MGM CEO regrets summer pricing, including $26 water bottle fiasco

[stevenash]

MGM CEO regrets summer pricing, including $26 water bottle fiasco

Riddle me this?

How can the 'alpha dog' (chief decision maker) of a multi-gazillion-dollar corporation NOT anticipate a major push back from tourists and tourism for charging 26 dollars for bottled water and 12 dollars for an ordinary cup of coffee?

If I'm paying twelve dollars for a cup of coffee, it had better come with a double shot of Johnny Walker Black.

[Headsterx]

Until they get rid of resort fees that now run up to $60, I don’t believe anything these crooks have to say.

[mjsuax13]

They are in trouble.

[ChuckyTheGoat]

They are in trouble.

I saw a $4 bottle of soda (20oz) in Vegas some years ago. Walked out, no way.

I do wonder about Vegas. I'm trying to get out there for late DEC. Like travelling when I might get a nice discounted rate.

[JAKEPEAVY21]

One of the myriad of reasons that Vegas has been dead to me the past decade. There is literally zero value there anymore and you get nickel and dimed every which way.

[Headsterx]

101 Vegas Scams:

#1. Resorts fees
#2. Parking fees
#3. No maid services for 3 days
#4. $25 minimum tables
#5. Raiders

[ChuckyTheGoat]

101 Vegas Scams:

#1. Resorts fees
#2. Parking fees
#3. No maid services for 3 days
#4. $25 minimum tables
#5. Raiders

Pretty good list:
#1. Resorts fees - I hate this crap. Just another expense.
#2. Parking fees - Total joke. The goal is to bring customers IN.
#3. No maid services for 3 days - Seeing more and more of this.
#4. $25 minimum tables - If not $25, close to it. They want ROI per sqft.
#5. Raiders (

[ChuckyTheGoat]

#5. Raiders (the team, not the poster). Yes, poorly-run. Who hires a 74 y/o HC?

[stevenash]

#5. Raiders (the team, not the poster). Yes, poorly-run. Who hires a 74 y/o HC?

UNC

[ChuckyTheGoat]

UNC

Ha-ha. Yeah. How's that working out?

Paul Brown wasn't available?

[wombat]

Vegas is a joke now. You’ll have a much better time in Lake Tahoe.

-Way better scenery than billion dollar concrete casinos
-More things to do than just gambling/nightclubs
-Gorgeous natural scenery good for your mental health
-Can still gamble if you have the itch

[stevenash]

I was chatting with a buddy of mine in Henderson; he told me that Caesar's is charging $38 a pack for basic Marlboro Reds.

[Headsterx]

I was chatting with a buddy of mine in Henderson; he told me that Caesar's is charging $38 a pack for basic Marlboro Reds.

meh… with taxes that’s the cost in California.

[stevenash]

meh… with taxes that’s the cost in California.

Get out of that dopey state; we have room for one more here in New England.

[ChuckyTheGoat]

Vegas is a joke now. You’ll have a much better time in Lake Tahoe.

-Way better scenery than billion dollar concrete casinos
-More things to do than just gambling/nightclubs
-Gorgeous natural scenery good for your mental health
-Can still gamble if you have the itch

Good post, wombat. I have to get back there.

[stevenash]

Good post, wombat. I have to get back there.

Tahoe is great, Reno's a dump though.

[Flashmo]

meh… with taxes that’s the cost in California.

I was just there in June- one of the things we always do is see how much they are gouging you for cigs-it was 22 bucks..never have seen 38 anywhere, although it would surprise me for that much..ask the bellcap "Where can a guy get fukked around here?--He said "Try the Gift Shop"

[Flashmo]

Vegas was WAY better when the Mob ran it..Nowadays all they do is gouge you anyway they can and nickle and dime you for everything. They are still trying to make up for all of that money they lost during the Covid scam

[JAKEPEAVY21]

Vegas was WAY better when the Mob ran it..Nowadays all they do is gouge you anyway they can and nickle and dime you for everything. They are still trying to make up for all of that money they lost during the Covid scam

100%..Now with the corporations running everything, it is all about the bottom line and their mathematical formulas deciding whether you get comps, discounts etc rather than being reasonable and throwing people a bone once in awhile. That type of thing goes a long way in terms of making people feel valued and getting them to happily return.

It is not just Vegas either. I have noticed the same greed at my local Indian casinos here in San Diego. All these places think they are tourist destinations now and have totally forgotten and shunned the common man.

[pavyracer]

I have been to Vegas in the 90s, 00s and 10s the last time. Each time I went it got worse and I imagine now in the 20s especially after Covid is rock bottom. The only way is up but with a recession predicted for next year it could get worse especially after Superbowl.

[wombat]

Vegas really doesn’t have much to offer anymore. You can place sports bets from your phone anywhere now and play live table games on your phone. Restaurants suck unless you’re down with paying $25 for a sandwich. Used to be able to get steak and lobster for $9.99 in downtown. Club scene sucks geared mainly for kids under 25. Forget about going in the summertime when it’s 120 degrees. This is why I prefer Tahoe better. At least you have some great outdoor scenery with many activities to do in the daytime. There is nothing to do in Vegas daytime but gambling. You’ll also get VIP treatment easier in Tahoe. I’m getting comped for a four day stay with room and all food comped next weekend at Golden Nugget Tahoe with barely playing anything on my last visit.

[JAKEPEAVY21]

[ChuckyTheGoat]

Vegas really doesn’t have much to offer anymore. You can place sports bets from your phone anywhere now and play live table games on your phone. Restaurants suck unless you’re down with paying $25 for a sandwich. Used to be able to get steak and lobster for $9.99 in downtown. Club scene sucks geared mainly for kids under 25. Forget about going in the summertime when it’s 120 degrees. This is why I prefer Tahoe better. At least you have some great outdoor scenery with many activities to do in the daytime. There is nothing to do in Vegas daytime but gambling. You’ll also get VIP treatment easier in Tahoe. I’m getting comped for a four day stay with room and all food comped next weekend at Golden Nugget Tahoe with barely playing anything on my last visit.

A lot of truth to what you say, wombat. I've thought about reasons to go to Vegas. I can think of SOME:

1) Resort that caters to multiple needs. Think Red Rock. I could go there for five days. They have hotel, slots, poker, sportsbook, restaurants, liquor, movie theatre etc. It's pretty nice. I'd like to go back.
2) Downtown still has some appeal to me. Several casinos within an 8-block stretch. Some variety, and some good restaurants. I've been down there a few times for the free Summer Concert series...and saw some good acts (like ABC).

On the topic of pricing, yes: it's mostly insane. Hard to find a bargain. And I honestly don't mind the heat.

Count me in the minority (I guess). But I'll be back. Until I find it completely intolerable.

[ChuckyTheGoat]

Good one, Jake. That's insane.

[JAKEPEAVY21]

A lot of truth to what you say, wombat. I've thought about reasons to go to Vegas. I can think of SOME:

1) Resort that caters to multiple needs. Think Red Rock. I could go there for five days. They have hotel, slots, poker, sportsbook, restaurants, liquor, movie theatre etc. It's pretty nice. I'd like to go back.
2) Downtown still has some appeal to me. Several casinos within an 8-block stretch. Some variety, and some good restaurants. I've been down there a few times for the free Summer Concert series...and saw some good acts (like ABC).

On the topic of pricing, yes: it's mostly insane. Hard to find a bargain. And I honestly don't mind the heat.

Count me in the minority (I guess). But I'll be back. Until I find it completely intolerable.

Chucky, agree with your thoughts here. Even though I complain a lot about Vegas, I'll go back at some point and will likely stay at GVR/Red Rock or downtown...not much interest in the strip anymore for various reasons.

[ChuckyTheGoat]

Chucky, agree with your thoughts here. Even though I complain a lot about Vegas, I'll go back at some point and will likely stay at GVR/Red Rock or downtown...not much interest in the strip anymore for various reasons.

Salud, Jake. In recent years I've been on the Strip to play poker tournaments. But that's it. I don't like paying $4.00 for a bottle of soda. And it takes 12 minutes to walk OUT of these monstrosities.

[JAKEPEAVY21]

Salud, Jake. In recent years I've been on the Strip to play poker tournaments. But that's it. I don't like paying $4.00 for a bottle of soda. And it takes 12 minutes to walk OUT of these monstrosities.

I'd travel to the strip to play poker or see a show/event but would not stay there. The local places still have a bit of value and decent deals available from what I have heard.

[QuantumLeap]

I knew the end was near when they started offering 5/4 Blackjack but I also knew people were stupid enough to play that.

But then they got greedy. Instead of charging $4 for a soda they had to increase it. Then everything else got more expensive including resort fees.

Eventually they were going to choke on their own rope.

[ChuckyTheGoat]

I knew the end was near when they started offering 5/4 Blackjack but I also knew people were stupid enough to play that.

But then they got greedy. Instead of charging $4 for a soda they had to increase it. Then everything else got more expensive including resort fees.

Eventually they were going to choke on their own rope.

Ain't that the truth? Unconscionable odds. Nothing close to a fair deal.

There used to be some tangible good deals in Vegas. Real ways to stretch out your dollar and get +EV.

The management suits figure it just like you said. 'Why give em a fair shot? They'll play into crummy odds anyway.'

[wombat]

Speaking of terrible odds, how about triple zero roulette being offered in Vegas. People that don’t know better are stupid enough to play that. Ironically, the dealer told me more people play the triple zero then double zero lol.

[ChuckyTheGoat]

There used to be a casino mindset: *Give your customer a good time. Make sure they have enuf $$ to come back NEXT TIME.

Now, I think the motto might be: *Put a hoover-vacuum on their wallet. Take it all.

[stevenash]

If they changed the name of the game to 22. I'd be a millionaire.