Sunday, November 16, 2014

Simplifying Las Vegas Blog Posts - 8 Years of Fun (So Far)

I looked back at some older posts today. I couldn't believe that I've been blogging about Las Vegas since 2006. To my surprise, my first few posts have some of the same topics that are important in Las Vegas today, like money-saving tips when booking a trip, taxis, and downtown opportunities. The blog posts are important to me because they help me with my book.

My first cover in 2008
Las Vegas is very different, for sure, and when I think back to 2008, when I first published Simplifying Las Vegas, so much has changed in the publishing landscape. Back then, Amazon's Kindle Desktop Publishing program was new for authors like me.

I have learned a great deal since that first book. I've made improvements to the content, the layout, and the tips in every single book. It now takes me the good part of a year to review and revise SLV.

The latest version
Back then, I didn't know what it would lead to, I didn't know what to expect. Sure, I hoped Oprah would invite me to her show to talk about it as one of her favorite books. I would jump up and down on her couch and say "I'm in love with Las Vegas!" Never happened. But that's ok.

I'll keep writing. I think it's worth it. Forty million people a year visit Las Vegas. Now if everyone bought one or two copies of my book, I'd be doing ok. But if not, I'm still doing ok. Visiting Las Vegas and writing about Las Vegas is just one of those things I'll always do.

So if you want to support my habit, keep sending me emails, commenting on this blog, and visiting Las Vegas. Oh, and buy a copy or two of my book.

Viva,
Mike


Sunday, November 9, 2014

Plan Your Las Vegas Holiday

If you are thinking about a taking a holiday trip, consider Las Vegas. I did a little comparison shopping, and here's what I found on southwest.com:

  • The week before Thanksgiving (M-F), a flight from my hometown of Charleston, SC to Las Vegas is about $700 (well, this is what happens when you wait to the last minute)
  • The week of Thanksgiving, it goes up to $394
  • The week after Thanksgiving, the cost goes up to $545


With hotels, it's a little different story for times around Turkey Day. I looked at Treasure Island, a decent hotel in the middle of the Strip, to see what their rack rates are for the same time period (checking in Monday, checking out Friday)




  • The week before Thanksgiving, the total rate is $157
  • The week of Thanksgiving, it goes up to $205
  • The week after Thanksgiving, it goes down to $185
Thanksgiving is not far away, so you may not have time to plan a trip that soon. However, if you are thinking about a vacation around Christmas, Las Vegas can be a bargain. Here are some of my findings, again on southwest.com:

  • The week before Christmas, a flight from Charleston, SC to Las Vegas is about $472 (M-F)
  • The week of Christmas, it goes up to $697
  • The week after Christmas, the cost is over double at $1078 (New Year's is crowded and expensive)

For hotels, the best rates are also always the week before Christmas. These are some of the best room rates you will get any time of year in Las Vegas. Again, here are some findings from TI:

  • The week before Christmas, the total rate is $154
  • The week of Christmas, it goes up a little bit to $184
  • The week after Christmas, it's a whopping $679

Now this was a quick search. When I plan a trip to Las Vegas, I look at a lot of package deals, several websites, and research costs as much as I can. For detailed information about how to save a ton of money on your trip, consider buying Simplifying Las Vegas online.

Can't make it for the holidays? Plan ahead - way ahead. If you can book your trip 6-8 months in advance, you will save a lot of money. I know that's hard to do, but when it comes to vacations, the better you plan, the more you'll save.

Happy Holiday Shopping!
Viva,
Mike

Saturday, October 25, 2014

Why I'm Worried Gary Loveman and CEC Are Getting It Wrong

There is a lot at stake in Las Vegas. The economy is rebounding, the visitation numbers are way up, and new projects are springing up on the Strip and beyond.

It hasn't been that long ago that unfinished condos and casinos littered one of the most famous and expensive stretches of land in the world. Cranes stood still and girders gathered dust and rust. Hotels and casinos that didn't close had to reconsider their strategies. Americans didn't have money to pay the rent, much less to spend in Sin City.

Slowly, that has started to change. The tables have turned in Las Vegas, which has invested in very, very upscale spaces. Famous chefs, in-residence DJs, retail stores, and boutique hotels are all the rage. From the outside looking in, Las Vegas looks like it's in its prime again.

Except that this trend really doesn't make sense. Visitation is up, but gaming numbers are down. Entertainment is everywhere, but profits are nowhere. So many of the hotels are owned either by huge corporations, like MGM Resorts International and Caesars Entertainment Corporation (CEC). When they succeed, everyone wins. If one of their properties isn't doing well, they have the money to fix it. They can buy up other properties that are ailing and make them new again. 

Most of these companies have investments overseas, especially in Macau, China, where casinos are soaring, which means that they can afford to lose money in Las Vegas. But they don't want to lose money, of course, and Las Vegans can't afford for them to lose money. The last recession hit residents hard. When the tourists stopped coming and the good times stopped rolling, some went into foreclosure, Some even trashed what was left of their homes.

Las Vegas has always meant risk, and not just for the folks playing slots and table games. To run a successful casino, it takes guts, luck, money, and foresight. I'm worried that the major players in Las Vegas, like CEC, have too much of the first two items in that list, and not enough of the last two.

I'm a worrier by nature, but I'm staying positive. I think there is still plenty of time to see whether the current experiments work. Hopefully, the powers that be will recognize how to turn things around if the focus on crazy-expensive entertainment fails. Another possibility is that someone else may change the game. It looks like Resorts World has everyone on the Strip, from Steve Wynn to Gary Loveman, concerned. And that's a good thing. Some healthy competition may just create more of a balance. At least, that's what I'm betting on.

Viva,
Mike

Friday, October 17, 2014

Is Las Vegas a Market Leader or Playing Follow the Leader?

There are easily defined patterns in Las Vegas' storied history. To recap a few of the more modern trends:
  • Themed hotels to attract families (Mirage 1989 ~ Paris 1999) 
  • Free shows at hotels (volcanoes, indoor rain, street performers, lions)
  • High end hotels and condos (these projects started popping up behind properties on the Strip)
  • Frozen drink stands (they are everywhere these days)
  • Party pits in the casino (scantily-clad go-go dancers, complete with poles, right behind pit bosses)
And the list goes on. Once one casino opens a door to these trends, every one of them on the Strip and downtown follow suit. In a way it is easy to get a sense of "the next big thing" in Las Vegas because there is a copycat effect.

Las Vegas was in serious trouble after the economic collapse of 2008. But it bounced back, and now it is on the verge of hosting 40 million people this year. The current trend is to market to millennials, those young folks (mostly from California, in this case) with a lot of money and a penchant for looking for a good time.

This strategy seems to be working… sort of. People see the posh, luxurious hotels, clubs and restaurants and think "wow, Vegas is hopping!" And it is, if you look at raw numbers of visitors. But at the same time, many of the hotel/casino entities in Las Vegas are having a hard time turning those numbers in to stellar profits.

Caesars Entertainment Corp (CEC) is famously and publicly having financial problems, and while some of those problems are due to the fact that they are a HUGE company with about a million initiatives, part of the investment strategy is following entertainment trends in Las Vegas. For evidence, all you have to do is look at the giant High Roller wheel and the corresponding LINQ shopping venues behind Flamingo.

As another example that things may not be so good, SLS is starting to lay off its workforce. How could the hippest, newest casino in Las Vegas be in trouble already?

I wonder how many top Vegas properties are doing serious market research and finding out what sticks. These trends make the short-term money, much like a fad (think Personal Digital Assistants, or PDAs, of the 1980s) instead of the long-term ideas that have lasting effects (think smart phones).

The focus on trends is one of the reasons many Las Vegas hotels have put gaming on the back burner, a secondary "oh by the way" feature, and are spending their time and money on entertainment. Experts will argue that, regardless of the reasons for this (and there are many), that this is a good strategy for Las Vegas proprietors. I wonder… other than visitation numbers and the "if you build it they will come" mantra, where is the proof that this is a good long-term strategy? It's not in the numbers. What happens in a few years when the millennials start getting older and don't want to party at clubs and topless pools anymore? Las Vegas will have to reinvent itself again.

And I'm not saying that's necessarily a bad thing. Change is good. Be nimble to adapt to an ever-changing market and you have a better chance of being successful. I get that. But there are certainly long-term marketing strategies that hotels and casinos can also implement that will lead to financial stability. After all, I'm sure they get tired of chasing down the next big thing.

Viva,
Mike

Sunday, September 14, 2014

Factoring in Fun

Every day, we have responsibilities. Pay bills, go to work, pick up the dry cleaning, take the kids to practice, feed the dogs, put gas in the car. It's a list of "have to's" even if some of them we do because we love our friends and family.

When I'm in Vegas, I like fun and games. Vegas is the only place where I can forget about everything else and just have fun. When I was a kid, fun came easy through playtime. Matchbox cars, Legos, GI Joes all piqued my interest and my imagination. As I got older, I continued having fun, sometimes with "bigger kid" toys, like car model kits and sports. Now, as a responsible (well sort of) adult, I still like fun and games, but it can be harder to remember to have fun.

There is so much that I enjoy about spending time in Las Vegas. I like to sit at a blackjack table and enjoy a few cocktails. I like to roll the dice at craps and try to hit some points. If I start losing, I go hang out at the sports book and watch a game or a horse race. When I'm done with that, I'll just walk the Strip and take some pictures for the book and the website. I'll hang out at the pool or a bar and have a few drinks. I'll go to the art gallery at Bellagio or buy some souvenirs.

Whatever I do, it's my way of having fun. Even being stuck in traffic on the Strip is better than being stuck in traffic when I'm on my way to work. It's an opportunity to take pictures like this:



I don't plan everything when I go to Vegas. Heck, sometimes I don't plan much at all. I'll chat ahead of time with the love of my life, Jennifer, and my best friend Steve, who are always going with me to Vegas. Sometimes we'll plan a show or a dinner or something, but usually we just show up. And have fun. And that's the way we like it. Good, spontaneous fun. It recharges the batteries and gives you the energy you need to deal with life when you get back to the real world. The bills, the job, the car and so on will always be there. So don't forget to factor in fun.

Viva,
Mike

Friday, August 22, 2014

Las Vegas: Gambling Paradise or Entertainment Capital?

Ok. I am getting a little tired of the back-and-forth.

The reports that show that Las Vegas is rebounding because they are focusing on entertainment, which is what the younger crowd wants. The hipsters from Los Angeles don't want to gamble, the experts say. They want to shop and go to clubs and eat at fancy restaurants.

Then there are the numbers. Gaming revenues continue to increase.

So hotel/casino execs have to figure out what to do. If they want a younger, cool crowd, they de-emphasize slots and tables. They focus on famous chefs and build mini shopping malls. They stick them on the casino floor and move out the gaming. But then again, they make a pretty good living off of those one-armed bandits and double-zero roulette tables.

What results is an awkward layout that doesn't really work. The spaces that were designed for casino games on the main floor are re-purposed. Coffee shops and retail stores suddenly pop up out of nowhere. Most Strip properties are in constant flux. Walk through any of them and I guarantee that you'll some some maintenance folks building something or tearing down something else.

Times change. I get that. What worked 10 or even 5 years ago may not work now. After the recession seven years ago, many wondered if Las Vegas could rebound. Major Strip projects stalled or came to a complete halt. The good times were over. The high-roller mansions behind the casinos, were not getting much business. Like a cat with infinite lives, Las Vegas came back again.

Many suggest it was because of the entertainment value, not the gaming revenue, that kept Vegas alive. Maybe. But there is still the lure of the casino. Even if visitors aren't paying as much attention to gaming as they used to, I have to wonder if they would visit at all if there were not any casinos. I have to think not. I know I probably wouldn't.

So if casino games of chance mean anything at all, I have to think that the execs would want to offer the best, especially considering that competition is high because gambling is all of the U.S. now. But Las Vegas is special. It has the combination of top-notch entertainment, four-star restaurants, amazing spas, nutty wedding chapels, clubs galore, shops till you drop, and yes, casino gambling. Las Vegas has turned up the entertainment value to draw people in, and that's great news. But it can't deny that gambling is part of the equation. And with that being said, it's time to re-vamp the casino, much like it has re-invented its entertainment venues.

I'm taking this opportunity to ask the powers that be to please, please take a close look at what you are offering in terms of slots, video poker and table games. They are getting crummier, and the spaces dedicated to them are not as appealing as they used to be. Offer some appealing games with decent player rules. Make the surrounding areas comfortable and easy to access. Have some fun with it! After all, most of us know that we're not going to strike it rich playing $5 craps and $10 blackjack. But we want to be entertained inside the casino as much as we are outside of it.

There are still some great places to gamble. During the week (daytime), you might even be able to afford to sit at a table at the Wynn, Encore, Bellagio, and TI. At night and on the weekends, it's a different story. Table minimums go up, the few decent ones are packed, the bad ones are empty, and it takes a solid week to get a drink from a cocktail waitress. Not fun.

Wouldn't it make more sense to re-think the casino operation? It wouldn't' take much, really. Spice them up with fun surroundings. Make sure dealers smile and joke with guests. Have your pit bosses and floor managers watch them carefully. I don't just mean the action at the tables, I mean the empty ones. Change that $25 table to a $15 table and see if some of those seats fill up. Once they are jammed packed, you can raise the minimums for new players.

Las Vegas, you do a fantastic job entertaining us. I love your bright lights on the Strip. I enjoy your block party and light show on Fremont Street. You have everything a major city could possibly offer. And don't forget, you have casino gambling.

Balance. It's not just good for life. It's good for Las Vegas.

Monday, August 18, 2014

Dear Triple Pundit: I respectfully disagree

Hi Vegas fans,
I read this morning, with some mild agitation and confusion, an article by Triple Pundit that described the new Linq project as a means of pedestrian sustainability in Las Vegas. The article states that Las Vegas' "dangerously narrow sidewalks and confusing pathways is enough to challenge even sober pedestrians. The fact that most casinos’ entrances are designed grandly for cars only makes matters worse when the vast majority of people are trying to walk, or at least stumble, to the next casino"

Then the article points out that purpose of the Linq "is to create something of a side street, safe from the chaos and traffic of the Strip."

Um. Ok. Well, here are some thoughts:
  1. I don't disagree that pedestrian traffic is a problem in Las Vegas. But while Sin City is the 13th most dangerous city in the U.S. to pedestrians, studies have shown that the causes are not all very clear and that accidents happen all over the city, particularly away from the Strip and downtown. Visitors can avoid problems by using the overpasses, as I do whenever I'm on the Strip, which keep you safe from street traffic. They are positioned at most major intersections on the Strip, and if you do any amount of walking, they are essential.
  2. Sidewalks are not narrow. There's just a lot of people walking on them. 40 million people visit Las Vegas every year. It's going to be crowded, so you have to be aware of your surroundings and you understand that it may take a while to get from point A to point B because lots of folks are probably going where you are, too.

    Downtown, foot traffic is typically centered around the Fremont Street Experience, which is closed to car traffic. At night, it is very crowded with street performers and is much like a block party. But you can still get around, if you are patient, by following the flow of traffic on the sidewalks near the casinos.
  3. Pathways are not confusing. The Strip is... well... a strip of land. It is pretty much a straight line, except for the bend in the road at TI, and even at that you just keep... walking... straight. Downtown, you are pretty much in a central grid-like area. Look for the giant canopy called "Fremont Street Experience." Pretty simple.
     
  4. Casino entrances are not really designed for cars. True, many casinos have grand port-cohere designs in the front of the casino, used mainly for cabs and limos. But, getting to them is often a lesson in patience as these vehicles must wait for the swarm of people going into the front entrance of the casino. And if you are parking in a garage, as I often do, you must go around the back of the casino to get there, not the front entrance.
  5. While the Linq is a side street, away from the hustle-and-bustle of the Strip, it is really just a space for retail shopping and entertainment. Which leads me to wonder about the intentions of the Triple Pundit article. Is it simply advertisement for the Linq? The writers can't really believe that the Linq is means of sustainability, can they?
Regardless, it is important for all visitors who are walking or driving on the Strip or downtown to be safe, just as it is in any major city. There are lots of people out there. Look out for others. If you are walking, use the overpasses to cross the Strip. If you are driving, be patient. Consider using Paradise Rd and Industrial Road as alternatives to the Strip. Of course, don't drive if you've been drinking. Don't even walk if you've been drinking. Get a cab, take the Monorail, ride the bus, or treat yourself to a limo. 

Monday, February 3, 2014

Personal Choice

Hi Vegas fans,
I read a great article this afternoon on Yahoo called Stop Asking What Your Waiter Likes. It's Pointless. It's a very short article, and I encourage you to read it. It really hits home and confirms the major premise of my book: you know what you like, so don't let other people tell you what is "good" or "bad" about something for which you are going to spend your hard-earned money.

In Simplifying Las Vegas 2014, I share my ideas and tips, including a new itinerary section. But I always note that these are my thoughts and that you should really use my guide as just that: a tool to explore what you will like about the most exciting city in the world. If it's one thing my 20+ years of experience has taught me, it's that I learned that I loved Las Vegas because I have so many opportunities to have fun doing activities that I enjoy. It's my money and I'm going to make the most of it! I hope you do the same.

Viva,
Mike