This blog is written by Joris Dekkers
For decades, Las Vegas sold itself as the world’s playground—an oasis in the Nevada desert where ordinary people could feel like high rollers for a weekend. Today, though, the magic seems to be wearing thin. Hotel room occupancy is sliding, tourists are voicing disappointment, and the Strip feels less like a dreamscape of neon wonder and more like an over-engineered machine designed to extract every last dollar.
The question is no longer just about visitor numbers. It’s whether Las Vegas has lost the very visionaries who made it an irresistible destination in the first place.
A Void of Visionaries
In the 1980s, 1990s and early 2000s, names like Steve Wynn, Bill Bennett, and Sheldon Adelson reshaped the Strip with bold, ambitious projects: The Mirage, Bellagio, The Excalibur, Luxor and The Venetian. These resorts didn’t just house slot machines and beds; they told stories, created immersive worlds, and gave people reasons to fly across the globe.
Today, that spirit of innovation feels muted. Corporate conglomerates control the bulk of the Strip, taking over the operations of many of the themed hotels. Their formula is standardized: rebranding towers, add familiar chain restaurants, and align the interior design (carpets, room decoration) with the default corporate guidelines. Tourists complain that one property feels much like the next. Where once Vegas was defined by audacious dreams, it now seems to be defined by corporate spreadsheets, devoid of imagination and authenticity.
The Mirage once brought spectacle, greenery and imagination. It's now being replaced by another cosmopolitan, globalized brand.
The Cost of Chasing “Big Events”
City leaders hoped that sports and spectacle would catapult Vegas into a new golden era. Formula 1, the Raiders, NHL hockey, and now the Super Bowl are evidence of that strategy. But the gamble comes with collateral damage.
When F1 arrived in 2023, room rates spiked to astronomical levels. Regular tourists—the slot players, the buffet-goers, the everyday gamblers—found themselves priced out. Moreover, the Strip is sort of closed down between September and November as a consequence of preparations. Many felt unwelcome in a city that was once built for them. “Vegas used to be where the little guy could have fun,” one longtime visitor said. “Now it feels like it’s only for millionaires.”
That shift may prove costly. While mega-events bring short-term buzz, they alienate the loyal repeat visitors who once kept Las Vegas humming year-round.
Nickel-and-Dimed in Paradise
If the Strip feels emptier, part of the reason is financial fatigue. Resort fees, parking charges, inflated food prices, and $30 cocktails have pushed travelers to their limit. What once was billed as a bargain destination now often costs more than a trip to New York or Miami.
A Canadian tourist, interviewed while waiting for a rideshare, summed up the sentiment bluntly: “By the time I pay the fees and tip on every drink, I feel fleeced. That’s not entertainment—it’s extortion.”
At the same time, Gamblers are being comped less, and their loyalty credits accumulate at a far slower speed than they used to, substantially decreasing the incentive to gamble. That trends comes at a time where Vegas is already suffering from national competition and online gambling.
Roadblocks due to F1 preparation frustrate taxi drivers, employees and tourists alike. Many people don't bother coming to Vegas in the months of September and October anymore.
The International Factor
International visitors, particularly from Canada and Europe, have historically filled Vegas hotel rooms and casinos. But inflation, high airfare, and lingering frustrations over U.S. travel policies have slowed that pipeline. Some Canadians even describe an informal “boycott,” fueled by exchange rates and the perception that Vegas no longer delivers good value. Without these tourists, the Strip feels noticeably quieter midweek.
The Economy’s Shadow
Broader economic uncertainty also plays a role. In an era of higher interest rates, rising housing costs, and cautious consumer spending, many Americans are tightening belts. Vegas, once the easy getaway, is competing not only with domestic beach vacations but also with cheaper all-inclusive resorts in Mexico and the Caribbean—destinations that often promise more for less.
What Must Vegas Do?
Las Vegas is not doomed—it has reinvented itself before. But its path forward requires rediscovering the essence that once made it irresistible.
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Recenter the Experience on Visitors, Not Just Events. A Super Bowl can coexist with slot players and weekend gamblers, but an annual 3 month F1 preparation cannot. Rerout the F1 off-Strip. And stop pricing out regular tourists, you're killing your loyal customer base Vegas!
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Cut the Hidden Fees. Resort fees and parking charges create resentment. Bundling them transparently—or eliminating them—would send a powerful signal that the city values its guests. And if you let customers pay for resort fees, to the very least, make sure to hand out free water bottles in the hotel rooms.
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Invest in Storytelling Again. Visionary design matters. Guests don’t remember spreadsheets; they remember the dancing fountains, erupting volcanoes, pirate battles. Las Vegas needs fresh spectacles, not just recycled brand names.
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Diversify Entertainment. Beyond mega-DJs and stadium concerts, Vegas thrives on the unexpected: magic shows, lounges, kitschy attractions. Making the city welcoming for “common folks” again could rebuild loyalty.
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Rebuild Trust with International Travelers. Targeted promotions for Canadians and Europeans—airfare packages, currency-adjusted discounts—could bring back this vital audience.
- Improve the greenery. In a desert city, trees, water and plants are vital to the ambience and well-being of tourists. Like Steve Wynn said: "the primordial forces of life is what ultimately makes people happy". With Don Brinkerhoff gone, who will stand up and defend his legacy?
The Next Roll of the Dice
Las Vegas was built on audacity, on men and women who weren’t afraid to dream bigger than anyone thought possible. Without that imagination, the city risks becoming just another overpriced stop on the American tourist trail.
If the Strip is to glow again, its leaders must stop nickel-and-diming, stop catering only to high rollers, and start recapturing the spirit of fun and fantasy that made Las Vegas famous. Because in the end, people don’t come to the desert for math—they come for magic.