The Good, the Bad, and the Ugly - Vegas Style

Hi Vegas fans,
It's time for another installment of everyone's favorite topics in Las Vegas.

The Good:
There's plenty of good stuff going on in Vegas, and it looks like some key numbers are starting to get better, too. According to the Las Vegas Advisor, visitation was up 7 percent in June, which makes 16 straight months of increased visitors. In addition, Strip revenues were up 32 percent in June. Good news for the casinos, especially the megas (Caesars Entertainment and Mirage Resorts International). Not so great news for the players losing that money, but overall this is a good sign for the city.

The Bad:
It looks like Elvis will be leaving the building at Aria. The Cirque show will be closing, according to the Las Vegas Advisor, after less-than-stellar reviews. It's unusual for a Cirque show to shut its doors when it has run less than 2 years. Are there just too many of them?

In other bad news from the LVA, the Hilton is defaulting on its debt. This off-Strip property has been trying to rebrand itself for a while, but it just has not had much luck. This is too bad, really. They have a great Sports Book, which includes a rare non-smoking room. Here's hoping they'll turn it around.

The Ugly:
I'm not big on reality shows, and if you need to know why, look no further than this last item from the LVA. A Los Angeles-based production company "is now looking for six housewives for a new reality show set in a Las Vegas trailer park. Would-be stars of the show are asked to submit a 5-minute video about themselves and their significant others by October 1." Sure sign of the Apocalypse. Can we please get back to more shows like the Travel Channel's "Best of Vegas" type series and get rid of these reality shows? Please?

Viva,
Mike

Steve Darci and the Las Vegas Hilton

The Las Vegas Review-Journal reported on Friday that Steve Darci, the magician who had a show at the Las Vegas Hilton, passed away Friday after a battle with colon cancer. His website, and the Las Vegas Hilton's website, do not mention anything about his death.

I send my sympathy to his family and fans. I respect and admire his optimism to the end and wish that he could have won his fight against the disease.

I don't know what the protocol is for things like this, and I don't know how long you have to wait to respond, but I wish the Hilton would release a statement or put something in their news ticker or somewhere on their site out of respect for Steve Darci. I know this is a tricky and difficult issue for the Hilton, especially considering that the hotel is in a competitive entertainment industry. They are supposed to only report happy news and promote fun and excitement, not death. Take into consideration that the unwritten rule that "no one dies in a casino." Death is never an easy topic for a hotel/casino.

However, I remember when Roy Horn was attacked by a white tiger during his famous show with Sigfried in October 2003. The giant marque at the Mirage displayed well-wishes and prayers for the entertainer for 6 months after the incident.

The Hilton is undergoing changes. For a while now, they have been trying to update their style from a mature Barry Manilow to a hip new upscale joint, catering more to a younger crowd. I wish them well - I've stayed there in the past and may visit them again soon. It's a good place for gambling and hanging out.

They could take a moment, however, to pause and reflect on the life of one of the performers that worked hard to entertain its guests.

Viva,
Mike

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