I have been reading the Las Vegas Sun lately to see how casinos have been holding up in this tough economy and 13% unemployment rates in Las Vegas. It is pretty gloomy reading the paper these days. Each day seems to bring another casino group filing for bankruptcy or having to halt their plans to build a new resort. Boyd Group just announced it would be at least 3 to 5 YEARS before they re-start building on the new Mega-Resort on the spot the Stardust once stood.

One thing I have noticed, while room rates are down, I still think they are terribly high at many casino/resorts given the need to attract more visitors.

Visitor numbers were down 4.7% January through September vs. 2008, the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority reports. Convention attendance dropped 27.1% during that period.

While hotel discounting is the norm now, you will still find the new luxury Aria opening at official rates under $200, from $179 on slow days. That’s at least 20% off what they originally expected, but still a lot of money for people trying to enjoy a Las Vegas Vacation and still have money to gamble. Besides the Aria, a ton of hotels in Vegas still sport rates over $100 a night. The new Mandarin Oriental is banking on high rollers, with 392 rooms and suites that start at $545, with a second night free.

Just what happened to those old executives of Las Vegas who realized that cheap hotel rates and low-priced food brought the masses to gamble and made Las Vegas popular? Seems the town has gotten away from that idea and charges high prices for many places that serve food, put on shows, and provide hotel rooms.

A Good Las Vegas Hotel Recommended List with Short Summaries

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