Las Vegas Sucks Now!
If you haven’t been to Vegas in awhile and are planning to go on vacation, I’ll give you the cliff notes version first in case you’re short on time, it sucks! Full disclosure, I haven’t been there in a long time. Even then I was a casual visitor. Part of that was because of life, (I currently help my elderly mom), and my bank account is nowhere close to Warren Buffett, but the main reason is because of what a ripoff it has become. I was hoping to go more often. I live much closer, now. I almost went in 2023, but the prices were exorbitant.
I had a chance to go in 2023. My friend, Chad, was taking a vacation with his family and called and wanted to see if I was interested in meeting up with them. Even though I had to help my mom, I probably could have managed to escape for a few days, since I’m in a nearby state. I decided to do some research on the internet to get a ballpark figure of how much it would cost. I figured, even with inflation, it wouldn’t be that much. Boy was I wrong! (somewhere my readers who read my fantasy articles just rolled their eyes and uttered sarcastically under their breath, Ringo, we’re shocked, haha!) The Vegas that my late dad knew, where it was cheap, and they treated guests like royalty is dead now. It’s extinct like the dinosaurs, who once roamed the earth. I first went back in 1999, I think, and stayed at The Stardust. The food wasn’t as cheap as I was led to believe (like in the 70’s and 80’s), where they practically gave it away, but it was still reasonable. They had a good sportsbook and the hotel was iconic, imo. I met a friend of mine from the gym (Kelly) and his roommate out there, who stayed at The Luxor, and we had a blast.
About ten years later I got a promotion at my job and wanted to celebrate, so my friends and I stayed at The Mirage. Without a doubt, The Mirage was my favorite hotel, with only one negative- a common one in many Vegas casinos- the smoke in the casino. Despite that, The Mirage was my vibe. It was a beautiful resort, with the wood and rock on the walls, the giant atrium and natural light that entered, and the aquarium with fish, behind the front desk. (see the 2nd video below this paragraph of what The Mirage looked like). Hell, even the air freshener they used in the lobby smelled tropical (before you got to the smoke in the casino that is). Their sportsbook was top notch. Big screens, an electronic odds board on the wall, it was awesome. They had a poker room too, where we played a few sit-n-go’s of No Limit Texas Hold Em’. They also had a buffet (Cravings) that was delicious and although not cheap, was still reasonably priced given the quality. They even had a 24 hour diner where we could grab a cheeseburger or pancakes, which my friends and I did, and it was even more affordable. We talked about our lives and just enjoyed the moment. That was, without a doubt, my favorite part of the trip. Okay, well maybe after going to Spearmint Rhino. Hey, I’m a guy and I’m single- deal with it, haha! Anyway, the customer service at The Mirage was good, the room was clean, (no bed bugs) and it was a memory I still cherish today, just like the ones Alan, Phil, Stu, and Doug made from The Hangover, haha!
My last trip was in 2013. My dad passed away in 2012. He lost his battle with cancer. He was my best friend. After caring for him and handling his affairs, I told my friend, I need a vacation. You’re welcome to come. My friend, Chad, is a good guy. He knew how crushed I was after my dad got sick and soon after, passed away. He cleared it with his wife and kids and went with me. That meant the world to me. We went to The Mirage in March 2013. Going to Vegas for March Madness was a bucket list item for me. I’m a huge March Madness fan and since sports betting wasn’t legally widespread back then, as it is today across much of the U.S., it was even more exciting to go. And while the vacation was more expensive than a few years earlier, it was still affordable, especially when my friend’s wife booked our trip. She got us a great deal ($800 for airfare and hotel for Wed night-Sunday during one of Las Vegas’s busiest weeks). We even got a free shuttle from the airport and a free meal at the restaurant, comped. I’m still amazed at the deal she got us. She’s one smart cookie. We went to the WestGate theatre to watch the games because they had a viewing party that was non-smoking (I’m allergic to cigarette smoke). I think we paid like $30 each for the seats and got a free t-shirt too. I ended up winning my small bets, enough so that the vacation cost me nothing, well minus what I spent at Spearmint Rhino, haha. Winning was pretty sweet! But more importantly, it helped me forget about the most traumatic thing in my life, the loss of my best friend, my dad. I learned it was okay to have fun again and forget my problems, even if it was just for a few days.
Anyway, fast forward to 2023. My same friend who went with me to Vegas the other two times (Chad), asked if I wanted to meet up with him and his family (wife and kids) up in Vegas. I live in a nearby state, so I started researching the costs. My jaw dropped when I saw how much the prices had increased. A bottle of water at many hotels was $12 and went as high as $22. And I drink a lot of water. The few buffets still left were $60 minimum and some even higher There weren’t many 24 hour, affordable diners like the one we went to at The Mirage. (*Note- they were staying at another hotel.) Resort fees had increased the price of rooms and this time I couldn’t split the cost of the room. Parking fees were now the norm at every casino. Table minimums were $25 or higher. Even the rates for taxis and Ubers had increased a lot. After crunching the numbers, I dejectedly told my friend I wouldn’t be able to make it. I just can’t justify spending $20 on each water, $70 on meals, etc. I’m not even a big gambler, and even without gambling much, I couldn’t justify the crazy amount of money it would have cost me.
Fast forward again to today. It’s February 2025 and prices are totally out of control. Corporations, and a lack of competition, have ruined this desert oasis. The old business model of bringing customers in on cheap flights, offering affordable food, and comping them so they have a fun time and want to come back again and again is long gone. Now every bean counter, in every department, is looking to shake you down for as much as they can get off of you, so they can get their bonus. They mistakenly think it’s Monte Carlo now. Maybe it’s the F-1 racing? I don’t know. I’ve got news for them though, It’s not. It’s just a town in the middle of the f-ing desert- nothing more. And for me, it’s time to cue Mr. Wonderful from Shark Tank (see video below)….I’m stunned at their greed! Their absolute greed! They had an opportunity to make money off of me. Vegas, you’re dead to me now. You’re gone. I don’t even know who you are. With your current business philosophy of price gouging customers like me, until there are major changes and prices decrease dramatically, there is no next time!
So my advice is to boycott Vegas until those outrageous prices go down, and go down a lot, for good. Screw them! They don’t value me or you as customers. If they did, they wouldn’t be price gouging guests at every turn. And then after getting royally screwed, as if that’s not enough, I’m expected to tip generously. I have no problem with tipping and tipping well. I actually factor that into my vacation budget. But if you’re going to treat me like a chump, then not only am I not going to tip well, I’m not even going to go. Why should I? I can go to better and more affordable restaurants where I live. I can bet on games where I live. I can go to buffets, casinos, and restaurants that are much cheaper and are just as good. I can enjoy as much water as I want… for free! Or I can take a vacation at a beach resort for much less. So if you guys suffer a slow down, which they are now, (that’s a shame by the way- not!!!). If you lose your job at the casino, too bad. If your casino/hotel goes bankrupt (looking at you Resorts World and Fontainebleau (home of the $24 for 6 nachos deal, $95 baked potato, and $1,000 steak. And no, those aren’t typos!). My understanding is both of those resorts are in deep financial trouble. Here was my rant on Twitter, not just for them, but for any casino in Vegas, especially the ones on the strip.
Ringo’s Rant on Twitter
Well, the casino execs have to be some of the dumbest ones out there. They thought they were being smart by screwing guests with ridiculous resort fees, parking fees, restaurant prices, high room rates, etc. All they did was piss people off by gouging every f-ing thing. 1/
I'm curious where they think their future customers are coming from? They've pissed off their loyal customers, pissed off casual customers, pissed off locals, pissed off nearby customers with parking fees, and future customers are drowning in college debt. Inflation for rent, houses, food, medicine, cars, etc. are out of control. How is a new grad, with a bunch of debt, going to afford a $2,000 month rent or a $400,000 house, and a car, and then use their discretionary income to go to Vegas and pay their fees/high prices? Fortunately, for me at least, I’m not a new grad. Note- the sugar high from the free government checks during the pandemic is over. Also, people have to pay rent again. Another factor to consider, how are some of the California customers going to come when many don’t have a f-ing home right now? And they might not get reimbursed from insurance companies after those tragic wildfires. I could be wrong, but I see storm clouds on the horizon for Sin City. 2/
They honestly think people are going to spend $100 on lunch or dinner? $50 for a cheeseburger? $20 for water? $25/$50 lowest level limits? $50 for room service for a pot of coffee at The Wynn? $350 for room service breakfast at The MGM? $20 bottled water in the refrigerator? How high is it going to increase next year? Newsflash- you’re located in the f-ing desert! Ringo’s pro tip- How about loading the refrigerator with complementary bottled waters, you greedy a-holes?! No food, drink, or room comps on sports bets or anywhere, no deals on food, nothing? I’ve got news for you. There's a recession heading for the U.S. Good luck attracting guests you greedy s.o.b’s! 3/
I'm single. I own a home. I can usually afford to go, as long as I’m not careless with my money. However, not everyone is so fortunate with a wife &/or kids. It’s not cheap having a family. And even I won't go, out of spite. They can take their price gouging and shove it up their backside. The only way I'd even consider going now is if I get a deal on my trip, which includes food, drinks ,etc. like before. 4/
And I used to love Vegas. But the execs running the show now seem to think it's Monte Carlo and I’ve got news for them…it's not. And it never will be. There’s nothing special about Las Vegas. There are no scenic views, or beaches. It's just a town, with a lot of lights, in the middle of the damn desert! I can get better deals elsewhere. They're charging $500 to watch March Madness for half the day or the Super Bowl in a sportsbook, just to sit down and watch tv! They're out of their damn minds!!! Remember, desert is two letters away from being deserted. 5/
Whoever thought filling the strip with expensive, swanky a la carte restaurants, owned by high-profile chefs like Gordon Ramsey was a good idea, was a f-ing moron! Know your audience!!! Most people want a good sit down meal or buffet (steak/seafood) at an AFFORDABLE price or comped. I’m not paying extra for a potato, vegetables, salad, and maybe soup. They should come with the damn entree, you tools! The old school way was to use this as a loss leader in order to bring people into the casino. People want to eat, drink, bet, get comped, and have a good time, but they can’t do that if you’re gouging them everywhere else. 6/
I don't want to see a concert at the Sphere or see hockey or the A's!!! Honestly, if I really wanted to see the A’s I would have just gone to Oakland in the past! Besides, I can go to baseball games where I live. I don’t need to go to Vegas to watch a baseball game or see a concert. I want an affordable vacation where I'm treated like a king and not treated like crap!! It's not a hard concept. 7/
Business 101- treat your customers well, because once you lose them, you have to work twice as hard to get them back. And now you’ve got to work real hard to get me back, because I don’t trust you anymore. You’ve broke the basic tenets (unwritten rules) of our deal. You think treating me and other guests like crap is okay. It’s not. I don’t reward that behavior. Another tip, when you treat customers well, they leave happy and you develop brand loyalty. They’re more likely to come back and spread goodwill via word of mouth. That’s the most valuable advertising there is. However, the flip side of that is bad word-of-mouth advertising. And Vegas is getting plenty of that on social media. All I can say is that it’s well-deserved. They sure as hell earned every scathing tweet. Hey, I was only on the Dean’s list in college, but what do I know? 8/
Additional thought- closing one of the most beautiful hotels like The Mirage was criminal, imo. Of all the dumps the owners of The Hard Rock Casino could have bought and closed such as: Circus Circus, Excalibur, Luxor, etc. they had to buy my favorite hotel (The Mirage) and close it. Why not just remodel The Mirage with new carpeting and other upgrades, instead of getting rid of it for yet, another Hard Rock Casino- unf-ingreal!!! I hope they go broke, along with the rest of them!!!
Finally, if I think of anything else, I’ll add it. But unless Vegas totally changes its current business model back to the original formula, I’m out. I have zero interest in their current strategy of price gouging me for $12 waters, $100 a la carte dinners. F-that!!!! F-them, their executives, their $40 million salaries, and their shareholders!!! The only thing I care about is being treated well. And right now that’s not happening. I’m being taken for granted and royally screwed. And I sure as hell am not bringing a girlfriend there so I can get price gouged twice as much as usual! I’d advise the rest of you to do the same. That’s the only way things will change. The person who is willing to walk away from the deal is the winner when negotiating. I’m walking away. And, I could care less if I ever go back because the town I loved, what made it great, no longer exists. It’s gone.
*Note- I'm also available as a consultant for these struggling casinos, for a fee of course. Let's call it The Ringo Fee! What can I say? I learned from the best, haha!