Las Vegas tourism seems to be in deep trouble

[Carmudgeon]

First time I visited Vegas was probably ~35 years ago, and back then, the accessible food options were a cheap, mediocre hotel buffet or restaurant, or fast food. Literally a food desert, so to speak.

Over the years, that changed, but I guess they've gone too far in the other direction. But I do hear there are some good ethnic restaurants away from the Strip.

I don't really gamble, or drink, so it's not a place I've gone to unless there was some other purpose.

Casino, or Goodfellas v2, was released in 1995, and ended with the character's lament of the corporate takeover of the city. Fiction has seemingly become fact.

 

[edyvw]

One of those tennis ball lobbers and a portable AC.

I actually do steel mills in Birmingham and Mobile during the summer, in full PPE. They limit the time operators can be on the floor without a break in a cool room.

I did tennis lessons only when I was coach there and paid my studies. There is no way I would do that for a living. You look like you have been working in coal mine after 20yrs, and skin is like Michelin CrossClimate 2

But growing up in town that had steel mill that employed 22,500 people, I can almost feel your pain.

 

[Brons2]

I have gotten so many emails from cybersecurity vendors wanting me to visit them at BlackHat in Las Vegas.

Lol I'm not going. For all I know it might have already happened. Maybe it's this weekend. Don't care. I'm never going to Vegas in the summertime, unless I'm transferring planes at McCarran on an itinerary going somewhere up in the NW. It's a whole nother level of hot there even compared to Central Texas.

Before Covid it seemed like we had more tech conferences in Austin, I would go to those. But now they're tearing down the convention center and building a bigger one anyway, so, probably won't happen in the next couple of years unless it's some small potatoes deal. Nothing like Palo Ignite anyway, which they had downtown two years in a row.

[edit] I guess I cared enough to look. BlackHat is Aug 2-7. https://www.blackhat.com/us-25/
won't see me there.

 

[y_p_w]

First time I visited Vegas was probably ~35 years ago, and back then, the accessible food options were a cheap, mediocre hotel buffet or restaurant, or fast food. Literally a food desert, so to speak.

Over the years, that changed, but I guess they've gone too far in the other direction. But I do hear there are some good ethnic restaurants away from the Strip.

I don't really gamble, or drink, so it's not a place I've gone to unless there was some other purpose.

Casino, or Goodfellas v2, was released in 1995, and ended with the character's lament of the corporate takeover of the city. Fiction has seemingly become fact.

What’s your definition of accessible? I don’t remember too much about visiting during the 1970s, but my parents have photos of me in front of the old MGM before the fire. Certainly buffets were the norm, but many hotels had fine dining. When I visited in 1995 for a trade show. I only had to take it in like a customer and then help my company break down the booth and take a few things back to the office. But my reward was dinner at the nicest restaurant in our hotel. I recall I ordered osso bucco. It was that kind of place.

 

[SC Maintenance]

Like I said its been a while, but I recall several really nice meals in Vegas. I can't tell you where, and they were never on my dime - which for me is the proper way to go to Vegas - on someone else's expense account.

 

[alarmguy]

Not saying I like either, but this is Vegas currently. Below Vegas is where I am at currently. Look at the heat index. Humidity is awful.

If you look at the deaths of elderly in the city apartments in heat waves, its typically the humidity. Your body can't cool itself very well when the humidity is 70%. I try to walk in the morning or late afternoon when the sun has dropped. I am used to it, and the humidity, which at those times is at or near 100%, is absolutely oppressive whatever the temp.

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Really? You’re in Vegas right now? Not at home?
Guess what? It will be more hot here for two days anyway. Maybe even more hot in your home town which is more south.
Check out the weekend forecast on the Carolina coast. This is the NC/SC border.

 

[SC Maintenance]

Really? You’re in Vegas right now? Not at home?
Guess what? It will be more hot here for two days anyway. Maybe even more hot in your home town which is more south.
Check out the weekend forecast on the Carolina coast. This is the NC/SC border.
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No, that was my point - home is much more humid and therefore feels much hotter currently. Next week here is going to be nasty, but honestly if it burns off the humidity it might not be as bad as it sounds.

I just hope we don't overload the grid.

 

[alarmguy]

No, that was my point - home is much more humid and therefore feels much hotter currently. Next week here is going to be nasty, but honestly if it burns off the humidity it might not be as bad as it sounds.

I just hope we don't overload the grid.

You know, I knew I had to be missing something in that post! Yeah, we will be on then boat tomorrow with my brother and sis in law. I have to be honest, they are calling for calm winds, its not a big boat with a cabin, if so it may be too hot unless you stay in the water.
I suspect we will still have a sea breeze which is typical but this is the first time I saw them call for "calm" winds.

Typically when we go out for the day I have the thermostat go up to 82 degrees. I dont think I will be doing that this weekend. As in these newer homes the system is too close matched to the home, taking into account r-factors etc. So there isn't a lot of extra cooling capacity. I know it would take many hours or may even 6 hours trying to get back to a norm of 76 for the evening and 72 for sleep. IF the outside temps are still hot.
A power outage would be a disaster! More so because we are seriously considering a small back up power inverter/generator. Whether or not we do it Im not sure. I think it's a once every 5 to 10 year event that we may need one. In our community last time was 4 days in 2018... we only moved here in 2022

 

[Carmudgeon]

What’s your definition of accessible? I don’t remember too much about visiting during the 1970s, but my parents have photos of me in front of the old MGM before the fire. Certainly buffets were the norm, but many hotels had fine dining. When I visited in 1995 for a trade show. I only had to take it in like a customer and then help my company break down the booth and take a few things back to the office. But my reward was dinner at the nicest restaurant in our hotel. I recall I ordered osso bucco. It was that kind of place.

No rental car, meaning a place on the Strip, and a non-hotel food establishment. "Fine" dining in those days meant an upper scale hotel restaurant, predating the rush of of bona fide chefs opening outposts in Vegas. Didn't venture into that shopping mall on that trip, but I'd guess its offerings were of a food court variety. The Forum Shops at Caesar's were apparently still a few years away.

The Mirage was the fancy, shiny new casino at the time. The even fancier Bellagio wouldn't open until about a decade later.

It was a different food scene, compared to the many more options that came later, even turning Vegas into a food destination.

The car collection on top of the Imperial Palace parking garage was a nice diversion from the usual activities, but it is history as well. There was also a tiny Irish-themed casino next to the IP were we spent much time, and where I gambled what little I did. In later years, also enjoyed the large arcade at NY, NY, and across the street, where there was the Coke museum. Also visited the Star Trek thing at the Hilton away from the Strip.

I've been to Vegas a few times, and for me, that's more than enough. It's one of those places that once you've had that experience, there's no need to go back without a reason, aside from if you like actually like the kinds of thing it offers.

 

[SC Maintenance]

Now I want to go back to Vegas just to see how its changed.

I stayed at the Mirage once. This is long enough ago to when it was still one of the better places on the strip, with their erupting volcano. Probably late 90's. I read its closed now.

I stayed in the Rio once, it was nice too.

I went to a convention in the Venetian once but it was way more than I was willing to pay, although my company likely would have been OK with it. I stayed somewhere a couple blocks off strip and walked - I don't remember what - likely a Courtyard or something.

I stayed at a Terribles once. I don't remember it being that terrible. Its closed now also.

 

[y_p_w]

No rental car, meaning a place on the Strip, and a non-hotel food establishment. "Fine" dining in those days meant an upper scale hotel restaurant, predating the rush of of bona fide chefs opening outposts in Vegas. Didn't venture into that shopping mall on that trip, but I'd guess its offerings were of a food court variety. The Forum Shops at Caesar's were apparently still a few years away.

The Mirage was the fancy, shiny new casino at the time. The even fancier Bellagio wouldn't open until about a decade later.

It was a different food scene, compared to the many more options that came later, even turning Vegas into a food destination.

The car collection on top of the Imperial Palace parking garage was a nice diversion from the usual activities, but it is history as well. There was also a tiny Irish-themed casino next to the IP were we spent much time, and where I gambled what little I did. In later years, also enjoyed the large arcade at NY, NY, and across the street, where there was the Coke museum. Also visited the Star Trek thing at the Hilton away from the Strip.

I've been to Vegas a few times, and for me, that's more than enough. It's one of those places that once you've had that experience, there's no need to go back without a reason, aside from if you like actually like the kinds of thing it offers.

I don’t know about then, but on my last I took the bus from the airport to our hotel (the former and now again Sahara). It wasn’t bad, although my only luggage was a carry on and a laptop bag. But most of the riders seemed to be locals. I’m sure using the bus would have made getting around easier. It took longer than a taxi but I was there early and had plenty of time.

 

[Owen Lucas]

Went last year, saw Foreigner, The Beatles Cirque Du Soleil, and The Sphere experience. It was all pretty expensive, but we did go to premium restaurants and saw exciting shows. The Sphere is overpriced though, IIRC, $180 a seat. We stayed off the strip for $200 a night to be close to the conference.

Gambling isn't my thing and I can see shows anywhere, so I'll only go to Vegas if it’s work related. I'd rather save up the $$ and travel internationally.