Well, it's getting closer to New Year's. And I wanted to take a moment and reflect on the past year and look ahead a little bit. It was a difficult time for Vegas in many ways, but in true Vegas fashion, the city endures. Here are some of the stories I wrote about this year:
- Folies Bergere closed in March after 50 years at the Trop. I saw it about 7 years ago and enjoyed it very much. It was a Vegas classic.
- Danny Gans, only 52 years old, died suddenly on May 1st. He was a talented impressionist and a Vegas headliner at the Mirage for years. He will be missed.
- The Hangover was released in June. I enjoyed it thoroughly. I mean, I could see myself in these guys. I hope one of my close buddies decides to get married soon so I can throw a bachelor party in Vegas. The movie is now out on DVD and Blue-ray.
- Lance Burton re-ups at Monte Carlo. This is one of those cases where you can't believe everything you read. Rumors floated for a while that once Lance's contract came to an end, contract negotiations would not work out and Lance would not return. Not true. Not only is Lance back, but his contract is for 6 years, and all parties seem happy with the deal.
- Mike Tyson marries at La Bella. Maybe he was reacting to the high coming off his part in The Hangover.
- Bob Stupak died at the age of 67 after a long illness. Bob epitomized the Vegas entrepreneurial spirit. I think of him every time I go to the Strat, which is a lot.
- Charo fell and put her show on hiatus. Just one of the many show closings for the struggling Riv this year, which is having financial trouble but still afloat. What will 2010 hold for it? I hope it hangs on.
- Wayne Newton is back! His Once Before I Go tour is at the Trop. See him now before he retires.
- Simplifying Las Vegas 2010 available on PDF and Kindle. And I got on the social media bandwagon with Facebook and Twitter. Who knew. And the website got a facelift, too. Hard work, good fun. Thanks for coming along with me!
- CityCenter opened in December, and wow is it big and upscale! You've got a lot of stuff going on in one space: Vdara, Aria, Harmon, Mandarin Oriental, and Crystals retail center. And you thought the economy was bad. And speaking of...
Looking ahead to 2010
People work hard. Too hard. They need a break from reality. Vegas accomodates. It's really that simple. Casino execs look at all kinds of numbers (comp values, player averages, etc.) and focus on target markets (whales, promotions to high rollers, and so on) because they have to, but I think sometimes they miss the bigger picture.
People like to have fun on vacation. They like to be treated like royalty whether they are playing nickle slots or $1000/hand blackjack. Everyone likes to win, but most of us going to Vegas know that it's risky business. So, we take what we can afford to lose, and we want to be entertained while we're there. Vegas does a very good job of this overall, which is why I continue to return.
But sometimes the chain properties get very big for their britches, and when they expand, they try to squeeze every dime. 6:5 blackjack is a good example. Think about how many empty pits you have. Would you rather make a little bit of money from many 3:2 full tables, or a moderate amount from half-empty 6:5 tables. I'm just sayin'.
So, casino execs, I hope you take this into consideration in 2010. Make sure your dealers are fun and entertaining, cocktail waitresses are bringing drinks a-plenty, the casino is clean and has at least some games where the odds aren't terrible (i.e 3:2 blackjack), hotel rooms have fluffy towels, the buffet is freshened often, and the check-in line doesn't stretch to Henderson. That's pretty much it. The rest is details.
It's part of my philosophy: simplify, simplify, simplify. Well, that and diet & exercise.
Here's to a prosperous 2010 for all you Vegas nuts (like me) out there. Thank you so much for a wonderful year.
Viva,
Mike
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