, there are a lot of reasons for people to be coming to town."

Coldwell said Caesars Palace has a big event at the property in addition to the Valentine's Day and three-day weekend attraction.

Tim Austin will attempt to defend his International Boxing Federation bantamweight title against Rafael Marquez Saturday night at the Caesars Palace Pavilion.

"We have a lot happening and a wide array of attractions," Coldwell said. "We've done well with Chinese New Year, we have NASCAR weekend coming up and next month, Celine Dion will open her show. I'd hesitate to comment on how the cost of fuel affects the mindset of travelers or the reasons people may not come.

"We're just attracting different types of clientele to fill the channels we need to fill to achieve our consistently high occupancy."

MGM MIRAGE's Las Vegas properties also will be full this weekend.

Company spokesman Alan Feldman said rising gasoline prices weren't a factor this weekend -- but they could be in future weeks.

"This was one of those cases where prices shot up very quickly and many people had already made their plans," Feldman said.

He added that higher fuel prices could be a consideration for people when they make plans in the future on non-holiday weekends.