Las Vegas attracts vacationers for spring-break — without even trying

Thursday, April 8, 2004 | 10:44 a.m.

As one of the top destination resorts in the world, Las Vegas is on the radar screen of thousands of individuals and families who escape for the annual ritual of spring break.

But spring break -- whether defined as a one-week pause in the school year for youngsters and their parents or an annual departure from reality for the college crowd -- isn't marketed by local resorts.

Instead, the area's hotel-casinos are riding the wave of the city's rising popularity, with marketing experts knowing that they won't have to spend a dime on advertising, because visitors will come on their own when the prime-time warm-weather season arrives.

"We just let it happen," said Jim Hughes, general manager of the Palms hotel-casino. "We get a ton of spring-break business. Because of the kind of property we are, we attract a lot of young people who come to Las Vegas for spring break."

But resorts generally don't pursue the business.

The Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority, which markets the destination through advertising and public relations campaigns nationwide, hasn't developed any spring break campaigns.

"I think Las Vegas is an emerging spring break destination and the hotels and the convention and visitors authority are certainly aware of all the amenities that make this an attractive destination for young people over 21," said Erika Yowell, an LVCVA spokeswoman.

And, while the local resort community may not want to acknowledge it, the city is still a destination of choice for families.

Sean Comey, a spokesman with travel firm AAA, said despite Las Vegas' efforts to brand itself as an adult destination, the city remains attractive to families because of its bargain prices. And, because many families have a free week between mid-March and mid-April, many are likely to land in Las Vegas.

"I think a lot of people have this image of Las Vegas that is different from reality," Comey said. "There are things for families to do in Las Vegas." Most resorts say they have more than enough business in March and April without having to drum it up.

"There's a myth out there that we're (Las Vegas) trying to be a spring break destination," said Gary Thompson, a spokesman for Harrah's Entertainment Inc., which operates Harrah's and the Rio properties in Las Vegas. "Spring break assumes that most of the people are under the age of 21. While there may be some families who take time off with their children, I really don't think a very high percentage of them come to Las Vegas."

The American Gaming Association, which has several Nevada casino companies among its membership, adopted a code of conduct last year that addresses marketing and advertising and the code specifically discourages soliciting underage customers that can't legally play in casinos.

"Casino advertising and marketing materials will not be placed in any venue where most of the audience is normally expected to be below the legal age to participate in gaming activity," the code says in part.

"We don't encourage spring breakers but, typically, we're very busy anyway," added Yvette Monet, a spokeswoman for MGM MIRAGE, which operates the MGM Grand, New York-New York, Bellagio, the Mirage, Treasure Island and Boardwalk properties in Las Vegas.

One of the reasons the resorts are so busy is that March is prime time for some of the city's top conventions and some of the nation's most popular sporting events.

Kevin Bagger, the head of research for the LVCVA, said March traditionally is one of the city's strongest months, with about 3 million visitors coming into the city.

"It's a challenge to quantify just how much of the March visitation can be attributed to spring break," Bagger said. "But there's no doubt that March and April are strong months for us."

Bagger said March starts with a big NASCAR race that has drawn thousands of fans to the city. On back-to-back weekends, the NCAA basketball tournament -- dubbed "March Madness" by fans -- attracts bettors who enjoy the spectacle of college hoops.

Bagger said there's an abundance of "cycling" conventions in March and April -- that is, they alternate dates from year to year in the spring. The ConExpo-Con/Agg construction equipment trade show, for example, meets every third year in Las Vegas and chooses to bring some 125,000 people to the city in March. The next Las Vegas convention is in 2005.

The National Broadcasters Association, an annual show, draws more than 100,000 people to the city and bounces between March and April to avoid the Easter holiday and ConExpo-Con/Agg. This year, NAB meets in Las Vegas April 19-22.

Because of that cycling, March has the potential of being the top month for visitation each year. In 2002, March was the busiest month of the year. In 2003, it was only the fifth busiest.

And then, there's the warm weather.

"We don't do any marketing to reach out to families or college students," said Stacy Solovey, senior public relations manager for Caesars Entertainment Inc., which operates Caesars Palace, Paris-Las Vegas, the Flamingo, Bally's and the Las Vegas Hilton.

"But we know this is a time for family time off and this is a warm-weather destination," she said. "Warm is the key."

Warm weather and a multitude of attractions are what drew Stephanie Lewis to Las Vegas for her family's spring break trip, which coincided with her 40th birthday celebration.

She, her writer husband Ron and their six children came to Las Vegas from San Diego -- and had a miserable time.

Lewis said she was disappointed that the theme park that used to operate at the MGM Grand was gone and that height restrictions kept some of her kids off the best rides at the Adventuredome theme park at Circus Circus.

The Lewises, who spent $2,000 in their three-night stay, splurged by going to Excalibur's "Tournament of Kings" medieval show, but spent most of the time in the city finding free fare, including trips to the Mirage volcano, Bellagio's water fountain spectacle and the free Las Vegas Museum at the Tropicana.

"We were really surprised and disappointed because 'Jubilee' (a production show at Bally's) used to have a family show that didn't have the topless dancers and we wanted to take the kids to see the re-enactment of the sinking of the Titanic," Stephanie Lewis said. "But it's an adult show only now.

"We had hoped to go to the beach (wave pool) at Mandalay Bay, because we stayed at the Excalibur, but they said that was for their guests only. One night, we left the kids with a baby-sitter and got tickets to 'Rent' at the Aladdin, but that show was thoroughly depressing."

And, the final insult was that the drive back to San Diego on a Monday took 7 1/2 hours instead of the usual five because of heavy traffic.

Lewis said she and her husband didn't gamble on the trip. She said for her next jaunt, she'll probably go somewhere with more scenery or possibly take a cruise that is more accommodating to families.

Ryan Dalldorf, San Luis Obispo, Calif., is the other type of spring break visitor. Dalldorf, 18, a student at Cuesta Community College, came to Las Vegas last year, but is going to Hawaii for his spring break when he's out of school next week.

"It was a little frustrating," Dalldorf said of the gaming, drinking and adult entertainment that he couldn't enjoy when he was in Las Vegas.

"I came over with a friend and we rode roller coasters, went to the arcades and saw the car museum at the Imperial Palace," he said.

Dalldorf, who came to Las Vegas because he has a relative living in town, said he didn't try to gamble because he was afraid of the consequences of getting caught. Besides, he said, he's already had his own casino experience, winning $54 playing blackjack at the Chumash Indian Casino in Santa Ynez, Calif., where the age limit is 18.

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