Recent Vegas trip… is Vegas dying or something else?

On my recent trip, I stayed more at off strip properties (south point and rampart) but I did have one night at the W (used to be Delano).I have to say, I actually felt more nickel and dimed off the strip then on it during my brief stay.

South Point was good in terms of gaming and even casino comps, but they used to have free charging for those with EV vehicles but in just the last 6 months they moved to actually charging for this feature now. It used to be my go to stop when visiting Vegas, but I am going to rethink this decision now.

Rampart also does the same for charging for “fueling” your EV (though has been for awhile), but getting casino comps is harder than ever. You have to really gamble a long time and go talk to your casino host and even then, you are only able to get one comp a day. This used to be a great casino but now it feels like upper management does not care for the average gambler. Also, they seems to have increased prices for food/drinks almost comparable to the strip.

W was cool but was only there for a short time. I came on a night with the MJ Cirque show and it was packed! Though, it did feel a little more quiet than normal for a holiday weekend once the crowd of the shows went away. Not dead, but just “quieter”. Also, the check in front desk did waive my parking fees (which I have noticed if you do just ask if you are staying at on the strip properties).

Overall, I don’t think I’ll be back to Vegas for awhile. I do think it caters more to more wealthy travelers now which seems crazy even just a few years ago. I would rather go on cruises to visit various destinations, all included food and shows, and a more chill atmosphere. I really do hope Vegas does turnaround as the staff I have come across have all been fantastic, but I hope corporate greed does not get them too.