UPDATED: Paying for parking is now a thing for MGM Resorts properties. You will find pay stations at all properties and near parking lots. You will also find plenty of parking spaces as it currently seems to be a good deterrent for visitors.
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What was once a fact in Las Vegas will soon go away like the iconic structures of the past on the Las Vegas Strip. Make room at the Neon Boneyard because the free parking signs will need a new home. MGM Resorts International just announced that they will begin charging guests to park their cars starting in April and June.
On January 15, 2016, MGM Resorts International followed the dollar and decided that changing the landscape of Las Vegas to improve the bottom line was a prudent move. On the surface, you can see how this is a smart business decision. If you’re looking for a little more income to help decrease your gaming revenue, it would make sense to get a few extra bucks from your loyal customers. You can expect to pay to park your car in an MGM Resorts parking lot if you are an overnight guest. It will eventually be known if it’s a smart move, but when you consider how many people drive to Las Vegas from Southern California, this could be really interesting.
While it’s still unclear what it means overnight, you can bet that if you stop into a nightclub, stay late, and then have a late night meal, there will be a parking surcharge when you exit the parking structure. Valet parking will take a hit too, so guys who once worked on tips will now be forced to park cars for very little extra compensation.
“Visits to Las Vegas continue to grow as guests come to Las Vegas to experience all we have to offer from a leisure and business perspective,” said Corey Sanders, Director of Operations for MGM Resorts International. “We do not take this change lightly. We recognize that this is a significant departure from an established paradigm in the Las Vegas market. However, after months of analysis, we believe that these enhancements and new technology solutions will become welcome additions to our overall guest experience.
In some ways, MGM Resorts believes that visitors will be excited about paying $ 40 after a stay at their casino. The truth is that the common saying will be that visitors will try to visit other casinos, but realistically if there is a golden egg on the table soon, the rest of the strip casinos will do the same. There’s no confirmation that that happens yet, but you can be sure that a watchful eye from a bean counter in a corporate office in Las Vegas will count every penny to see if this will be the norm in Las Vegas.
Remember the resort fee fight a few years ago? Many people screamed and kicked and some resorts decided not to. Soon the lure of easier money became great and the resort fee became a thing.
It is a thing everywhere.
Head to Hawaii and try to park your rental car. Yes, that’s a $ 15- $ 25 fee to park overnight. Have you tried parking a car in San Francisco or at a New York hotel lately? Yes, the cost is absurd with prices as high as $ 45 in some places.
In the midst of this announcement, MGM also announced plans to build a new 3,000-space parking structure to serve the new T-Mobile Arena, The Park, and the new Theater at Monte Carlo Casino. That should be ready in early 2017.
All hotels in the MGM Resorts family will be affected by this change, including Aria, Vdara, Bellagio, Mandalay Bay, Excalibur, New York-New York, Monte Carlo, Mirage, MGM Grand and Circus Circus. It should be noted that Circus Circus will continue to have free parking, but valet parking will no longer be free.
What’s next, the end of free drinks at the casino?
