Bellagio BYO $$ fee for stogies?

The twitterverse over at Vital reported that the Baccarat Bar @ Bellagio asked a patron to fork over $25 for lighting up his/her own cigar. The guest was advised to buy stogie at the bar, or the charge applies.
Anyone on VMB experienced a similar encounter with the MGM spreadsheet-pushers?

I'd like to know where not to go.

 

Unfrigging believable!! Pretty soon they will bring back pay toilets!!

 

Just add to the discussion and not saying it is right, but....

You can not usually bring your own food into a restaurant. You have to buy it there.
You can not usually bring booze into a restaurant. You have to buy it there. Some places allow wine, but charge a corkage fee.

Maybe they do not want to turn that lounge into what many airports have - a big free for all smoking area.

Meanwhile - I really do not care as I do not smoke cigars. LOL!

 

If I go to a brothel I would have no problem being charged if I brought my own hooker but not for bringing my own chewing gum. I think it comes down to the primary purpose of the establishment (although with cigars it could be argued that they need to price in sanitising the furniture after the event - and no I'm not going to relate that to brothels!)

 

True, but Baccarat, much like Lift at Aria and most casino lobby-adjacent bars, are a bit of a free-for-all. On the drink situation, it's one thing to bring in a bottle of wine, but I've never had an issue bringing a drink that I was finishing up from somewhere else into a Vegas outlet. In addition, unlike the restaurant situation, it's entirely possible that you bought your cigar (at the same markup) at another location from within Bellagio.

 

From Bellagio website:
In The Heart Of The Action
Baccarat Bar provides a view of the casino action as well as a glimpse into high-end gaming. Indulge in an exotic medley of martinis, specialty drinks and an extensive cigar selection.

They sell cigars there so, I have no problem with them charging. Maybe the amount is too high but it is Bellagio and I don't know what they are charging for Cigars. I assume that the charge is more than the cost of the cigars thay they sell.

 

Total BS. Soon the strip hotels will be adding on a "seating charge" to the over priced cost of your drink!! Go down to the Cigar Bar at the Chicago Brewery in the 4Q. Bring your own cigars, have a craft beer or three and watch the football games. Great afternoon, especially if you can cash some tickets!

 

@Don the Dentist glad to hear the Chicago Brewing Company let's you bring in your own cigars. I was wondering about that in light of this thread.

 

The value play here is lighting a cigarette ($10 daily, $15 weekends / holidays / special events, $8 during happy hour).

Link - The Legend of $25 Cigar Resort Fees.

 

If Baccarat was a dedicated cigar bar with adjacent cigar retail like Casa, Montecristo or Davidoff.....I'd see the point. This is hardly the case here. Where to draw the line? What about bringing your own cigarettes and get taxed on those?

BTW, the "extensive" cigar selection must be rather new, I haven't seen even a tabletop humidor in my last few visits.

 

It's enough to make you consider giving up the habit (a quote from Sally Field back in the day).(that damn Burt Reynolds!!).
Imagine if you took your own band aids to the hospital---might only cost you a couple of dollars. Now THAT would be fairly cheap.

 

Don't give MGM any ideas...

 

Ha, a new chance for some extra bucks. Who woulda thought?

 

and the bill sent to the insurance company would be thousands of dollars less

 

or you could stay home and die in your own bed

 

Here's a question... what would they actually do to enforce this fee? Kick you out of the bar? Take the cigar out of your hand and extinguish it? I'm curious as to what action they might take if you just ignore them when they ask for $25, stay put, and continue to smoke your cigar.

 

Drag you down to the basement and break your legs.

 

That might be interesting. It's not like taking a bottle of wine to a restaurant and pulling the cork yourself, as many/most jurisdictions have self-serve restrictions on the books.

 

But as long as you can keep the cigar in your mouth, you're good... right?

 

I am sure that you would be asked to leave the bar area, and moving on to calling security to enforce the removal if necessary. Who knows, if the patron became belligerent, outright ban from property?? I wouldn't put anything past them nowadays