Vegas, old school...
So, here I am in Las Vegas for my dad's 65 birthday. I haven't been out here for probably 20 years. I actually think the last time I was here was with Dad when I was 10. So long ago...Anyway, Vegas is a trip for those who haven't been here for awhile. To me, it's really interesting now because there's a intersection of worlds occurring. When you head down the Strip, there's tons of new hotels and even more being built. Seems like there's construction everywhere you look. However, at the end of the strip, there's the old school Vegas. Hotels like the Frontier, Stardust, Rivera, and Circus Circus. These are the hotels of my memory and what vegas to me was.
Dad put the trip together and we're staying down at the Riviera. And after walking around today, I'm stunned by the difference between the new and the old. The Rivera just feels old, like time hasn't moved in 20 years. I'm kind of stunned by the rundown, out of date feel that seems to permeate everything inside the hotel. Even the cocktail waitresses seem like they've aged with the hotel. It's all around just a very odd feeling.
I ended up walking down the strip some and the newer hotels are just amazing. Everything seems so modern and up to date. The flash and flair that was the picture of Vegas in my mind is anywhere you care to look. It was after walking through these new hotels that I wonder if I'm witness to the end of an era. Is the old Vegas of our youth giving way the next generation? Are the grand hotels like the Rivera and Circus Circus on their last great hurrah before the curtain comes down?
In a word, yes...
Today's younger generation of traveler is more demanding that any of the previous generations. The need for more, richer content, more luxury, more everything is creating hotels that the other, vintage Vegas can't compete with. It's really stunning the difference one block of travel can make. When you're down by Treasure Island, the Wynn, New York, New York, and all the others, you feel like you're in this travel paradise. Down by the Riviera, it seems older, more seedy, more rundown and darker. It's quite a shock...
Another big shock is the amount of high-rise condos that are being built right here on the strip. I know a lot about the condo market from the industry I work in. However, it's quite another thing to see all of it first hand. I counted no less than 8 new towers being built and at least 7 fully completed. It still surprises me that people will pay anywhere from $325K to $2 million for one of these, however looking at the housing market, I guess it shouldn't be a surprise.
Well, I guess I'll go hit the slots a little before dinner. I'm not much for gamboling because my luck is usually pretty poor. We're doing Dad's birthday dinner this evening at the steak house here in the hotel. Oh, and speaking of that... remember all the cheap food and booze that Vegas used to be famous for? Gone... The buffet here in the hotel is $11 for breakfast, $12 for lunch, and $14 for dinner. A 10oz beer is $4 if you want anything good, and a large coke is almost $3. After going to a couple of conventions earlier in the year, I was surprised by how much stuff cost at those, but here in Vegas, it borders on the ridiculous. I'm dreading dinner this evening because the cheapest thing on the menu is $30. By the time 6 of us eat, drink and relax, I bet it costs me over $200 to get out of there. Blah...
posted by Dave @ 4:23 PM
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