Casinos charging visitors to park is becoming commonplace on the Las Vegas Strip. For generations, casinos offered free parking to customers, as a way to encourage free and easy access to their gambling venues.
Starting last year, MGM Resorts casinos began to charge parking fees on their properties. MGM Resorts was criticizedheavily for its new policy. Vegas Strip companies suggested they would never change their policies, but after a year in which MGM Resorts' business was unaffected by the changes, that resolve is starting to crumble.
Caesars Entertainment Parking Fees
Caesars Entertainment is instituting self-parking fees at select hotels, but has yet to determine prices. Caesars states that the prices will be determined at "select hotels" on a property-by-property basis. The casino company owns 8 casino-resorts on the Vegas Strip.
The valet parking rates for less than four hours at Caesars Palace, Bally's, Planet Hollywood, Paris, and Cromwell are $13, while the rate for more than four hours is $18. The rates for less than four hours at Harrah's, Flamingo, and Linq are $8, while the rate for more than four hours is $13.
Caesars Entertainment noted in a press release that, "Self-parking at [the Linq and Harrah's] will remain free for the time being, until self-parking equipment is installed."
Free Parking on the Las Vegas Strip
The Las Vegas Strip still has some holdouts, most notably Wynn Resorts and Las Vegas Sands casinos. Famous Strip casinos like The Venetian, The Palazzo, Circus Circus, Encore Resort, and Wynn Las Vegas still have free parking for all visitors.
Famous off-the-strip casinos like the Rio Hotel & Casino and the Palms continue to offer free parking. The Hard Rock Casino offers free shuttles to the Las Vegas Strip, along with free parking for members of their casino rewards program.
How Long Before Free Parking Disappears?
Whether those properties continue to offer free parking to visitors is another matter. If Wynn Resorts and Las Vegas Sands sees their competitors charging fees without repercussions, then they might choose to end their traditional free services.
Steve Wynn is famous for offering high-end gaming experiences to Wynn Resorts customers. Whether he would risk creating the impression he is gouging high rollers for a few dollars on parking fees is another question.
Las Vegas Sands is now the largest gaming company in the world, due to its huge Asian gaming destinations like Venetian Macau, Parisian Macau, and Marina Bay Sands. Sheldon Adelson, CEO of Las Vegas Sands, has never given a statement on his philosophy about free parking in Las Vegas.
MGM Resorts Parking Rates
Seven elite MGM Resorts casinos charges $7 for one-to-four hours of parking and $10 for anywhere between 4 hours and 24 hours. Overtime parking is an additional $10. The casinos with those rates include the MGM Grand, Mandalay Bay, Bellagio, Aria, Delano, New York-New York, and Mirage.
Three other MGM Resorts casinos -- Luxor, Monte Carlo, and Excalibur -- have slightly lower rates. For 1-hour to 4-hour parking, the most is $5. From 4 hours to 24 hours, the price is $8, while additional time is another $8.
In all of the MGM Resorts casinos, the cost for parking less than one hour is free. Valet parking includes prices between $8 and $18.
Parking Fees in Las Vegas Downtown Casinos
Other parts of Las Vegas have lower rates for parking, though several casinos waive fees for those who gamble (and receive a stamp on their hand). The highest fees are usually $3 on weekdays and $5 on weekends, though El Cortez Hotel has a flat rate of $5.
That might be one reason the Vegas Strip parking fees are accepted. Off-the-Strip casinos have charged small parking fees for a long time. Those gaming venues tend to attract locals, so local gamblers are somewhat used to paying for parking.
The rates at the Strip casinos tend to charge a lot for short term parking, and not much more for day-long or multi-day visitors. Therefore, the rates are tooled to target local customers and short term players, while being a nominal fee for vacationers and tourists.
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