Tough time for Vegas?

Author: Simon Dexter

After a record-breaking run in Las Vegas, where she appeared five nights a week for five years, Celine Dion started her latest tour in Manchester earlier in the week. While the Canadian superstar might not be everyone’s cup of tea (apparently her audience consisted mostly of elderly couples, mothers and daughters and gay men), her phenomenal run in Vegas provides some idea of how Sin City place is performing in the face of a widespread economic slowdown.

With just a fortnight to go before the start of the WSOP*, according to figures released this week, the conclusion would have to be ‘pretty good’.

When the casinos say that occupancy rates have slipped, it means they’re only in the low-to-mid ninety percentile. Meanwhile, despite this ‘setback’, billion-dollar construction projects appear unaffected; the new Palazzo is now open and Wynn’s Encore Las Vegas is scheduled to open in December; the current value of ongoing construction projects is estimated at billion. Some downturn.

As Celine Dion discovered, Las Vegas continues to attract plenty of visitors, casinos are busy and shows continue to sell out. The 2008 WSOP* will be a bellweather for the poker scene, although Vegas poker rooms are thriving. “Economic conditions might affect the WSOP* attendance this year,” said Nevada-based economist Rory Gordon, “but such is poker’s profile that it would surprise no-one if this year’s prize pool surpassed the 2007 total. It’s unlikely, but Vegas is a place full of surprises.”

*World Series of Poker and WSOP are trademarks of Harrah’s License Company, LLC (”Harrah’s”). Harrah’s does not sponsor or endorse, and is not associated or affiliated with Littlewoods Gaming or it’s products, services, promotions or tournaments.

Tags: Casino, Las Vegas, poker, WSOP

This entry was posted on Friday, May 9th, 2008 at 10:19 am and is filed under News & Promotions Blog.