Topic Of The Week Question:1/10/2011: Improvements for 2011

[Steve]

This week's Topic Of The Week Question is:

What improvements would you like to see in Las Vegas in 2011?

Steve

[planetbass]

Stop building so many condos
Stop building new stuff - period
Get rid of the 'porn slappers'
Install some slots that let us WIN once in a while and give us room rates that don't make us feel like YOU'RE doing US a favour!


Easy

[babush]

I love Vegas as it but only wish the prices of some of the shows would come down so more people would be able to enjoy them. Looking forward to our visit sometimes in 2011.

[pennyslots717]

DITTO TO BABUSH & PLANETBASH!

Also get the Monorail connected all the way around to both sides of the strip & to the airport!

[ASTIDIXIE]

I would personally like to see more people serving drinks when you are playing slots, more friendly people working in the casinos, more free shuttles to off strip properties, free coffee/tea & toast delivered to your room each morning, more comp nites and bring back the casino hosts!
Especially the one I had............he was wonderful & so helpful

[Kplayer96@aol.com]

Seems to me like the best improvement would be to let folks start winning a few $ again,also,as someone else said,,,more friendly servers. Vegas needs to wake up and realize just exactly how much competition it has now all over the country....The blackjack tables would do much better if the powers that be would lower the bet limits.

[ltslovak]

Ditto to all above plus....Less nightclubs and more live entertainment lounges and promote the lounges better.

[litgo]

Wow, all good suggestions! During our last 3 trips in 2010 we were aggressively approached by street people, so much so that we stopped walking the strip at night. We have always felt safe walking the strip but they must improve the security on the strip or this will just be another reason for not going to Vegas (heaven forbid!!!!).

[Treasurerat]

1 - Get rid of those ridiculous, money grabbing, resort fees.
2 - Open a few more restaurants that the average Joe can afford within the casino.
3 - Let us win once in a while - currently, the fun of gambling is becoming boring.
4 - These superstars that are or will appear must be reigned in. The only way to do this is for the hotels involved to stop giving them the moon and earth. Maybe then, we can all attend more shows that once we were able to do without breaking the bank.
5 - Tear down that monorail, and rebuild it going down the center of Las Vegas Blvd - the way it should have been built in the first place. In addition, do not charge more than the current mode of transportation.
6 - Review those fees at the rental car facility. Let the rental companies bear the brunt of costs - fair is fair, but not the way it is currently.

I could go on, but this is enough for now. Great to vent - thanks for the post.

[jt3451]

Stop building so many condos
Stop building new stuff - period
Get rid of the 'porn slappers'
Install some slots that let us WIN once in a while and give us room rates that don't make us feel like YOU'RE doing US a favour!

Easy
ha ha ditto from me but add on to that some good old town food prices again on buffets, etc with some good old quality food like fried chicken potatoes and roast beef

[Frank Slegers Holland]

For 2011:

1. please finish Fountainbleu en Echelon so the North half of the Strip gets a fair chance for the future.
2. No more resort fees
3. give us a chance to win some money. I don't care losing some money during my trip but at least give me some decent playtime for it
4. increase safety on the Strip and get rid off the hustlers
5. Better drink service in the casinos
6. less drunks at the pools
7. renovation of Flamingo, Imperial Palace, Sahara, Riviera and Circus Circus

[Oxxon]

In no particular order...

no porn slappers
lower car rental fees
please, please have the white/yellow lines on the streets painted
no resort fees for junk I'm not going to use
close the buffet at Circus Circus

I know I have a few more but can't think of them right now....

[dragondoll]

I am in agreement with just about everyone who responded so far. In addition to these suggestions, I think hotels that do buffets should figure out some way to reduce the time people spend in their buffet lines, especially during peak hours and holidays. I realize these establishments are trying to cut down on staff due to the poor economy, but I think they are doing customers an injustice. I just returned from Las Vegas a few weeks ago and even though the dining rooms in the Carnival Buffet in the Rio and the Village Buffet in the Paris were less than half full, people were still lined up for a mile outside of the entrance. By the time we got to the front of the line, my normally clean-shaven husband had a beard down to his shoulders. Another suggestion-Stop these timeshare sales people from asking you when you are leaving the city. It's not their business. We were probably approached at least 8 times during our stay by the same exact salesperson. You would think with our purple hair and clown outfits that he would have remembered us and that we already told him we were not interested. :D I actually do feel badly for them, as I know they are trying to make a living, but I wish they were not so aggressive.

[TFK]

No more 6\5 blackjack
Turn Neonopolis into an In N Out Burger
Free Wifi in the hotels

TFK

[7777]

I would like the beer to be much colder in the Casinos. I would also like to see the Panhandlers jailed. It would be nice if they doubled the number of police on the strip and downtown.

[iam4nd]

1 - Get rid of those ridiculous, money grabbing, resort fees.
2 - Open a few more restaurants that the average Joe can afford within the casino.
3 - Let us win once in a while - currently, the fun of gambling is becoming boring.
4 - These superstars that are or will appear must be reigned in. The only way to do this is for the hotels involved to stop giving them the moon and earth. Maybe then, we can all attend more shows that once we were able to do without breaking the bank.
5 - Tear down that monorail, and rebuild it going down the center of Las Vegas Blvd - the way it should have been built in the first place. In addition, do not charge more than the current mode of transportation.
6 - Review those fees at the rental car facility. Let the rental companies bear the brunt of costs - fair is fair, but not the way it is currently.

I could go on, but this is enough for now. Great to vent - thanks for the post.


Agree with most of your suggestions, but I did use the monorail quite a bit and would prefer not to see anything else on L.V. Blvd. except street. Also I believe that the only way to attack resort fees is to boycott the properties that charge them and let them know why you are doing so.

Along with others I would also really like to see an improvement in drink service.

[Sherry]

I would first explode the monster City Center and Cosmopolition. They make the strip look conjested at one end. Something needs to be done to entice people back to Vegas. The corporations need to loosen up the money and have more payouts. It is no fun going in and out of casinos dropping money here and there and not winning a dime you lose interest fast. Food is pricey in most places.

[gerrybl]

I agree with everything that has been said.

Get rid of the porn slappers.
Reduce the prices of the show tickets.
Reduce the prices of the buffets and maybe add a few more affordable restaurants.
Increase the payouts on the slots so we can win once in a while.
Give more buffet comps or room comps.
More police presence on Las Vegas Blvd. I do not feel as safe at night as I once did.:cool:

[babsie]

Loosen up the slots and lower the costs for food. They have opened a casino in the city where I live so there's no longer a reason to go to Vegas where the prices of everything is outrageous.

[Turnip579]

#1. Bring back the police downtown.
#2. Charge a fee if you want to solicite. In other words, if you want to stand out in the street in a stupid costume and beg for money, pay the city.:confused:
#3. Get rid of SAX guy downtown. Enough is enough. :mad:
#4. Bring back the police downtown.
#5. Turn Neonopolis into a brothel.
#6. Bring back the police downtown.

[boogie]

No Resort Fees, charge upfront what you want for a room.
Slots with Small payouts frequently as opposed to Big payouts seldomly.
More free drinks, and someone to serve them (these people work for tips so why aren't there more of them?)
Make it legal to slap back at slappers!

[sailor31]

get rid of the porn slappers and bums on the bridges

[Blackjack]

Would LOVE to see Vegas get rid of the "slappers" on the street. (trying to give out the "girlie" cards) I don't care that they do it, but over the past couple years they seem to get in your face, then the streets are littered with their junk. Makes the streets look really bad.

[pateboo]

Return it to the way it was before it became another playground for the rich and famous, or is that INFAMOUS? All the celebrities and famous chefs drove up the prices and made it too classy, and THEY get it all comped I'm sure. I want the hotels the way they USED to be, all different and with a theme in every sense of the word. For example, bring back the workers at Excalibur in their Knights of the Roundtable wardrobes etc. telling me to have a Royal time. Bring back the cheaper restaurants, one or two fancy ones are okay, but give us the option. I always liked that Vegas was cheesy and kind of sleazy. And I could afford it when I couldn't afford to go anywhere else. My issue with the monorail, that it takes you longer to walk to the station than it does if you just walk to your final destination in the first place. And they should quit changing things before giving them a sufficient chance to catch on. And if it ain't broke, don't fix it. Change just for the sake of change, isn't always a good thing. Some of us like familiarity. They need to sweep up the porn slappers garbage, those are slippery on the pavement. Lastly, better signage in the hotels, some of us really need to get to the strip at some point.

[charlotter]

More male strippers!!!!??????!!!!!!!

[noah6671]

I agree with everything everyone has written. There are 5 hotel casinos within one hour of us (some closer), and they have slots that let you play, and sometimes actually win! Nice, affordable restuarants, entertainment, shows.......and no resort fees or porn slappers. It's not the excitement and electricity of Vegas, but why keep go to Vegas if they keep sucking up your money, when these casinos are so convenient and customer friendly? Come on Vegas big shots, give us a reason to keep coming back!

[legalois]

From the sounds of most of the above posts, everyone wants a return to the past. Back to the time when we could eat like kings for cheap prices and even occasionally come home a winner.

My only suggestion is for a low-price buffet. Good-quality food, but half as many selections, for less money.

[rambler]

Agree with most of the suggestions. I will add some changes of my own.

1 Tear it down if your are not going to complete it. Talking to you, Fblue,Echelon, St Regis or any casino/hotel started and left to rot.

2 More lounge entertainment and spread it out by having some in the afternoon. It hasn't hurt Big Elvis ( yesterday was Elvis' b'day) or Mac King

3 The overhead walks are great but they need to keep up with the maintenance.

4 Get rid of the Sirens at Treasure Island, the worse use of a free show i have ever seen (use to go in Treasure Island a lot till it became TI and changed the show)

5 Remove the restriction on gaming licenses. This would allow entrepreneurs to just open a casino with a rest./ no hotel and these places could offer better games. think Golden Gate,SOF before MGM

[JVegas]

Ban smoking except in designated areas.

[shellie51]

I would really like to see the casinos clean up the front of their properties. Dirty sidewalks, chipped and peeling paint, broken windows. The walk from Bill's to Harrah's is disgusting. Bally's upper entrance is also sad. Mold, unkemp garden and chipped paint. Where is the sparkling clean Vegas I use to love?

[F1shindude]

We don’t want to be bothered by anyone, especially inside a casino, get rid of the folks selling timeshares and such, they are such a nuisance. More security inside the casinos, we want to feel safe and not deal with drunks, speed freaks and the like. I like the porn slappers it’s one of my favorite videos of Vegas…..My wife panned a long line of porn slappers nice and slowly guess who popped up at the very end… yours truly!!! First the hands slapping with the gusto of a young hound dawg…slowly to the face….. Bingo…All our friends freaked out…what a hoot! Best shared video we have!

[SteveSlot]

I would like the beer to be much colder in the Casinos. I would also like to see the Panhandlers jailed. It would be nice if they doubled the number of police on the strip and downtown.

Amen on the colder beer. I understand that during peak periods the turnover keeps the beer from getting as cold as possible, but come on, the technology used in Vegas in every other respect could be used in beer refrigeration. I learned how to spin a beer in a bucket of ice as a teen. Couldn't the casinos use some type of machine to do the same thing?

SteveSlot

[misterKeno]

#1. Bring back the police downtown.
#2. Charge a fee if you want to solicite. In other words, if you want to stand out in the street in a stupid costume and beg for money, pay the city.:confused:
#3. Get rid of SAX guy downtown. Enough is enough. :mad:
#4. Bring back the police downtown.
#5. Turn Neonopolis into a brothel.
#6. Bring back the police downtown.

I think the SAX guy is "okay"... i think giving him the AMPS is a little silly as you get blasted by the music within a sixty food radius. Saw him 40 hours ago on the f.s.e.... he still draws crowds.

[misterKeno]

Ban smoking except in designated areas.

Here here!

[misterKeno]

Great suggestions so far!!!

I'd like:

1) (also) to see more lounge acts.. & more of them mid-day.

2) to see the silly/trendy stuff like Sugar Factory to just GO AWAY! Who the hell wants a $12 rainbow lollipop & hip-hop music blaring in their ear? Give Paris back it's great fountain (which was great for photos, relaxing, and the nice sounds of falling water).

3) the casinos to bring back the keno lounge for gosh sakes... lot of places have done away with them (or have made them microscopic)... sure, it's not a HUGE $-maker. But, hey it gets folks in your casino.

4) to see the casinos give out complimentary water in the summer. Just have huge tubs of little 6-ounce bottled waters covered in ice (by the entrance). If you want one, grab one. There's folks (not to mention the elderly) who get seriously dehydrated while walking the strip. A lot of us are tired of spending $3.75 at the gift shop / bar for a measly bottle of water.

mK

[7777]

Amen on the colder beer. I understand that during peak periods the turnover keeps the beer from getting as cold as possible, but come on, the technology used in Vegas in every other respect could be used in beer refrigeration. I learned how to spin a beer in a bucket of ice as a teen. Couldn't the casinos use some type of machine to do the same thing?

SteveSlot

i am glad you said that, i thought it was just me.

[Rollie1967]

1. No more mandatory resort fees- I dont want a paper, dont need wifi, nor the fitness center (ok, that I could use...but Im in Vegas!)

2. Fair pricing- dont hide the price on coffee on your menus- if you can sell a steak/eggs latenite special for $6, the coffee or pop shouldnt be $3 -and hidden off the menu. especially when the tap water in Vegas sux.

3. Lose the porn slappers,hire them to clean the streets!

4. Paint the lines on your hiways! Cant believe how bad they are.

5. Find away to get less cars on the strip- all these new huge hotels means more bodies-and were all cramped on the sidewalks ment for alot less people.Widening the sidewalk would probably mean loosing a lane for vehicle traffic (but maybe enough room for a bikelane/pedicab)

[G Dunn]

This will NEVER happen, but I'd like to see clocks in the casinos. Yes I have a watch and a cell phone to check, but it would be easier to just glance at the wall to check the time.

I'd also like to see more ventilation in some of the older casinos. A good clean, fresh smell and not obnoxious perfume odor.

Clean up of the sidewalks along the strip.

Both the City Center and Cosmo are an eyesore. They are beautiful structures but not practically sitting on the sidewalk. They are to enormous for their location, blocking out the little guys that have been comfortably sitting for years. There is plenty of land to have contstructed them elsewhere for the upper scale members of society. We all may want to be "King or Queen" for a day but alot of us cannot squeeze our wallets enough to be able to do that. There's not much that can be done about that now, done is done. I don't see how they will survive when the majority of us save our pennys just to be able to get to Las Vegas, find a nice hotel and enjoy what we choose to do. Time will tell with their success. Maybe there were some other expectations when considering us average Las Vegas goers. I have gone on too much on this one but the words kept pouring, I'll move on.

I agree with opinions on the slots, loosen them up for goodness sakes!

To many high priced resturants and not enough average priced ones. The buffets have also raised their rates to much. A couple of $'s would have been okay.

I've taken up enough space for now, although, I would like to see more improvements and/or changes that I haven't mentioned.

[dreamcatcheril]

First ... A portion of my old review of the Mirage.. time to grab a quick inexpensive snack to eat before the gaming starts. A salad would be nice in the coffee shop. Seeing the $12.00 price I dropped down to the hamburger, wait a minute, in May 05 that’s $9.00. In december 05 the burger cost $ 9.50. In Dec 06 the same burger and fries cost $10.00) ........................ moving on to more current times....

In December 2010 the Coffee shop is gone it's now BB Kings but a new place has opened where the tigers used to be... Time for a hamburger.... $13.00.... I walked across the street and had MC Donalds for a whole lot less.

I read where the number of people visiting Vegas is up slightly but they are spending less money.

To answer the question what improvements would you like to see in Las Vegas in 2011? ...... nothing ..... law of supply and demand should even things out.

People will go for the shows and food and not care what they spend up to a certain point, then they will say no .... people will go for the gambling. At some point the 6/5 black jack will not draw people to the black jack tables. More and more people will reduce the number of visits to the gambling capital of the world.... I have been going to vegas 3 times a year for so long I can't remember...I changed in 2010... I went to Vegas one (1) time... I spent right around the same money as a Las Vegas trip would cost ...... on a beach .....

[Janineleigh]

I would like someone to bring back the show, "We Will Rock You"
NO RESORT FEES!!!
bring back some of the old slot machines
put the coconut back in the air at the Mirage and TI

[cindyinnj]

1. Please limit porn slappers and timeshare pushers!
2. Need more lounges for us "geezers" to go to. I'm too old for the young hot clubs.
3. Loosen up slots a tad!
4. Some more comps.
5. I always wondered why they put the rail way off the strip. Why not build one that
is above the strip and follows it downtown?

[cjm051]

1. Bring down show prices. Paying over $100 for some of the shows is ridiculous.

2. Lower food prices. I can see some of the expensive restaurants that might offer something unique, but $12 for a burger and $25 for a buffet !!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

3. No 6-5 blackjack.

4. No hidden resort fees and better room comps. Give me a good room for under $75 if it is not free.

[candyb92]

i am all for the old vegas to come back, complete with the small casinos and gift shops line all in a row. I miss that Vegas. Walking the strip was an adventure back then. You could shop cheap, eat cheap, and sleep cheap. What happened!? We can't improve on the what's happened. So I say tear it down and bring back once was......:cool:

[Turnip579]

MISTERKENO: I agree that the SAX guy is OK, but after years of it, I've had enough! :o

Secondly: I also agree with the fountain at PARIS. I was there a few weeks ago and walked by only to see it GONE! Pissed me off. It was my favorite.

[LVloverNaNa]

1. More slot play for my money.
2. Agree with many, get rid of the porn slappers.
3. Monorail from the airport to Fremont.
4. Dedicated North and South bound LV strip cab lanes (this has been done on part of the route for the gold CAT bus to Fremont).
5. Free Wi-Fi in the hotels.
6. NO resort fees.

[AKA Big Bad Bob]

i am all for the old vegas to come back, complete with the small casinos and gift shops line all in a row. I miss that Vegas. Walking the strip was an adventure back then. You could shop cheap, eat cheap, and sleep cheap. What happened!? We can't improve on the what's happened. So I say tear it down and bring back once was......:cool:

One addition to this. How about bringing back slot machines that accept coins!!! They can still pay out by tickets but at least let them accept quarters and nickels. We get so much leftover change in Vegas that it continues to pile up. Heck, the casinos might see a little increase in play while people play their leftover change.

Big Bad (and coinless)
Bob

[misterKeno]

One addition to this. How about bringing back slot machines that accept coins!!! They can still pay out by tickets but at least let them accept quarters and nickels. We get so much leftover change in Vegas that it continues to pile up. Heck, the casinos might see a little increase in play while people play their leftover change.

Big Bad (and coinless)
Bob

I agree... & i'll take it one step further. I loved the Bally Electro-Mechanicals. They were the best. Coin in, coin out. This was a golden era!! Hopper refills, more frequent payouts. You'd carry your coins across the street in that little bucket.

Cool. Righteous. Stuff.

[Steve]

I would like to see at least one more over-the- strip walkway at Harmon Ave.

Steve

[YSinAppleton]

I would like to see more lounges like the one at Ballys where they have a nice band playing and you can sit and have a drink or two and enjoy the music. Also, get completely rid of the porn slappers. They are horrible and make such an awful mess on the streets.

[rifledude]

The casinos act as though the low rollers just should play the penny slots and don't expect any comps or freebies.

Downtown at the Cal and MSS these folks are treated with respect and generousity. A lot of these folks are fly-ins from Hawaii. Boyd knows these people and their gaming choices.

I'm NOT a high roller and don't pretend to run in those circles. I don't bet one grand a hand at the tables or play 100 dollar slot machines. I don't hang out at the hip night clubs or eat the food of the gods. Maybe joyglen can give us an answer as to why the whales aren't getting beached (fleeced) so much these days by the casinos ? What say you, joyglen?

I call myself a mid level gambler . I drop a few thousand on each trip and have some fun in Vegas. I don't get my shoes shined or butt pampered when I'm on vacation there. I don't ask for or need that treatment from the casinos.

I'm tired of being treated like a beggar. I'm not rude to casino personell. Why do I end up feeling that most casinos are treating mid level gamblers like minnows?

JMHO on that matter.

[arm53]

Downtown at the Cal and MSS these folks are treated with respect and generousity. A lot of these folks are fly-ins from Hawaii. Boyd knows these people and their gaming choices.

Rifle I agree. Boyds is great in all areas. Some talk, but mostly walk!

Don't know any real whales...not on my social level. Some talk, but mostly walk!

Just read online about a $5000 burger. I think In-n-out is safe with my business.

Never hit a Royal.....maybe someday.

I will not stay at places that charge a resort fee.
I will look at Cosmo.
City Center has really nothing for me.
I will be back to Ellis Island.
I save porn slapper cards....maybe like baseball cards in the future.
Put me in a non-smoking room and I will lie.
Rental car "extra" fees need to go.
Slots are too tight everywhere.
Cut my comps and I cut my play.
Airline fees are killing Vegas.
Give me good coffee shop food and I will give you my money.
Big shows don't interest me for the buck.
Lil lounge acts interest me-a drink, a chair, and good company-Tuscony!!
Pools are for frogs to grow.
The monorail needs to be dead center......even Disney was smarter.
Clubs.....I come to LV to relax, not to be seen. Lil black dresses are a bonus walking by.
Don't need skin acts.....but Naked Boys Singing adv gave me a laugh.
Hold my hand out (palm out) to condo/time share people.

Still the greatest city in the world! :D

[spartanmama]

Lower the cost of snacks, water and beverages in the casino convenience stores, plus add more lower priced party stores to buy alcohol and beer for those who want to take it back to their rooms, or grab on on the way out when it's hard to find a waitress.

[magicfish]

1. No more mandatory resort fees- I dont want a paper, dont need wifi, nor the fitness center (ok, that I could use...but Im in Vegas!)

2. Fair pricing- dont hide the price on coffee on your menus- if you can sell a steak/eggs latenite special for $6, the coffee or pop shouldnt be $3 -and hidden off the menu. especially when the tap water in Vegas sux.

3. Lose the porn slappers,hire them to clean the streets!

4. Paint the lines on your hiways! Cant believe how bad they are.

5. Find away to get less cars on the strip- all these new huge hotels means more bodies-and were all cramped on the sidewalks ment for alot less people.Widening the sidewalk would probably mean loosing a lane for vehicle traffic (but maybe enough room for a bikelane/pedicab)

My change would be less pedestrians on the strip, not less cars!!!! It's a street!
More bridges over the strip in more places would be a start!!!
So would pedestrians who pay attention and have a clue!

[magicfish]

I would like someone to bring back the show, "We Will Rock You"
NO RESORT FEES!!!
bring back some of the old slot machines
put the coconut back in the air at the Mirage and TI

We Will Rock you - one of my all time favs!!!

[magicfish]

1. More slot play for my money.
2. Agree with many, get rid of the porn slappers.
3. Monorail from the airport to Fremont.
4. Dedicated North and South bound LV strip cab lanes (this has been done on part of the route for the gold CAT bus to Fremont).
5. Free Wi-Fi in the hotels.
6. NO resort fees.

Cab lanes? Girl, don't encourage them - they're obnoxious enough already!!! lol

[Dkoehn]

How about installing those self-serve refreshment centers for sodas and water? Many Michigan casinos have them now. It would cut down on the complaints about cocktail service. It would also keep me playing in the casino longer if I don't have to go thirsty. Perhaps they have some there already, but I haven't seen any yet. I would go out of my way to play there if they did.

Donna K
(in very COLD Ohio)