The Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority (LVCVA) released their annual Las Vegas Visitor Profile last week. This is a snapshot of the average visitor to Las Vegas. Only 3,600 visitors were surveyed throughout the year. While this is a small slice of the 42.9 million people that visited Las Vegas last year, it gives a reference point on how the typical visitor spends their time and money. Here are some highlights from the report:

• 27% of visitors to Las Vegas in 2016 were first-time visitors. That’s an increase from 16% in 2015. Satisfaction was high so it seems as though “New Vegas” might be changing for the better for new visitors.
• 52% of visitors to Las Vegas in 2016 listed vacation as their reason for visiting. Only 10% of respondents said they visited for a convention or meeting. It takes a special person to take time out for a long survey and interview. Business people are usually in a rush, so this low number shouldn’t be a surprise. Only 4% of respondents said they visited Las Vegas specifically to gamble. That’s down from 10% in 2015. This isn’t much of a surprise since you can gamble in almost every state in America. However, no city is quite like Las Vegas when you step away from the tables and machines.
• Most people book their visit to Las Vegas 31-60 days before visiting. Overall, 51% of visitors in 2016 planned their trip to Las Vegas more than one month in advance. Planning in advance is a great way to save money when visiting Las Vegas.
• Parking fees (more on this shortly) are a big issue for Las Vegas visitors and it might be affecting how people get around town. Only 43% of visitors in 2016 used their own vehicle while getting around Las Vegas. That’s down from 48% in 2015. The monorail seems to be the beneficiary of this change. Last year 14% used the monorail as opposed to 10% in 2015.

I’m fascinated by everything in the Las Vegas visitor profile but I don’t want to just rewrite the whole study. The complete survey is 75 pages long with 62 pages of data. I’ve shared some highlights but you might want to spend more time with the full report if you’re looking for something to pass the time.

Speaking of parking fees….MGM Resorts International Raising Parking Fees

MGM Resorts International will be increasing the price to park at their Las Vegas casinos this week. The price increase comes less than a year after being introduced. Coincidentally, their largest competitor in Las Vegas, Caesars Entertainment, is just beginning their paid parking program. Here are the new self-parking and valet fees for MGM Resorts International properties:

Valet

0-4 hours:
Excalibur, Circus Circus, Luxor, Monte Carlo – $10
Mandalay Bay & Delano, MGM Grand, The Mirage, New York-New York – $15
Aria, Bellagio, Vdara – $20

4-24 hours:
Excalibur, Circus Circus, Luxor, Monte Carlo – $15
Mandalay Bay & Delano, MGM Grand, The Mirage, New York-New York – $20
Aria, Bellagio, Vdara – $25

Self-Parking

0-1 hour: Free

1-2 hours:
Excalibur, Circus Circus, Luxor, Monte Carlo – $5
Mandalay Bay & Delano, MGM Grand, The Mirage, New York-New York – $8
Aria, Bellagio, Vdara – $10

2-4 hours (New):
Excalibur, Circus Circus, Luxor, Monte Carlo – $7
Mandalay Bay & Delano, MGM Grand, The Mirage, New York-New York – $10
Aria, Bellagio, Vdara – $12

4-24 hours:
Excalibur, Circus Circus, Luxor, Monte Carlo – $7
Mandalay Bay & Delano, MGM Grand, The Mirage, New York-New York – $12
Aria, Bellagio, Vdara – $15

Happy Birthday, Tropicana!

The Tropicana is celebrating their 60th year in business with a slew of promotions. The historic property is one of the oldest on the Vegas Strip. The Tropicana has been in the news so much over the past week that I realized I haven’t been to the casino in about three years.

I don’t have anything against the Tropicana and recommend the hotel often as it’s a perfectly fine property. There just hasn’t been anything new or special to draw my interest. Maybe 60-cent champagne will be what brings me to the hotel. Maybe I’ll just wait until the third restaurant named “Public House” opens on the Vegas Strip. This isn’t just another public house, it’s “Robert Irvine’s Public House.”

Ellis Island Opening Front Yard

Last year Ellis Island teased that they would be opening a beer garden this year. However, the Front Yard will be more than a place to sit and drink beer outside of the casino. The Front Yard will be a two-story complex will have both indoor and outdoor seating, food and beer, live music, bar games like cornhole, and more.

Ellis Island is also a brewery and has some of the best beer prices near the Vegas Strip. Likewise, the cafe has many low-priced specials. Hopefully, Ellis Island doesn’t increase prices to cover the expense of creating the new venue. The opening date is still TBD.

More Renovations At Monte Carlo

There will be renovations all year at the Monte Carlo as the property changes over to Park MGM. According to Eater Vegas, the newest venue at the casino that is slated to close will be Yusho.

The next space at Monte Carlo to physically close will be the poker room on April 24th. Brand Steakhouse will close on May 11th. The Monte Carlo will officially re-open as Park MGM in 2018.

FREE CONCERTS At The Fremont Street Experience

One of the most popular reasons to visit the Fremont Street Experience is that there’s always some kind of free entertainment. There are buskers on the street and music on the three stages along the mall of casinos.

The quality of the entertainment goes up a notch during the summer when the Fremont Street Experience brings national touring bands to perform full concerts for free. Here is the first batch of free concerts at the Fremont Street Experience. More shows will be announced soon.

June 10: Rock’n Road Trip Tour with Fuel, Tonic, Marcy Playground, and Dishwalla
August 12: Rick Springfield
August 26: Seether
September 1: Collective Soul
September 30: Chevelle

Caesars Might Be Considering A Name Change For Total Rewards

Over the weekend Seven Stars Insider tweeted a recent survey that might indicate Caesars Entertainment is considering a name change for their players club. Total Rewards is one of the most famous brands in the casino business that isn’t an actual casino.

Maybe the thinking is that the brand equity might slide from Total Rewards to Caesars Entertainment. The opposite seems more likely and the Caesars name could taint the image of their most popular brand. I’m not sure a change will happen here.

Can't believe @CaesarsEnt and @Total_Rewards are even considering a name change. Costs aside, they can't get the current program right! pic.twitter.com/bPIZLCFyym

— Darryl McEwen (@7StarsInsider) April 8, 2017

Quick Hits:

Here are some interesting news bites around Las Vegas from the past week.

• Mob Museum is getting boozy. Read about it here.
• Downtown Grand is having a free outdoor concert on May 20 with Vince Neil of Motley Crue game. You can get tickets here.
• Don Rickles passed away last week. He was a staple in Las Vegas for years. Read more here.
• Mayor Goodman wants to move the “Welcome To Fabulous Las Vegas” sign. Read more here.
• There has been a reduction of slot machines in casinos. Read more here.
• It’s now legal to bet on the NFL Draft in Las Vegas. Read more here.
• Lastly, group gamblers all over should read this article about some friends in Florida.  (Related: These Are The Joys Of The Group Gamble )

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