Commercial Gaming
Las Vegas Keeps Getting More Expensive, Fees Now Applied to Drinks
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Las Vegas casinos keep becoming more expensive to visit, as service fees on drinks are now being incurred by guests at Strip resort properties.
First reported by Vital Vegas, a recent guest at Park MGM questioned why his two drinks at the Mama Rabbit Mezcal and Tequila Bar came with a service charge. The bill – totaling $38.00 – increased to $43.04 after $3.14 sales tax and an ambiguous $1.90 service charge.
Another guest – under the Twitter handle “NotFromConcentrate” – noticed he, too, incurred such random charges at Park MGM. He reached out to MGM Resorts for an explanation.
This charge you’re seeing is a venue fee,” the casino operator explained. “It is not only applied for table service, but for bar service as well, and is being applied to every check in the venue.”
“This fee is applied to all things that keep the venue operationally running, like the gaming maintenance for all bar top games, Wi-Fi, lounge maintenance,” MGM added.
Fees Galore
Las Vegas is becoming the fee capital of the world. Casinos began eliminating free parking in recent years – a perk that had been afforded to visitors of all tier levels for decades. Resort fees continue to climb, Park MGM currently at $37 a day.
According to the Park MGM website, the resort fee covers “property-wide high speed internet access (public spaces and in-room), unlimited local and toll free calls, airline boarding pass printing, and fitness center access for guests 18+.”
It’s not just MGM that’s in on the fee game.
Sahara Las Vegas, which returned to the Strip last week after a disastrous run as SLS Las Vegas, is also charging a service fee at its bars. A receipt from The Foundry shared to Twitter shows a $14.00 cocktail ballooning to $16.80 after a mandatory 15 percent gratuity and five percent service charge.
Daily resort fees are now as high as $45 a day – the going rate at luxury properties, including the Bellagio, Aria, Vdara, Venetian, Palazzo, Wynn, and Encore.
The charges are the subject of two lawsuits filed by the attorney general for the District of Columbia and Nebraska. The complaints allege resort fees are a form of “drip pricing” where online retailers advertise one price, and then incrementally increase the cost through mandatory surcharges.
Visitor Backlash
Following the October 2017 mass shooting, Las Vegas pleaded with visitors to continue supporting the gaming mecca. MGM CEO Jim Murren said, “Without you, they [casino and hotel staff] don’t have a job. You are coming here supporting this destination and helping those families take care of themselves.”
But then many Las Vegas Strip casinos eliminated free parking and jacked up resort fees.
On Twitter, users are outraged at the newest fees to invade Sin City.
This whole fee thing has gotten ridiculous. They are making people angry and killing the golden goose. Very greedy and stupid,” one user said.
Another explained, “I was joking when I suggested a toilet flush fee, an air conditioning fee, a housekeeping fee, a towel fee, quadruple zero roulette fee, pool lounge chair fee, casino admission fee, an hourly slot machine fee.”
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Conversation (136 comments)
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September 7, 2019
September 7, 2019
So we now pay a resort fee for WiFi throughout the property, as well as a service fee for WiFi at a bar on said property? Does anybody really need to make phone calls from their room anymore? Or print boarding passes for that matter?
September 7, 2019
September 7, 2019
I’ve been to Vegas before but this past August at the MGM I got wacked with resort fees of 45 bucks a day.i will not go to Vegas ever again.
September 7, 2019
It is MGM. They are in alot of debt and keep finding ways to tax locals & tourists. The lost on City Center the shooting lawsuits. All these new changes are MGM properties. People needs to stop boycotting MGM properties they will stop! Wynn follow on the charging for parking but went back to free parking. Venetian Palazzo never did.
September 7, 2019
Vegas Baby— greed capital of the world. That’s why locals avoid the Strip, but all those venues city-wide are a rip off. Go elsewhere. And Mr Murren should be ashamed of himself for using 1 October mass shooting to justify never ending ridiculous fees.
September 7, 2019
I have been going to Las Vegas for over 45 years, greedy is as stupid does, no more and the next generation does know not to go. No more resort fees, you all are killing the golden goose.
September 7, 2019
THEY ARE GREEDY AND STUPID IN VEGAS ! SOME PEOPLE CAN BARELY AFFORD TO GO … THEY WILL PRICE MANY PEOPLE OUT … AND THOSE PEOPLE WILL START TO GO TO OTHER CASINOS THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY THAT ARE A HECK OF A LOT MORE REASONABLE !!! SMART MOVE GREEDY VEGAS – YOU WILL LOSE CUSTOMERS !!!
September 7, 2019
ALL THE FEES IN LAS VEGAS ARE TOTALLY RIDICULOUS AND GETTING OUT OF CONTROL! ROOM RATES ARE RIDICULOYS AND THEY MAKE PLENTY OF MONEY FROM THE GAMBLING! STAYED AT PARK MGM IN JULY … PAID FEES FOR UNUSED SERVICES IS AND SHOULD BE UNACCEPTABLE! AT PARK MGM, PAID FOR WIFI THRU RESORT FEES, ROOM ON 27TH FLOOR AND THEIR WIFI TOTALLY SUCKED !!! MOST OF THESE FEES SHOULD BE OUTLAWED AND TURNED INTO PAY,AS YOU GO !!! THE NEVADA ATTORNEY GENERAL & GAMING COMMISSION SHOULD DO SOMETHING ABOUT THIS – BUT NOT ENOUGH PEOPLE COMPLAIN !!!
September 7, 2019
Maybe Las Vegas isn’t the place to go anymore! Midwestern Casinos still offer lots of free parking, excellent food and beverages without venue fees, and outstanding entertainment. I know I will be spending my money smarter and staying closer to home.
September 7, 2019
Resort fees are a joke.
Rooms should include fees.
I would challenge a…
There will come a point when folks will stop going to Vegas.
Resort fees are a joke.
Rooms should include fees.
I would challenge a tip being added to my bill for a cocktail.
I don’t have a problem tipping.
I don’t like that kind of pressure.
Too greedy
When the recession comes Vegas will be begging people to come.
September 7, 2019
Las Vegas used to be cheap, not no more. Fees and higher fees soon the casinos are gonna price themselves out . People need to get smart and not go
September 7, 2019
I’ve been going to Las Vegas once a year for 5 days for the the last 6 years I have also noticed all the additional fees and never thought much of it. Reading this article today about a service fee for ordering drinks. Las Vegas has just lost my business I will not be returning this December for my 40th birthday. Its ashame they want to get greedy now and add on more fees to enjoy a few drinks??
September 6, 2019
Jim Murren is to blame for all of the increases, especially the parking charge. I bet Mr. Kerkorian is turning in his grave, hopefully he isn’t able to see what Jim Murren has done with his beautiful resorts and the treatment of customers money wise. J.M. needs to be voted out as CEO! (Charge Everything Or-else)
September 6, 2019
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