Las Vegas Hilton - What's Next?

There are some changes to the lineup of shows at the Las Vegas Hilton. Namely, Voices and Sin City Bad Girls are out. This is not a huge surprise. The Hilton has been shopping for an identity for a while. Barry Manilow left to go to Paris earlier this year. So they have been trying to usher in new shows and capture a younger, hipper crowd from the Strip. This might prove difficult.

The Hilton is just far enough off the Strip that it's going to take some nifty advertising to get the usual Strip crowd over there. Think of it this way: if I'm staying at TI or Caesars, and I have all of these great clubs, restaurants, casinos, and shows within walking distance, why would I want to go to the Hilton? If I'm booking a trip to Vegas, why would I stay there?

They basically have two options to try to draw people away from mid-Strip: price or unique atmosphere. Because Las Vegas is suffering from a down economy, the Hilton probably won't attract people based on price. Places like the Flamingo or the Imperial Palace will be able to match them and maybe beat them. As far as a unique experience, that's also a tough sell when the Strip continually ups the ante with more fun and excitement than you can shake a stick at.

So the Hilton seems to be in the same limbo as many North Strip hotels. The Riviera filed for bankruptcy earlier this month. The Stardust is gone. The Frontier is gone.

Now there are exceptions. The Sahara is holding on, but they have a few things going for them. One, they are on the Monorail path. Two, they have good gambling promotions (dollar blackjack, affordable poker, etc.). Circus Circus is part of MGM, and they have the whole circus thing going on, so they are different.

But what's to become of these properties? I don't know. If I had to venture a guess, I'd say that some will be purchased, possibly razed, and re-opened as new, hip casinos to look like their mid-Strip counterparts. Here's the thing that baffles me. It doesn't have to be this way. These properties north of Sahara Avenue could be a haven for the average Joe and Jane traveler to Vegas. Here's how I think it could work for them:

1. Use the Sahara as a model and offer inexpensive gaming with good rules. You'll beat Harrah's properties every time.
2. Don't try to beat mid-Strip properties at their own game. You're not about clubs, fancy-pants restaurants, and giant suites. You're about affordable rooms, good gaming, fun, and Las Vegas class. Bring back some old Vegas because people still want to see that. Nostalgia is a powerful drug, even for people who didn't experience it the first time around.
3. Join forces. This worked for downtown when they built the Fremont Street Experience. It could work for you, too. Put your heads together and offer something that nobody else has.

The first two times I visited Las Vegas, I stayed at the Riviera and the Hilton, respectively. I had so much fun that I continued to return to Las Vegas. Going on 18 years now, as a matter of fact. I stay at different places these days, depending on deals, who I'm going with, and so on. I would love to see these properties return to their former glory. Or even a new glory.

As dealers say to me when they push the chips to me, good luck!

Viva,

Mike