In your opinion what resort is overdue for an upgrade or renovation?

I was thinking just how long it took flamingo to gets it's big renovation which is just getting started, what other resorts are due?

 

as much as i like Excalibur, i think its time for them

 

I think this question is more difficult to answer than a few years ago given the updates of IP, Flamingo, and now Monte Carlo. Paris and Ballys getting new rooms was big, too.

I'm going to go off Strip and say Rio. Rio is as far from its peak as any resort I can think of. The rooms are dated, they killed off the masquerade show, the buffet is a shell of what it once was, the place has horrendous video poker for an off strip joint, etc.

 

I think this is tough because they fill a niche on the Strip and I'm not sure why you'd dump a ton of money into the joint.

 

I agree w/Excalibur. Although since they seem to be starting to update Luxor, maybe Excalibur is already on the "to-do" list.

 

Be careful what you wish for. Knowing MGM, they'd probably go with a bland "Modern Urban Generic" theme like they did with Luxor.

They don't have the vision or the balls to come up with a concept that leverages some of the more immutable aspects of that structure.

With Luxor they pretty much threw in the towel on trying to do something that leverages the fact that the basic structure is a pyramid.

 

Rio, for all the reasons 'The Rumor' stated above.

 

This is all based on second hand info, but I'd think Bellagio would be a contender.

Not the same as others like Rio, in that its not falling apart or anything. But perception of it relative to newer high end properties seems to constantly be eroding. And considering its location and that the resort has "good bones", you'd think a major room refresh and some resort changes could improve its image dramatically.


Bally's has had some rooms done, but I believe is (and should be) still considered for a major refacing/rebranding effort at some point in the future. It has a very plain exterior and a brand that doesn't do much for people.

 

I agree with Rio. Just can't bring myself to stay there due to the state of the rooms.

 

I would definitely agree with you here. I think it depends too on how the rebranding of MC goes. If it really does jump up a few rungs on the MLife ladder than they may want to get Bellagio back up to their top property. This is not to say that MC will move ahead of it, but I think Aria definitely has. If I were 15 years older and felt a little out of place and didn't like Aria's vibe I would probably put Bellagio about 4th on the list of where I'd turn, behind Wyncore, V/P and maybe even Mandalay.

I think MLife knows that there will always be a place for the lower end strip hotel and they won't do much to update those. I think they will focus on making sure their mid-tier and up are all better than the comparable CET properties.

 

Another vote for...



It gives me knight sweats!

RICHARD

 

Harrah's is a blight on that block of the strip.

 

I get some of the Bellagio criticism but I'm also left wondering what I would actually do to the place. They already updated the rooms. They can't turn them into suites like V/P. Their restaurants skew old (especially relative to the Cosmo) but are fine for what they are. The fountain is still a great draw. The floor generally seems well kept up.

 

They've redone a lot of the rooms and the floor, and the food hall and carneval court are good places. Harrah's fundamental problem is it is an old building with very low ceilings and small rooms.

To some extent, if you want to make Harrahs anything more than a 3 star joint, you'd have to blow the place up and start older.

Harrahs even pre-rehab was never as bad as IP was 6 years ago or Flamingo was 2 years ago.

There's also a fair question of whether that makes sense given you want your various casinos to appeal to different customers. Harrahs markets to a different customer (a lot of older people from their locals casinos seem to be get funneled here plus they market to the not high rolling country crowd historically with Toby Keith, the entertainment in the lounge, etc.). They need a property like this - cheap room comps for the 55 year old slot queens who earn diamond at Harrahs in Kansas City. They don't need a second Linq or Cromwell.

 

I'd say Bally's fits that bill. You look at the Harrah's in AC and it's miles ahead of Harrah's in LV.

As you say, they're limited in what they can do without blowing the place up. On the other hand, they worked wonders transforming the IP into The Linq.

 

But Bally's doesn't have to fit that bill. Bally's has more space and bigger rooms. Way easier to take it upscale and tread water with Harrah's.

 

the Fremont. although I am not sure we can call it a resort. but at least they don't have resort fees.
the Cosmo is looking pretty dilapidated. JK!

 

How about Circus?

 

Circus Circus

 

Renovating CC? Sounds like two tents of a task to accomplish IMO!



RICHARD