Photo by Diane Taylor
In the News…
Friday’s Las Vegas Review-Journal mentioned layoffs at Caesars Entertainment Corporation as a cost-cutting measure. Caesars Entertainment apparently has a whopping $22.8 billion debt and is struggling to stay out of bankruptcy court. (Caesars Entertainment owns 40 casinos in 14 states.) Fortunately, the paper reported only a few of the job cuts would affect Las Vegas employees. That’s good, because Las Vegas is seeing record visitation (40 million plus) and the holidays are coming…not a time for staff cuts.
Note: My husband is not happy. Station Casinos, LLC has shut down its online poker site, Ultimate Poker, because the site “hasn’t met expectations”. On nights when I watch my shows on the big TV (I love Scott & Bailey the British female detectives on Public TV), my husband escapes to his office and online poker. He was an Ultimate Poker customer, but I guess now he’ll be joining the World Series of Poker site….owned by Caesars Entertainment. One might wonder just how long that site will be viable.
Photo by Diane Taylor
The Updated Hotels List…
It’s always interesting to learn which corporations and people own the largest hotels in Las Vegas. Today we are debuting an updated ownership list. The upper section is current as of today, but we’ve also included the information that was current in October, 2011. We often hear about only a few corporations now owning the majority of local properties, but the list actually indicates a variety of owners, many with the complete freedom to do their own thing — successfully or not so successfully. Let us know if you see any errors in the list.
LVCVA Going Strong
Record Las Vegas visitation means that room-tax revenue is increasing.Thirty-one percent of room-tax revenue goes to fund the work of the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority (LVCVA). The remaining 69 percent is distributed among the state of Nevada and various municipal agencies in Clark County. The November 13 Las Vegas Review Journal noted that because of increases in room-tax revenue, the LVCVA budget for fiscal year 2014 would be increasing by a whopping $27 million, much of which would be allocated to capital improvements in and around the Las Vegas Convention Center. Obviously everyone benefits with increased visitation.
Photo by Diane Taylor
LVCVA also recently renewed its advertising contract with R&R Partners, the company that has worked with LVCVA for more than 30 years. R&R’s CEO Billy Vassiliadis noted at LVCVA’s October meeting (which I attended) that the goal of LVCVA is to know “our customers first, best and what motivates them”. Among his remarks, he cited a study that in this changing world, the typical traveler will visit 35 web sites before making travel plans. He also mentioned that more people come to Las Vegas to watch the Super Bowl than go to the Super Bowl site. Another tidbit: International visitors are 20 percent of total visitors, but represent 30 percent “of the spend”. The highest spending international visitors: Brazilians.
Photo by Diane Taylor
Vassiliadis also noted that his creative team researched customer preferences for advertising slogans and that customers were even “resentful” that the 11-year-old “What Happens Here Stays Here” campaign had been rather pushed in the background in recent years. So in October a new round of “What Happens Here Stays Here” advertising was launched. Incidentally, that now iconic slogan was first used “to shake off the doldrums of the recession”.
The Ethel M Lights Are On
Friday night was the official lighting of the holiday decorations at the Ethel M Chocolates cactus garden in Henderson, NV. The “2 Cactus Garden Drive” address (Mountain Visita St. & E. Sunset Rd.) is old news for locals who often bring visitors to see the holiday lights. Hours are 5 p.m to 10 p.m. through January 1. One reminder: the hot chocolate sold in the factory retail store is so decadent you won’t need other chocolate for the rest of the season. (The store closes at 9 p.m.) The cost with tax of the hot chocolate is $5.35 per cup, and don’t forget the whipped cream.
PS: I’ve gotten three Happy Thanksgiving cards so far: one from my dentist, one from my State Farm agent and one from QVC, the shopping channel. I am VERY popular.
I would have never guessed ” Brazilians ” .
Great column Diane, lots of great information. Not surprised about Brazilians, their country is very prosperous right now, although I can’t say that I have met any at my job! I wonder if live poker is dying, although the “only Nevadans” law leaves out an awful lot of players!