Las Vegas loves its extra fees almost as much as it loves neon. Most resorts on the Las Vegas Strip have simply charged additional fees and charges.
At all Caesars Entertainment and MGM Resorts International resort casinos, you won't actually pay just the nightly rate you agreed to for your room. You'll also be charged “resort fees,” which include so-called extras like Internet service, pools, and gyms.
Even if you don't use those services, you have no choice but to pay for them. It's not illegal and many hotels across the country use this pricing tactic, but it's actually something President Joe Biden talked about in October 2022.
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“Last week, the Federal Trade Commission began working on a rule to crack down on unfair and deceptive fees across industries – fees that were never disclosed and there was no way to avoid, such as ticket processing fees for concerts or resort fees,” the president said. “Just when you think you're paying a price to book a hotel, only after checking do you discover there's a 'resort fee' you've never heard of that's added to your bill.”
Las Vegas Strip tour operators, including Caesars and MGM, have opposed those rules through the American Gaming Association.
Biden, however, does not have any pending legislation on charging for things that were once free. That's something that has become a new reality in life on the Strip, as a long-standing giveaway has been paid off and a Las Vegas Strip mega-player is raising his prices ahead of a big season for Las Vegas.
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MGM raises parking prices
Until relatively recently, it was common for parking to be free for people visiting a Las Vegas Strip casino. That's still the case at most casinos in the country, but on the Las Vegas Strip, almost all casinos charge visitors to park their cars on their own.
In the past, the theory was that free parking was a perk that got customers into the casino, where they then spent money. The Strip, however, has become so crowded that casino operators now view parking as an additional source of revenue rather than an amenity offered free of charge to boost gaming, dining and entertainment revenue.
“Rates at all properties have been raised to $18 Monday through Thursday and $23 Friday through Sunday. MGM has waived its previous rates for one to four hours and four to 24 hours,” the statement said. Las Vegas Magazine reported.
Some top-tier members of MGM's loyalty program still get free parking, while Nevada residents get a free three-hour grace period before being charged.
The Las Vegas Strip has great events
Several Las Vegas resorts, including Wynn Resorts properties and The Venetian, cited the opening of the Las Vegas Sphere as a reason to charge for parking. That venue has drawn 17,000 people on nights U2 plays and only has a few hundred parking spaces.
That means people park on neighboring properties and may not actually frequent that casino, while at the same time taking away parking spaces from those who do.
Las Vegas has plenty of events that could draw crowds looking to park at resort casinos, but maybe not gamble or eat there. That includes the recently concluded Formula 1 race, the CES show, the Super Bowl and March Madness.
Currently, only the soon-to-close Casino Royale and the secluded northern Strip properties Treasure Island and Circus Circus offer free parking on the Strip.
MGM did not comment to the Review-Journal or issue any public statement about why it increased its parking prices. The change went into effect on December 20 without public notice.
