What If “Comped” Rooms Were Abolished?

[Blonde4ever]

What If “Comped” Rooms Were Abolished?

http://www.vegasbright.com/2015/10/05/comped-rooms-abolished/

[BTHodgeman]

Comped rooms are an important part of the equation for me too. I could handle paying a time or two to build up play and get on the radar of another casino, but if I had to pay every time, I also wouldn't go.

That said, I know a lot of people who could get comp rooms but they choose not to use them. They prefer to book vacation packages, play on their own terms, and get a pretty incredible room discount through the package offer.

[fredo]

I wouldn't stop going to Vegas, but would most likely cut back on the trips.  Maybe stay at a Hampton Inn or similar, which gives you free wifi and a free breakfast and no resort fee.

fredo

[Blonde4ever]

Yes.....those kind of places are great value. In the last month I stayed at a Days Inn and a Holiday Inn Express.
I was quite enamoured of all their free features!

[RoyalFlusher]

First the drinks, now this - don't give 'em any more bright ideas!!!!!
 

[Blonde4ever]

Ha....like it is ME doing that.

[sarah9nascar]

I rarely use a comped room in Vegas. First of all I only get the lowest rooms at the cheapest CET properties. I feel Vegas is my vacation and I want a nice room. This coming trip we have a Marquis Suite at NYNY.

Now on the other hand, the closer casinos I go to here, I won't stay unless the room is free. Those are for me Winstar in Oklahoma and Horseshoe in Bossier City, La. I even got pissed last time that Horseshoe took a resort free off my reward points. I have never paid for a room at either of these casinos.

[phil7200]

The "What if" questions are being raised on all levels in Las Vegas and the gambling world in general.  No surprise there.
Look at some of the trip reports here and elsewhere and you see that some of the old timers still think they are entitled to 100% gaming returns with rooms and meals fully comped.  Don't forget a couple of shows to boot.  If you can get most of that you're doing very well.  Goof for you.
What will Vegas be like in the next 5 to 10 years ?  Anyone privy to some industry projections ?

[tom.mckenzie]

I don't think I would stop going. I would definitely go less often and I'd gamble less. Or more accurately, I'd be willing to lose less, figuring that some of what had been budgeted for gambling now needed to be budgeted for rooms, food, or whatever other comps they were tightening.

[knagl]

There would be even less reason to make Vegas our vacation destination.  I can't say that we'd never go, but I can say we'd go less.

[StatFreak]

If I hadn't moved here I know that it would have killed off most of my trips. I always used to get comped rooms at every level of play. If I wasn't playing enough for CET (most of the time) I stayed and played at the Stratosphere. When I played more, I'd stay at the Mirage or other center strip property. It was always nice to get free food as well but the room is what would get me into my car and into a particular store. As everyone else has pointed out, the money saved from the comps went/would go to the gambling budget.

With Indian casinos all over the country, each cut back by the large corporate bean counters is another nail in the coffin for Vegas as a gambling destination to regular visitors. Sure, the one-timers will always come to see the famous city, they'll still get and comp the whales, and the babies of the rich will probably still come to party with daddy's money, but the rest will end up staying home to do their gaming.

[bardolator]

If promotions were attractive enough, we would still visit. We did the Orleans 3-night $99 slot tourney special once or twice before finding our current comp arrangement. However, if I get a free room at a casino I give that casino ALL my play for the trip. As Vito said, I know how to return a favor. No free room, I feel no obligation whatsoever.

[tonystewartrules]

Way way less trips there for me. If I had to pay for rooms there are a lot other things I can do. And I probably will anyway. If I can get my move to FL done. I can do a lot of things within a days drive of my location.

Terry

[lvfritz]

If my room weren't comped why would I bother going?  With the current downgrading of games, I can now find games close to home that match what most of Vegas offers.  So I should invest in airfare, PAY for a room, for the honor of playing inferior games? 
That said, we have often considered paying for a room so that we would be free to play wherever and whenever we liked across the valley.  For example, staying at a Hampton Inn and just exploring LV.  No inclination to play for any specific property in town.  Trading our play for a free room always wins out.  And I suspect that we will always have that option.  We always rent a car, and we play all over the place.  We've stayed Downtown, on Boulder Hwy, South Point, Fiesta Henderson, and Aliante after giving up on all the strip properties. 

I would think that Harrah's would lead the way in drying up room offers......but you just never know.  Perhaps some high end strip location will lead and others will surely follow.  At this point, we have seen everything we need to see in Vegas, and if the suits decide to tighten things up further, we will find other places to explore.
So many options, so little bankroll.

[The Crazy Brazilian]

I would think that Harrah's would lead the way in drying up room offers....

Thanks to resort fees, CET is offering free rooms only to diamond and 7 star players. Platinum, Gold and Tin players (like myself) have to pay $25/day even in "comped" rooms.