MGM set to Charge Parking Garage Fees?

MGM Resorts International will soon charge for parking at their Las Vegas self park garages, according to a report from Vegas Tripping.

Casino companies are willing to nickel and dime their customers endlessly in a quest for higher revenues. Over the years gaming odds on the Strip have declined consistently, and more recently resort fees have become commonplace at almost every Las Vegas hotel.

It's no surprise the bean counters would eventually try to get their hands on one of the remaining free perks left in Vegas.

Gamblers will be upset, but MGM Resorts CEO Jim Murren has recently talked about focusing more on non-gaming clientele saying, "Many of them have no interest in gambling and that's perfectly fine with me."

There might be hope though. The Nevada Gaming Control Board has strict rules regarding access to gaming and according to their guidelines:

"...all gaming establishments in Nevada must remain open to the general public and the access of the general public to gaming activities must not be restricted in any manner..."

I'm not sure if charging for parking would count as restricting access, but hey it's something. Could Gaming Control block MGM from charging for parking?

Parts of CityCenter could be For Sale

MGM Resorts International would consider selling off parts of CityCenter in order to reduce the project's huge debt load.

During MGM's earnings call this morning, CEO Jim Murren said the Crystals mall was particularly attractive for a possible sale, and even mentioned that the shopping complex was built with a plan to sell it off eventually. Not sure I'm buying that part.

The company isn't going to sell Aria, but would be also be open to take offers on the non-gaming Vdara and Mandarin Oriental hotels.

The biggest downside I can think of with selling Crystals would be MGM's loss of that part of the Strip and the ability to funnel people back to Aria. On the other hand they are building a huge Aria marquee that should help with that, and I assume the eventual buyer of Crystals would have some kind of agreement to be Aria pedestrian friendly.

Veer Towers Wind Tunnel

Sportswriter Bill Barnwell of Grantland has recently moved to Las Vegas to write about living on the Strip for a year.

He is renting an apartment in the Veer Towers at CityCenter and recently wrote about a strange phenomenon that occurs when the wind blows at Veer:

"I was lucky to get a place in the West property that faces away from the sister tower — according to residents who live in the section of the East tower that faces west, the building is subject to a loud, sustained whistling noise that occurs any time the desert wind whips past the building. This sound makes living in the apartment impossible and forces MGM, who still owns the building, to put any resident who complains in the adjacent Vdara Hotel & Spa for a free stay. The estimate I heard for how many times this has happened in 2011 was in the mid-20s."

This is a relatively small problem that will go unnoticed by most Las Vegas visitors, but it still makes me scratch my head about CityCenter. Almost every building at the complex has had issues:

Aria: Visitors have complained that it's too far away from the Strip, and the main show Viva Elvis is already getting a makeover.

Vdara: The only restaurant closed back in March, and they also have the Vdara Sun Ray.

Crystals: Has been relatively trouble free aside from vistors complaining that it's an underwhelming shopping mall. Eve nightclub closed but that's not really their fault.

Harmon Hotel: Never opened and probably is going to be imploded, pending County approval.

Veer Towers: Wind Tunnel.

Mandarin Oriental: Is the big winner, as I can't think of any glaring issues.

Vdara Loses Restaurant - Gains Grocery Store

Silk Road, the only restaurant at Vdara will be closing in March. Despite pretty good reviews and a cool layout the restaurant never really got off the ground. As good as it might have been Vdara is just a bad location, out of the way for anyone not staying at the property. The fact that they weren't even open for dinner couldn't have helped things. A quick glance at Yelp shows that many people liked Silk Road, although there seemed to be some service issues, including one person reporting they were made to sit at the bar because they were wearing a short sleeve shirt. I'm not sure why a struggling breakfast joint would enforce a dress code that strictly.

In semi-related news, Vdara will be getting a grocery store. Market Café Vdara will open March 1st. It's not exactly clear what the store will offer, but I'm guessing it will be a convenience store with small grocery items and various sundries. When CityCenter was touted as a possible permanent residence for condo owners, talk of a grocery store was one of the selling points. Even though most of the condos remain unsold, a grocery store is a nice perk to the owners and hotel guests alike.

MGM Resorts Launches M life

MGM Resorts International has launched their new "M life" loyalty program. The program will have a tier structure consisting of Sapphire, Pearl, Gold and Platinum. Each tier comes with its own set of benefits, including the ability to earn points faster at the Gold and Platinum levels.

Another feature of M life will be the ability to track spending outside of the casino, but that won't be available until later this year.

The new program is being touted as easier to use and more transparent when it comes to knowing exactly what you've earned. You will be able to check your balances a variety of ways, including online, kiosks, at slot machines and even an iPhone app.

M life is also aiming to offer guests rewards that they actually want. If you went to a concert in the past, they might offer you tickets to a concert by a similar artist in the future.

We will have to wait and see how well the new program is implemented, but I think any change is for the better. I never could figure out the old MGM Players Club. It was seemingly impossible to know what comps you had or how much you had to play to get anything. M life looks to be combating some of these problems, so hopefully it's a step in the right direction.

Source: MGM Resorts Press Release.

Vdara Death Ray

A story has been making the rounds about the pool area at Vdara being exceptionally hot. It appears that the sun has a way of reflecting off the curved building and converging directly onto the pool area, causing temperatures to soar 20 degrees above normal. The buildings architects foresaw this problem somewhat and coated the glass with a film that was supposed to disperse the sun, but apparently this isn't doing the trick. The sun can routinely melt plastic bags and cups around the pool area. The hotel is planning on installing more sun umbrellas and planting some trees, but it is unclear weather this will be enough to protect visitors from what is being called the "Vdara Death Ray." I'm guessing with fall on its way there won't be many complaints for the next six months or so, but it will be interesting to see if this phenomenon remains when triple digit temps hit next summer.