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Vegas just isn’t fun anymore…. (2 Viewers)

dkp993

dkp993

Footballguy
So a little back history….. Being born and raised in Southern California I’ve spent countless hours in Vegas, going all the way back to when I was a little kid and my parents would come here and gamble while I played in the arcades (the 80’s were a very different parenting time! lol).

I haven’t been for a while just due to general life busyness, but I’m out here right now attending a conference for work. It’s only been maybe four years since I was last here but man has it changed.

1. Way dirtier. Walking down the strip is disgusting and feels borderline unsafe. Never felt that way before to me.
2. There’s no more cheap gambling. Table minimums everywhere are super high. I couldn’t find a pai gow table with under a $25 minimum, and it’s a Wednesday early afternoon. Wtf. Not long ago 10$ was common.
3. Everything is incredibly expensive now too. I bought a 16 ounce bottle of Coke, was 7.99! The club sandwich at the little sports bar was $28.

I was looking forward to this conference as I hadn’t been here for a while and use to love it. But either I’ve aged 25 years in the last 4/5 years, or Vegas just isn’t fun anymore. Either way it sucks.
 
dkp993 said:
So a little back history….. Being born and raised in Southern California I’ve spent countless hours in Vegas, going all the way back to when I was a little kid and my parents would come here and gamble while I played in the arcades (the 80’s were a very different parenting time! lol).

I haven’t been for a while just due to general life busyness, but I’m out here right now attending a conference for work. It’s only been maybe four years since I was last here but man has it changed.

1. Way dirtier. Walking down the strip is disgusting and feels borderline unsafe. Never felt that way before to me.
2. There’s no more cheap gambling. Table minimums everywhere are super high. I couldn’t find a pai gow table with under a $25 minimum, and it’s a Wednesday early afternoon. Wtf. Not long ago 10$ was common.
3. Everything is incredibly expensive now too. I bought a 16 ounce bottle of Coke, was 7.99! The club sandwich at the little sports bar was $28.

I was looking forward to this conference as I hadn’t been here for a while and use to love it. But either I’ve aged 25 years in the last 4/5 years, or Vegas just isn’t fun anymore. Either way it sucks.
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Completely agree. It’s gross and over priced now. I used to go a lot. Comp rooms, the whole bit. I don’t really gamble anymore but the table limits make sure that I don’t.
 
Vegas has changed, but I still absolutely love it. Over the years, I’ve just changed my habits when I go to Vegas. I predominately stay at timeshares and book them at great deals. For example, I’ll be going out there for a conference at the end of May. I booked 5 nights in a 2 bedroom unit at the Holiday Inn Desert Club for $800 total (no additional taxes or fees, parking is included). The room has 2 separate bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, a living room, a fully stocked kitchen, and a balcony. When I go to Vegas, I generally drive there—and this makes it so that I can do my gambling off of the strip where it is less expensive. There are fun hotels that are off the main strip that are nice that offer less expensive gambling—like the South Point, some of the Station Casinos, Fremont Street...etc. Vegas is also vastly under rated for the affordable dining options that it has off of the strip. When I stay at these timeshare resorts, I will go to a grocery store—and stock up on bottled water and alcohol. I also stock up on fruit/snacks—and this makes it so that I am not forced to overpay for snacks on the strip. For me, the strip is about people watching and the energy. I’ll lightly gamble on the strip—but I enjoy walking hotel to hotel and enjoying the sights and sounds. I just find that people that find Vegas to be expensive/boring almost always spend the vast majority of their time on a couple miles of the city (the strip).
 
Has changed a lot. I still love it as well, but less for the gambling now. Tons of great restaurants and entertainment. Cheapish rooms at amazing resorts. Great pools, great golf. Can still places low limit sports bets and play low limit poker, although other games are tricky. Golden Nugget and Cromwell seem to have cheapest tables.
 
jvdesigns2002 said:
Vegas has changed, but I still absolutely love it. Over the years, I’ve just changed my habits when I go to Vegas. I predominately stay at timeshares and book them at great deals. For example, I’ll be going out there for a conference at the end of May. I booked 5 nights in a 2 bedroom unit at the Holiday Inn Desert Club for $800 total (no additional taxes or fees, parking is included). The room has 2 separate bedrooms, 2 bathrooms, a living room, a fully stocked kitchen, and a balcony. When I go to Vegas, I generally drive there—and this makes it so that I can do my gambling off of the strip where it is less expensive. There are fun hotels that are off the main strip that are nice that offer less expensive gambling—like the South Point, some of the Station Casinos, Fremont Street...etc. Vegas is also vastly under rated for the affordable dining options that it has off of the strip. When I stay at these timeshare resorts, I will go to a grocery store—and stock up on bottled water and alcohol. I also stock up on fruit/snacks—and this makes it so that I am not forced to overpay for snacks on the strip. For me, the strip is about people watching and the energy. I’ll lightly gamble on the strip—but I enjoy walking hotel to hotel and enjoying the sights and sounds. I just find that people that find Vegas to be expensive/boring almost always spend the vast majority of their time on a couple miles of the city (the strip).
Click to expand...
100% Off strip is where it's at. Love SP. Still love Vegas. Will go to the strip for shows or fights, Uber back to off strip home base.
 
Used to do an annual guys trip for FFPC (with several people on the board).

I haven’t been since covid and am missing it. Almost did a family trip, but rooms were very pricey vs what I was accustomed to. Thought it might be a specific function but it seems generally elevated
 
I went to Atlantic City the last few February's and it was the same with the dirty and prices.
 
I've always had fun when I went with fun people but I've never liked Vegas when I've traveled solo on business.

The table minimums on the Strip have gotten too rich for my blood but dealers don't work for free.
 
Prices have gone up, this week is the worst week. No bargains with the NCAA’s starting up. All the sports books are charging for a chair to watch the games, unheard of.
 
Eephus said:
I've always had fun when I went with fun people but I've never liked Vegas when I've traveled solo on business.

The table minimums on the Strip have gotten too rich for my blood but dealers don't work for free.
Click to expand...
What do table minimums have to do with the dealers? I'm with OP, corporation ownership has killed Vegas. Well, at least for me. I was out there last year for the 2nd weekend of the tourney and that was probably my last trip. I'm just a dude that liked to go out there bet the games, drink too much and gamble on some reasonable tables. Now it feels like they have both hands in your wallet for every last dime virtually everywhere you turn - at least on the strip. Just another example of the corps sucking the heart out of something that used to be fun :shrug:
 
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Eephus said:
I've always had fun when I went with fun people but I've never liked Vegas when I've traveled solo on business.

The table minimums on the Strip have gotten too rich for my blood but dealers don't work for free.
Click to expand...
The dealers made probably $7-10/hour, the rest is made up in tips.
 
coyote5 said:
Eephus said:
I've always had fun when I went with fun people but I've never liked Vegas when I've traveled solo on business.

The table minimums on the Strip have gotten too rich for my blood but dealers don't work for free.
Click to expand...
What do table minimums have to do with the dealers? I'm with OP, corporation ownership has killed Vegas. Well, at least for me. I was out there last year for the 2nd weekend of the tourney and that was probably my last trip. I'm just a dude that liked to go out there bet the games, drink too much and gamble on some reasonable tables. Now it feels like they have both hands in your wallet for every last dime virtually everywhere you turn - at least on the strip. Just another example of the corps sucking the heart out of something that used to be fun :shrug:
Click to expand...

Oh, they were always about having their hands in your pockets. Actually, it wasn't about your pockets. It was about those people with deeper ones. Then they figured out how to maximize revenue off of the little fish, and they did so. You think something steeped in the mafia and real estate wouldn't practice the most extortionary methods they could find? It just took a while for the data and observational studies to tell them how.

I've been to Vegas in the past ten years about twice. Both times it was awful for the exact reasons dkp993 described. Some people still make bank, roll high, and enjoy the place. It's not for me and the other small-timers anymore. I'll doff my cap and say goodbye but I won't miss it, though. It always generally depended on people's worst impulses anyway. Good riddance.
 
rockaction said:
coyote5 said:
Eephus said:
I've always had fun when I went with fun people but I've never liked Vegas when I've traveled solo on business.

The table minimums on the Strip have gotten too rich for my blood but dealers don't work for free.
Click to expand...
What do table minimums have to do with the dealers? I'm with OP, corporation ownership has killed Vegas. Well, at least for me. I was out there last year for the 2nd weekend of the tourney and that was probably my last trip. I'm just a dude that liked to go out there bet the games, drink too much and gamble on some reasonable tables. Now it feels like they have both hands in your wallet for every last dime virtually everywhere you turn - at least on the strip. Just another example of the corps sucking the heart out of something that used to be fun :shrug:
Click to expand...

Oh, they were always about having their hands in your pockets. Actually, it wasn't about your pockets. It was about those people with deeper ones. Then they figured out how to maximize revenue off of the little fish, and they did so. You think something steeped in the mafia and real estate wouldn't practice the most extortionary methods they could find? It just took a while for the data and observational studies to tell them how.

I've been to Vegas in the past ten years about twice. Both times it was awful for the exact reasons dkp993 described. Some people still make bank, roll high, and enjoy the place. It's not for me and the other small-timers anymore. I'll doff my cap and say goodbye but I won't miss it, though. It always generally depended on people's worst impulses anyway. Good riddance.
Click to expand...
They were always about your money, agree. Now they just want big baller money on the strip and price everyone else out - high table limits do that. Funny as they are scared when it comes to sport betting money though.
 
Eephus said:
I've always had fun when I went with fun people but I've never liked Vegas when I've traveled solo on business.

The table minimums on the Strip have gotten too rich for my blood but dealers don't work for free.
Click to expand...
It has nothing to do with what the dealers make. It has to do with corporate profits. When the covid lockdowns started, a lot of the hotels/casinos in Vegas laid off or furloughed employees. When things started to open back up and travel spiked big time—the hotels found that they were far more profitable keeping their staff sizes as lean and small as needed and to charge more for things. The reason why table minimums might be higher in some places is because those places have a limited number of dealers and they aren’t going to allocate them to low limit tables if they have enough patrons to fill the middle to higher tier limit tables. This is why you’ll have better luck consistently finding lower limit tables in places off of the strip where they might have a hard time running more than a few of higher limit tables. The higher limits of the strip are a direct result of maximizing corporate profits and a moderate to substantial dealer shortage in Las Vegas.
 
I guess my experience in Vegas is not the norm here. I stay on the Strip mostly (Vdara) or sometimes on Fremont St (Circa this year), but don't gamble and seldom dine in any casino resort. As someone else pointed out, there is a lot of great food off the Strip and away from downtown. Plenty of other things to do too. Each time I visit, I travel to at least one of the area state parks and/or national parks. I do see shows from time to time. I am seeing Penn and Teller on 4/2 and a concert at Virgin on 4/4 (Ministry). I do enjoy a good meal and people watching early on a Saturday morning at Mon Ami Gabi, but I seldom actually spend time doing anything else on the Strip. Things are expensive there for sure, but I guess it's really no different than anywher else. People keep going, gambling, and dining so it must be working for them.
 
I go to Vegas once every few years. I still have a blast. I break up my time between being on the strip and being out in the desert hiking or climbing or something. The two different worlds thing makes me appreciate them both. Agree that if I was just gonna be gambling and eating and staying in a strip hotel it would not nearly be as fun and I would max out at probably two days of that
 
culdeus said:
FairWarning said:
Eephus said:
I've always had fun when I went with fun people but I've never liked Vegas when I've traveled solo on business.

The table minimums on the Strip have gotten too rich for my blood but dealers don't work for free.
Click to expand...
The dealers made probably $7-10/hour, the rest is made up in tips.
Click to expand...
I'm sure everyone is tipping 20% now every hand.
Click to expand...
lol nah. Dealer tokes are pooled except poker, they keep their own.
 
Osaurus said:
Things are expensive there for sure, but I guess it's really no different than anywhere else.
Click to expand...
Exactly. It didn't used to be. The price increases in Vegas are startling, especially if you haven't gone for 5+ years.

It's not Covid tho. Not only. Vegas' business model where you can stay drink and eat for cheap has been eroding for a long long time. When it was the only place to gamble, they could give away drinks food and rooms, because everyone in Vegas went there to gamble. Now, a bunch go there to party. Serious gamblers can get their fix elsewhere.

Now the strip is closer to Miami. It's parties, events, amenities, pools, nightclubs, etc. And none of those is profitable as gambling, AND the hotel doesn't get a lot of that money, it's going to operations of all the attractions.

So Vegas has to make money. And it's by charging for things they used to give away.
 
I used to go to Vegas semi-regularly, and I had a great time playing low-stakes poker and $5 blackjack. I looked into going back a few years ago and literally laughed out loud at the prices. Vegas is a fun place to go for a cheap good time. If I'm going to dump a ton of money, I'm going to New York or Estes Park or someplace like that. Why spend a bunch of money on a ****ty simulacrum when I can just have the real thing for less?
 
I've been to Vegas 22 or 23 times since 1996...every single trip for work trade shows. Have never gone recreationally. I went last year and stayed at them MGM. Felt like I was at one of the lower end casinos and everything was ridiculously expensive. Did not have a great time. But it was also during the week and the trade show was for the society of insurance researchers, so that might have had something to do with it. lol
 
I live in Vegas. If you are looking for cheap food or are focused on gambling, then yes I agree it isn’t the way it used to be 100%.

But I have a major airport 20 minutes from my house where I can go anywhere in the world. Last weekend my wife and I saw Journey and Toto at Mandalay Bay and spent the night. Tomorrow I’m going to see Springsteen at T-Mobile arena, having a nice dinner at Bavette’s At Park MGM. I’ll be seeing Neil Degrasse Tyson lecture with a meet and greet afterward at the Smith Center. Ringo Starr in June and Lady Gaga’s Vegas only Jazz show in July. I got to see Silk Sonic live twice, which was only in Vegas. Art exhibits, shopping, NHL, NFL (and Super Bowl) Formula 1 (not sure that is a good thing), and some of the best restaurants in the world are here.

There aren’t many places on the planet that can match that.
 
The wife and I went last September for the first time since 2015.

Yes it has certainly changed.

We had a blast staying at the Venetian Resort. We got a great price on our room.

Dining is top notch in Vegas no doubt.

The gambling? Well this is where we had our let down. High table limits have ruined it for us. Blows my mind that in the morning during the week I can't play at a $10 craps table.

So everything else was fun and the people watching is second to none. But next time we go (and it won't be for a long time) we will stay at a great hotel on the strip because that's what we like.....but we will seek out hardcore gambling off the strip during the day and do some very light BS gambling or play poker at night.

I also can't believe what they did on the strip killing off free valet parking at all the hotels. Weak.
 
B Maverick said:
culdeus said:
What's craps at a b tier strip place like mirage like on a weekend
Click to expand...
We were at Resorts World and several of the tables had a $100 min with one or two at a $25 min.
Click to expand...

I absolutely LOVE the food court at Resorts World.

I hit Vegas about every other year these days (was probably 1-2 times per year a decade ago). I've actually come to really enjoy staying down on Fremont Street. Sure, it's grimy and you have to watch for pick pockets, but the people watching is great, I love walking from bar to bar to drink, and the live bands playing are almost always really good. On the Strip, you have to pay for a $50 Uber to get anywhere, and everything is out of sight cost-wise. And I have to wait an hour for my wife to get ready for the evening. I guess I just like the casual, low-key, and quirky nature of Fremont Street these days.
 
FairWarning said:
Strip casinos charging $10o-150 for a seat in the Sportsbook today because of the tourney, hard pass.
Click to expand...
Really?

I can understand a requirement that you're betting or charging for a premium booth or something but wow.

Back when I used to go a lot I'd usually hit like MGM's or Mandalay's poker room (which are next to the sportsbooks) and watch the games while playing poker. Awesome time and I miss it.
 
bigbottom said:
B Maverick said:
culdeus said:
What's craps at a b tier strip place like mirage like on a weekend
Click to expand...
We were at Resorts World and several of the tables had a $100 min with one or two at a $25 min.
Click to expand...

I absolutely LOVE the food court at Resorts World.

I hit Vegas about every other year these days (was probably 1-2 times per year a decade ago). I've actually come to really enjoy staying down on Fremont Street. Sure, it's grimy and you have to watch for pick pockets, but the people watching is great, I love walking from bar to bar to drink, and the live bands playing are almost always really good. On the Strip, you have to pay for a $50 Uber to get anywhere, and everything is out of sight cost-wise. And I have to wait an hour for my wife to get ready for the evening. I guess I just like the casual, low-key, and quirky nature of Fremont Street these days.
Click to expand...
Might be the only good thing about that place imo
 
bigbottom said:
B Maverick said:
culdeus said:
What's craps at a b tier strip place like mirage like on a weekend
Click to expand...
We were at Resorts World and several of the tables had a $100 min with one or two at a $25 min.
Click to expand...

I absolutely LOVE the food court at Resorts World.

I hit Vegas about every other year these days (was probably 1-2 times per year a decade ago). I've actually come to really enjoy staying down on Fremont Street. Sure, it's grimy and you have to watch for pick pockets, but the people watching is great, I love walking from bar to bar to drink, and the live bands playing are almost always really good. On the Strip, you have to pay for a $50 Uber to get anywhere, and everything is out of sight cost-wise. And I have to wait an hour for my wife to get ready for the evening. I guess I just like the casual, low-key, and quirky nature of Fremont Street these days.
Click to expand...
I definitely love Freemont Street. Haven't been there in awhile but the last few times I was the prices seemed more reasonable and lower than the strip. Not sure if that's the case still.
 
I've been going to Vegas twice a year for the past ten years. It's still really flipping awesome. More pricey for sure, but the food, the shows, the sights... it's still so awesome.

You're mostly out of luck if you're looking for cheap table games (though Downtown Grand still has $5 blackjack and craps), but there are still great values to be had on food and drinks... you just need to know where to go.
 
Went this past fall with group of friends, had a great time overall.

Hadn't been to Vegas in ~20 years and I'd echo many of the comments already posted. Walking the strip is now a ridiculous process and the prices have spiked in almost every area (hotel, gambling, food, etc) much, much more than you'd expect. Paying for a seat in a sports book for the privilege of gambling while watching the games? F that.

On the plus side, the energy and excitement of the city is still palpable. Fremont St is a circus (in a good way), many new restaurants to check out, shopping options / selections if that's your thing, and gambling with friends is still ridiculously fun. Loved Westgate for Sunday football. Nothing fancy, but we got a table in back and enjoyed gambling, cheering, and the whole game day environment. The Raiders build a nice stadium, great sightlines overall to watch a game (my Packers played like crap but the game was fun). Doesn't compare to the best NFL game day environments, but much better than some.

Caught a U2 show at the Sphere. I've been to a lot of concerts over the years and I was blown away by the venue. 100% worth the experience. If one of my favorite artists ever played there, I would make the effort to attend. Great example of over-the-top Vegas at its best.
 
the moops said:
I go to Vegas once every few years. I still have a blast. I break up my time between being on the strip and being out in the desert hiking or climbing or something. The two different worlds thing makes me appreciate them both. Agree that if I was just gonna be gambling and eating and staying in a strip hotel it would not nearly be as fun and I would max out at probably two days of that
Click to expand...
Never thought of approaching it that way. Always avoided Vegas since I don't drink or gamble but if you threw in some solid hiking, would make the trip worth it since I do like the shows, food and just overall wandering around.
 
B Maverick said:
bigbottom said:
B Maverick said:
culdeus said:
What's craps at a b tier strip place like mirage like on a weekend
Click to expand...
We were at Resorts World and several of the tables had a $100 min with one or two at a $25 min.
Click to expand...

I absolutely LOVE the food court at Resorts World.

I hit Vegas about every other year these days (was probably 1-2 times per year a decade ago). I've actually come to really enjoy staying down on Fremont Street. Sure, it's grimy and you have to watch for pick pockets, but the people watching is great, I love walking from bar to bar to drink, and the live bands playing are almost always really good. On the Strip, you have to pay for a $50 Uber to get anywhere, and everything is out of sight cost-wise. And I have to wait an hour for my wife to get ready for the evening. I guess I just like the casual, low-key, and quirky nature of Fremont Street these days.
Click to expand...
I definitely love Freemont Street. Haven't been there in awhile but the last few times I was the prices seemed more reasonable and lower than the strip. Not sure if that's the case still.
Click to expand...

Also, whenever I'm on Fremont Street, I ALWAYS visit the Beef Jerky Store (only open during daylight hours though).
 
It's totally changed. Covid crushed them and they turned into a premium attraction. Basically everything (hotel rooms, etc) seemed to double in price in the last few years. Way better places to go.
 
I used to go yearly. Had a kid and just can't get away from Florida for that long. So, now we go to Biloxi twice a year. Free rooms, decent table limits, free booze flows easily and quickly. Eventually, I want to get back to Vegas, but for now Biloxi is is kinda like Vegas off strip 20 years ago.
 
You can still get $5 and even some $2 a hand table games if that's what you want to play, you just have to play the stadium seating/video/bubbles. You probably walked right past them and didn't know what they were.
 
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