patrick.net

Patrick says

RC2006 says

I think what bothered me the most was the nickel and diming, it's really bad. Everything is over priced and I just felt ripped off.

Agreed. I will never go back to Vegas, or Honolulu, or Miami Beach.

https://x.com/WallStreetApes/status/1964170875751846124

Las Vegas prices are beyond insane

American ordered this bowl of pasta at Park MGM. She shows the receipt, it’s $52.95 for this bowl of pasta and a water….

This is why nobody goes to Vegas anymore

I have no sympathy. Prices are posted. If someone paid $52 for pasta and water at Eataly, they are a moron. Wife and I had breakfast there about a year ago. It was fantastic and everyone passing by was commenting how great it looked. Total without coffee(which we got elsewhere beforehand) was about $30 and no need to tip.

It required walking to a couple stands…there’s about ten stands at Eataly…before placing our order. Simpleton idiots of course just think “me hungry” and go to the first place they come across. Actually happens to the wifey on a low level and she’ll wind up doing something dumb like paying $8 for a bottle of water at the hotel gift shop rather than wait 10 more minutes for us to walk by the CVS and getting the same bottle under $3 while I pay $4 for my tall can of Modelo Negra instead of $10-25 in the casino($10 at gift shop, $25 for two bottles of a beer I don’t want at a casino bar).

FuckTheMainstreamMedia says

If someone paid $52 for pasta and water at Eataly, they are a moron.

I agree.

Actually happens to the wifey on a low level and she’ll wind up doing something dumb like paying $8 for a bottle of water at the hotel gift shop rather than wait 10 more minutes for us to walk by the CVS and getting the same bottle under $3 while I pay $4 for my tall can of Modelo Negra instead of $10-25 in the casino($10 at gift shop, $25 for two bottles of a beer I don’t want at a casino bar)

I'm also guessing that this walkable CVS charges higher prices when compared to a normal CVS as well.

In my in basket from MGM today:
Subject to up to $55 Daily Resort Fee

Currently $30/night at Borgata Atlantic City (the only MGM property in AC).

zzyzzx says

There is no beach or boardwalk in Vegas, and I have no idea why people anyone would go to Vegas now, unless you just like really hot weather and like to gamble (can't most people gamble locally now)??? So unless you really like to pay too much casino hop, I don't see the appeal to Vegas.

Humid at times, but Biloxi, MS is a good alternative in the winter or fall and spring shoulder seasons. Usually not humid that time of year. Beaches, but not the greatest, you'd need to drive 2 hours east, but that's what my dad would do in the Panhandle of FL. My mom would watch us and he'd disappear usually 1 or 2 days over to Biloxi during a week trip and gamble for 10 hours and drive back to where we were staying. Or he'd golf.

Vegas can get cold in the winter too, but in Biloxi if you do October and November it's pretty perfect. Keep an eye on hurricanes in the fall. If you fly Pensacola would be the best landing spot. Could do NOLA but usually more expensive though slightly shorter drive. As someone in the Northeast(ish) area it would be an alternative in the winter if you want to gamble and have warmer weather.

With Vegas, every thing you book is cheap until you get there. Don't know if it's changed but you can gamble and get free drinks. Go to the bar and you'll be broke. That's why they give free drinks, keep you gambling. Cheaper on their end as they're probably getting 20-200k bottles of beer a day at something like .50¢ while almost any bet is gonna be $10 on average for gamblers. Again don't know if they still do but indoor smoking was a huge boon to gambling when most states outlawed it. Free booze and you can smoke. Not popular with the younger crowd, but was big when I was growing up.

Smoking and free booze while gambling are still a thing in Las Vegas.

I admit to heavy bias. It’s only a few hours drive. Wife maintains ok comps at lower end places mindlessly playing slots. Vegas to its credit has improved the comps as of late by including a small amount of free play as well as a $50 to $100 resort credit which buys us a breakfast or two. Can’t complain really but yeah costs will get out of hand if you don’t pay attention to what you are doing or if you have a family.

Reason enough not to go to Vegas:



Atlantic City doesn't do this.

Exactly.

Vegas hates you.

Never been to Atlantic City.

https://rudy.substack.com/p/the-increasing-economic-fragility



Wow, three mandatory tips, all of different names, adding up to more than 50%.

How could anyone possibly be so stupid as to even set foot in Vegas anymore? Or is it all newcomers getting ripped off? Or people who have so much money they just don't care?

zzyzzx says

In my in basket from MGM today:
Subject to up to $55 Daily Resort Fee

Currently $30/night at Borgata Atlantic City (the only MGM property in AC).

Not bad if it is $85 a night before taxes

Quick Answer: The free amenities at Borgata Hotel Casino & Spa in Atlantic City include access to the indoor and outdoor pools, fitness center (Pump Room), whirlpools, and gardens, along with standard in-room features like Wi‑Fi, flat‑screen TVs, and luxury toiletries. These are covered by the daily resort fee, so guests don’t pay extra at the property.

Those should be covered by the price of the room, the way it used to be until like 10 minutes ago.

No one with any self-respect should stay anywhere that openly insults its customers with "resort fees".

Patrick says

Those should be covered by the price of the room, the way it used to be until like 10 minutes ago.

No one with any self-respect should stay anywhere that openly insults its customers with "resort fees".

I guess they want to somewhat demonstrate price transparency to show what you are paying for during a visit.

Vegas should rethink their business model such as the Hilton use to have Star Trek exhibit about 25 years ago. They could now charge $3 for a coffee (add a $1 tip) that costs 50 cents in making (coffee grinds and life cycle cost for coffee machine) to have patrons visit the Star Trek exhibit.

Call me crazy, but I don’t get it. I don’t understand why anyone would ever take a vacation and go to Vegas. I suppose it’s great for city folk. I prefer nature settings and no sounds coming from human beings.

SharkyP says

Call me crazy, but I don’t get it. I don’t understand why anyone would ever take a vacation and go to Vegas. I suppose it’s great for city folk. I prefer nature settings and no sounds coming from human beings.

Agree. But you can't forget addiction and dreams of winning big bucks. I hate Vegas. I gamble once every 2-3 years. I've been to Vegas I think 12 times and have only gambled once there. Most of it was when I was underage and mom would take us to shows or something.

There can be some entertainment, but it's completely degenerate otherwise. Go to the Grand Canyon or hit the Utah NP trail up to Salt Lake City (Moab, Zion, etc.) if you're out that way. Hike the Narrows at Zion and get as far as you can and crack a few cold ones as a reward. The extra weight is extra exercise as well. I lose anywhere from 3-10 pounds on vacation usually which doesn't make sense.

SharkyP says

Call me crazy, but I don’t get it. I don’t understand why anyone would ever take a vacation and go to Vegas. I suppose it’s great for city folk. I prefer nature settings and no sounds coming from human beings.

Deprived people addicted to total depravity. There was a time in my life when Vegas had an appeal of fun. Glad those days are long gone.

Blackstone sold an $800 million preferred equity stake in Las Vegas’s CityCenter (home to the Aria Resort & Casino and Vdara Hotel & Spa) to Realty Income Corp. in December 2025. The move wasn’t an exit — Blackstone retains full common equity ownership and MGM Resorts continues to operate the properties — but rather a way to raise capital, lock in returns, and bring in a long‑term partner while keeping control of the assets.

FortWayneHatesRealtors says

Deprived people addicted to total depravity. There was a time in my life when Vegas had an appeal of fun. Glad those days are long gone.

The Vegas hotel resorts each should have their own attraction like Hilton with its Star Trek Experience, the Bellagio with Italian Art exhibit, Mandalay Bay with its aquarium, etc. Make it diverse like Disney World and include educational experience as part of it. Then offer visitors a pass to go to at least 5 resort exhibits.

That is one way Vegas can resort itself and make it affordable like $3 coffees and $13 brunches.

.

AD says

I guess they want to somewhat demonstrate price transparency to show what you are paying for during a visit.

Resort fees are the opposite of price transparency.

They took one clear price, the cost of staying at the hotel, and broke it into random parts to deliberately obscure how much it really costs.

Patrick says

Resort fees are the opposite of price transparency.

The problem with some fees is you don't know them until you arrive. I don't know how they get away with it.

I do all my travel shopping online. I always go to the checkout screen and see the bull shit. Takes more time, but on a week long trip not just to Vegas (hell) that could be $500-1k. Gotta do your due diligence when traveling now. Don't trust a travel agent either unless it's across an ocean. Even then I'd self plan. Spend 4-6 hours and you'll save solid money and it's fun like bull shitting here. Vegas or beach vacation usually all the sites have soft porn of scantily clad women to sell you so it's a win win.

Everything Millennials touch turns to shit.

https://rudy.substack.com/p/3-inflation-is-not-low-inflation

And that’s what Corporate America misses every time. They look at simple numbers. I can make the idiot give me money faster so I make more money in the same amount of time. But they ignore things like the fact that if I’m not having fun, I won’t come back. If I’m not having fun, I will spend less time in your business buying other things. If I’m not having fun, I’m not going to tell my friends how great it is at your place of business.

Yeah, corporate America. You won. You got my money faster that one time. And now you won’t get more of it there.

What kills me is that this isn’t limited to the casinos. It’s everything, everywhere. Everything is so much more adversarial, predatory and it always just leaves a bad taste in my mouth. Our movies are bland, our music is bland, our real estate market is fucked, our job market is fucked, our stores are poorly stocked, online businesses are filled with poor quality knock offs, scalpers get the items like anticipated electronics and event tickets we actually do want and sell them to us at horrendous markups. And yeah, I know there was never really truly a golden age and that all of those things were around before, but they’re all being pushed to their true horrendous end stage. The logical conclusion. There is always just little more to wring out of us.

Except there isn’t, and then the whole thing falls apart. And the people that caused it because somehow having the most wealth in human history still isn’t enough will be completely fine.

Patrick says

And that’s what Corporate America misses every time.

Panama City Beach and Florida panhandle is trying to be the best-value vacation location for the working and middle class. It promotes it beaches and local parks as far as ecotourism appeal.

Its cheaper to stay in a condo on the beach at $300 a night for a family of four and enjoy the ecotourism features then to go to other common vacation locations like Disney World every year. Can fish and snorkel and see all types of wildlife like dolphins, sea turtles, herons, ospreys, etc.

Casinos have added another losing slot on the roulette wheel, 000, to boost house revenue. Bets like red/black, odd/even now have another way to lose: when the ball lands on 000.

https://rudy.substack.com/p/the-art-of-the-absurd

Vegas seems to have exported its triple-zero philosophy across the Strip. Another casualty is blackjack, which remains the most popular casino attraction in the city. Historically, the game has followed a golden rule. If you are dealt 21—an ace and a 10—you’ve hit blackjack, and your wager is paid out on a 3-to-2 ratio. (A $100 bet nets $150, and so on.) But Vegas has since altered the rules. Now, on most tables, blackjack is rewarded with a 6-to-5 equation; that same $100 kicks back only $120, significantly curtailing just how lucky someone is allowed to get. Again, it’s not hard to see why Vegas casinos made the change. “They’re tripling the house edge,” John told me. “It went up from about 0.66 percent to 2 percent.”

Even if a gambler is willing to tolerate these perversions of tradition, the price of admission in Vegas has skyrocketed. According to John’s research, in 2020, 38 casinos in the greater Las Vegas gambling market featured tables dealing 3-to-2 blackjack capped at a $5 minimum bet. (As in, to play, you need to risk at least $5 per hand.) These days, that group has dropped to six casinos. Prowl through the Strip after dark, sift through the pits, and you’ll feel the difference. Most table games in 2025 force patrons to sacrifice painful amounts of cash to its maw—$25 minimums are basically standard. Fifty-dollar minimums aren’t uncommon either. Even more deviously, some Vegas properties force customers to pay a premium to access friendlier rules. I came across exactly one ultra-rare single-zero roulette wheel on the Strip, which felt a little bit like uncovering the hutch of the last surviving dodo. Naturally, it was stowed away in a high-limit room.

I flew right over Tuesday and it looked dead. People were out but not that many. It was Tuesday at around 5PM though so maybe that's why.

Maga_Chaos_Monkey says

I flew right over Tuesday and it looked dead. People were out but not that many. It was Tuesday at around 5PM though so maybe that's why.

Holiday parties for professional men that usually would go. I think college finals in most places so young crowd isn't going until they're done which is now for most. Less people getting married, so less bachelor and bachelorette parties. I think this week it could be pretty easy.

Other factor it's too easy to gamble at home, either through sports betting where the odds are likely better or at your local casino. I don't think Vegas has the cache it used to for older people. Younger people across the country can gamble in many different ways. I have no interest unless it's a layover for Bozeman, MT.