Quick Takes: Buffets & Shania

The buffet at Aria is due to open this Saturday after closing down in October for a remodel, so we will get our first peek at the updated buffet which includes bottomless drinks. Shania Twain has just finished the first ten nights of her two year residency at Caesar's Palace with additional dates for 2013 have been announced. Dates in March and April had already been announced but additional dates between May 14th and June 1st have gone on sale at various prices starting at $55 plus taxes and fees.

Resort Jobs Not Coming Back Soon

Since the recession started few places were hit as bad as Las Vegas with the huge collapse in real estate there as well as the drop in visitor spending since the downturn. The hotel resorts have laid off thousands of employees and this started before the downturn as the casino’s used technology to get rid of positions such as people in change booths or change runners. The companies are also trying to use technology such as mini roulette which only uses one employee instead of several and slot point’s redemption machines which will cut down people in the slot club desks. I don’t see the casino companies slowing down on using technology to replace employees where possible these jobs won’t return. In recent week there has been a lot of press about the “Plaza” reopening with 800 new jobs and the Octavuis Tower opening at “Caesars Palace” but that won’t take up the slack for the thousands laid off before. The “Plaza” reopening is good for downtown and the city but you have to remember when it closed to remodel the employees were laid off as well as the employees in the “Lady Luck”,“Binion’s” hotel the “Sahara” and this week the loss of up to 90 jobs at the “Western.” Las Vegas will come back it always does but it could take longer that the rest of the country, time will tell on that note.

Harrah's Becomes Caesars

Harrah's Entertainment Inc has made the move it talked about a couple of years ago and has renamed itself Caesars Entertainment Corp after its flagship Caesars Palace hotel and casino. The move wasn't really a surprise as they telegraphed the move before. The move is to most likely designed to propell the image of Harrah's which is a huge middle market operator to a more upscale image and, maybe make it more attractive to investors. Other than a letter head change it won't effect visitors to Las Vegas as most likely things such as their successful Total Rewards programs will continue as is.

Harrah's Buffet Of Buffets

Paris Hotel & CasinoHarrah's owners of many of the Strip properties recently came out with an all you can eat buffet deal for seven of its properties; The properties are as follows Caesars Palace, Flamingo, Harrah's, Imperial Palace, Paris, Planet Hollywood and the off strip property Rio. The deal was for $29.99 for a twenty four hour all access pass which is a great deal especially if you can fit four meals in that twenty four hour period. After the deal was announced there was much speculation about how long it would be before Harrah's either raised the price or removed the deal all together. Well about sixteen days later Harrah's raised the price citing long lines and wanting to improve the experience for its customers. Other than weekends at certain locations my opinion is they raised the prices to make more money but either way the new pricing isn't bad just not as generous as before. The new price for a twenty four hour period at all seven locations is $34.99 plus tax if you are a Total Rewards member or $39.99 plus tax for non members. My suggestion is if you aren't a Total Rewards member which is their slot club you sign up for free so you save the five dollars.