User profile: caltraveler

Las Vegas is no longer a top brand globally - people have come here and done that. Vegas can no longer count on global travelers coming in - there are too many resorts, gaming cities, etc. being built around the globe. Even City Center is outclassed by Dubai, Macau, etc. Vegas must stop its self denial in order to realize what it must do to compete. If it does wake up, then I think it will have a real chance to stay top tier. Otherwise, even though visitor numbers may hold up, it will not be anywhere near the global icon it is today. Customer service for all visitors, unique value propositions, history and nostaligia... you are all correct. But don't be in self denial about how real the challenge is... Vegas politicians are no where near the level of intensity they must exhibit to compete globally.

Vegas is the new Detroit. I love Vegas, but I travel around the world for business, no one want to come to Vegas... its not unique in any way... not one. Its prudish, bad customer service (even for whales), old shows, etc.) and all the CEO's are offering incentives for them to visit other gaming locations away from the USA! Vegas is the new Detroit. It is no longer cool or special or hip. New night clubs do not make a place hip. Vegas will not recover for a long long time, just ask Detroit. Even if it rebounds, it will be a shadow of the new global gaming centers around the globe. Wake Up CEOs!

Vegas, wake up! The world has changed - playing field has shifted forewever... the big casinos have all built copycats of Las Vegas all over the world - closer to all those big spenders who used to come to Vegas. Now all those big spenders don't have to deal with long airport lines and a prudish Vegas to spend and play - they just go to Macau, Singapore (soon), private JVs in Russia, etc... Vegas bigwigs have sowed the seeds of their own ruin - why would anyone go to Vegas unless its for a convention - unless Vegas develops a unique value proposition, its decline will become the new normal. I love Vegas - please, please don't just go for modern decor and cookie cutter design. The world wants the USA to lead with "new" design. Break out of the past - do something that nowhere else can copy - of course, right now, the casino CEOs are all building those unique things overseas... god help America.

Yes the victims should have known that Vegas is a rip off - and in the world of the past 50 years where Vegas was the only game in town, perhaps this is just buyer beware. However the world has changed and many, many, many global cities are building huge gambling destinations. If Vegas doesn't want to become an outdated dinosaur with a huge drop in business, then it has about 3 years to clean up its act in how it treats customers or else just like many other American industries, it will be outsourced and all these Vegas club employees will have their jobs shipped to Macau, Dubai, London, or Singapore. Wake UP AMERICA!!