MGM Resorts to add Parking Fees to 12 Las Vegas Hotels
As you have been hearing about recently, MGM Resorts has announced they will start charging for parking at their 12 hotel properties along the Las Vegas Strip. These fees will go into effect this upcoming April.
While the fees will be relatively modest according to their press release, the reactions of Las Vegas travelers has been very negative. When the new fees come into effect, they are reportedly going to be less than $10 per day. Yet when you add that amount to other fees such as resort fees, you now have additional cost that impacts your travel budget.
Las Vegas locals and travelers alike have gone to social media to proclaim their disapproval. People have stated that they will never step foot into an MGM Resort property again and others plan to protest and boycott. So you know, here are the 12 hotels that will experience the parking fees.
Aria
Bellagio
Circus Circus
Delano
Excalibur
Luxor
MGM Grand
Manadalay Bay
Mirage
Monte Carlo
New York - New York
Vdara
My thought is that this will go in either of two directions.
First, and most unlikely, would be that MGM Resorts eliminates the parking fee prior to April and subtly increases their resorts fees later in 2016. Keep in mind that the parking fee money is earmarked to pay for the planned $90 million in parking improvements at their Las Vegas Strip properties. So they are going to raise the money through set fees, it's just how they label them.
Second, and more likely, would be the other Las Vegas Strip hotels and other area hotels will use this to their advantage in their 2nd, 3rd and 4th quarter marketing plans. You'll see ads from them luring you in because you don't have to pay to park. I think this will go on until this time next year. Then, I predict that rival multi-hotel ownership Caesars Entertainment will announce a parking fee next year. Then the whole town will domino into pay to park, just like almost all now have resort fees.
So, does this new fee bother me? No, as we don't drive in Las Vegas, but many of you do. I don't like Las Vegas becoming a nickle & dime city, but it is a growing city that keeps improving and fees are a way to fund those projects. Keep in mind that set fees like this are a way for large, publicly traded companies to impact their bottom line and secure funding for property improvements and in MGM Resort's case, a new Arena. Now the average Las Vegas vacationer who uses a car can now expect another $30-$40 per trip added to their 'before fun' cost. We sure hope gas prices continue to stay low!
Another group of people I worry about are the valets attendants. They have to be the ones who will hear the unpleasantries from the hotel goers and they will likely feel an impact on their normal tip amounts. Please keep this in mind if you do use parking valet services and avoid punishing the attendants both verbally and financially. Let's not take out our frustration on the service industry people who are NOT responsible for the decisions of their company's CFOs and CEOs.
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