Las Vegas Casinos Tone-Deaf on Resort and Drink Fee Outrage, Daily Housekeeping Could Soon Checkout
Posted on: September 11, 2019, 03:01h.
Last updated on: September 11, 2019, 03:41h.
Las Vegas resort fees are the ire of many guests, now reaching as high as $45 per day at luxury Strip properties, including The Venetian and Palazzo, Wynn and Encore, and Bellagio and Aria.
Along with the seemingly never-ending resort fee increases, free parking has morphed into fee parking at MGM Resorts and Caesars Entertainment properties. Wynn Resorts had followed suit, but restored free self-parking in April.
Now, casino guests are incurring “venue fees” even on cocktails. Where will it end?
MGM said the mandatory drink charge – quietly placed on the check without prior informing the guest? – is to keep the “venue operationally running, like the gaming maintenance for all bar top games, Wi-Fi, and lounge maintenance.” A similar beverage charge was found at the new Sahara.
The resort and parking fees generated a strong backlash from both locals and out-of-towners alike. But the new drink charge has caused near pandemonium. Our Casino.org coverage has over 150 comments and counting.
Las Vegas local Jacob Orth read the article on YouTube, and the video has more than 36,000 views and nearly 1,000 comments. Our friend Scott Roeben at Vital Vegas has seen his tweets covering the casinos’ latest money grab flooded with passionate responses from outraged Las Vegas critics.
“You can’t keep nickel-and-diming us to death and expect us to come back,” a recent Las Vegas visitor told Casino.org.
Another said, “I stopped going because of all the fees, hidden charges, and ridiculous prices. I can afford it. They used to make a lot of money from me. It just doesn’t feel good to have your pocket picked at every turn.”
Transparency Matters
I wrote an article for Casino.org in July on MGM Resorts upping its resort fee at the Bellagio to $45/day effective August 1. The casino giant was quick to email me and request the article be pulled because nothing had been confirmed.
MGM’s media relations department said they would circle back if anything changed. They didn’t, but alas, the $45/day resort fee at the Bellagio went into effect August 1.
The casinos need to do a better job of communicating, as a lot of frustration of changes in service, or fees, has to do with expectations,” Vital Vegas’s Roeben told me. “Vegas has to collectively commit to being transparent and providing value.”
Roeben added that the country’s gaming mecca “is at a turning point, as people seek out value and turn away from places they feel don’t value their business.”
Cleaning House
MGM is amid a cost-savings plan to improve shareholder value. More than 1,000 MGM employees have been let go, with the casino operator’s goal to increase earnings before interest, taxes, depreciation, and amortization (EBITDA) by $300 million by the end of 2021.
Higher resort fees, plus parking and now drink add-on charges, will presumably help achieve that goal. Another potential avenue being considered is the elimination of daily housekeeping.
Nothing has been confirmed by MGM, but a housekeeper with the casino company told Roeben they aren’t cleaning every room daily. The Concierge at MGM Grand said there is no daily cleaning charge, but such service needs to be requested.
With less rooms to clean daily, the housekeeping plan would presumably lead to a reduction in relevant jobs, or at least hours. The Culinary Union declined to comment at this time.
Caesars Entertainment told Casino.org that the company doesn’t have any “plans to add drink fees or change our housekeeping policies.”
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Last Comments ( 11 )
The casinos are shooting themselves in the foot, with all the other places people can go to gamble you think they would be making it (seem) cost effective to come here. Instead they're piling on all the nonsense fees tightening the gaming and now you cant even sit and gamble and drink at a bar freely!!! Are they nuts! I'm local, parking fees!!! Hellloooo STUPID! I have people visit all the time, well this last time I said no were NOT going down there TOO MUCH MONEY NOT ENOUGH FUN! OFF STRIP! I could go on and on...what a bunch of boobs!
We have been loyal visitors to Vegas for over 15 years. That just ended! When they overcharged and piled on Resort Fees we cut out any form of gambling at the Casinos. Prices for food and shows have skyrocketed and rental cars have tripled! Evidently, they don't care so I'll just spend my money elsewhere!
I was at Ceasers and put a hundred dollars on a football game and later another twenty dollars for the same game and noticed that there wasn't a cocktail waitress so I went back to the window to get a drink ticket and he asked to see my bets and told me I can give you a drink ticket for the hundred dollars but not for the extra twenty. So I think I will spend my money elsewhere I used to spend slot of money at the Cesar resorts but not anymore.i can go-to an Indian casino and buy.drinks and save money.
They are pushing people away..........People want value for their money and Vegas is just not giving you that. They are simply biting the hand that feeds them......One day they will be begging people to come and nobody will
This is a shameless money grab. Resort and venue fees coupled with massive On Call and Extra Board employees have become the norm at most resorts. We never hear anything about reduced salaries for the CEO’s do we? It’s disgusting and the day is coming when people will rise up against this kind of greed.
I have been going for more than 20 years and never see like this first talking about parking or valet that going to pay and now resort fee getting more higher. I may end up cutting down not going much as it not fun anymore due everything all has to be pay. Where the fun go now has be downsized. If they changed to waive no fee for parking and resort fee many people may come back to have fun again
This is why we are at Vegas and Laughlin less and less and going to our local Indian casinos and hotels instead. The resort fees are just ridiculous for nothing we're just if you don't use the gym in the pool and all of that then you shouldn't have to pay.
This is why we are Vegas and Laughlin less and less and going to our local Indian casinos and hotels instead. The resort fees are just ridiculous for nothing we're just if you don't use the gym in the pool and all of that then you shouldn't have to pay.
I do love going to Vegas, but have cut back my trips as cost have skyrocketed. Flights,fees and especially food cost have become overwhelming. Breakfast and juice at Harrahs is $25.00. Crazy.
Please, bring back the Mafia to the hotels. At least they made their money by skimming from the tables, but gave us great room rates, free parking, cheap fantastic meals, and great low priced entertainment.
We travel quite a bit and this last 2 years has me shaking my head with fees. Fees for everything! And you don't get choices. I am beginning to feel like resorts & hotels are turning into modern day pan handlers. I understood, in the beginning, optional fees to help us understand the hidden costs but now it's a mad dash to see what they can get from everyone. It's over the top & not just in Vegas. Leaves me with a bitter taste in my mouth.