I'm spending 4 days, 4 nights in Vegas (9/23-9/27), and thought I'd update what's going on. I see the other thread but figured to start a new one since things have changed since June.
Background - I've been to Vegas 30ish times, so I know my way around. I'm a blackjack player, and cheap (I know the odds are always against me) and value "fun" over "fancy hotels." A hotel is just a place to lay my head for a few hours and shower.
Wednesday, 9/23 - Arrived at McCarran about 7 PM. Southwest flight was about 50% full. No beverage service of any kind (only a cup of water). I chatted with the flight attendant before we took off about can we please, for the love of everything, have alcohol on the flight to Vegas. No dice. The airport was somewhat busy, busier than other airports I've flown through lately (HOU, IAH-relatively, DAL, and ABQ). Luggage took forever to get the carousel, about par for LAS.
Lyft was $17 from LAS to Gold Coast hotel, and that price is consistent with previous trips. Drove past the new "Roomba" football stadium; it's beautiful! Rio is closed and looks to be closed for good.
Gold Coast Casino - The first thing that shocked me was the table minimums. The $5 blackjack tables were all $15. No $5 or $10 minimums to be found...on a Wednesday evening. The BJ tables have plasti-glass partitions that allow 4 players, and there's a partition between the players and dealer. The roulette table and craps were pretty much as before (not sure about the minimums). These tables were PACKED, perhaps because you weren't in a plastic cage. Roulette - free to place your bets all of the table, as before. Same for craps. If you've been to GC, you know PaiGow is big here. I don't play that, but those tables looked pretty full too. All in all, I'd say the only drastic change was, unfortunately, to blackjack.
Masks - Ridiculous. You can "sip" but have to immediately re-mask. It's sip, re-mask, sip, re-mask, and so on. You can't just have a beer in your hand, and that qualifies you to remove your mask. Perhaps the plan is to sip non-stop for 4 days! The casino security lady was cool about it, not rude.
I am headed to the Strip today and downtown for Friday and Saturday nights. Pool cabana on Saturday. Feel free to ask questions below, and I'll answer as best I can. Otherwise, I'll update today's experience in a post here tomorrow.
Background - I've been to Vegas 30ish times, so I know my way around. I'm a blackjack player, and cheap (I know the odds are always against me) and value "fun" over "fancy hotels." A hotel is just a place to lay my head for a few hours and shower.
Wednesday, 9/23 - Arrived at McCarran about 7 PM. Southwest flight was about 50% full. No beverage service of any kind (only a cup of water). I chatted with the flight attendant before we took off about can we please, for the love of everything, have alcohol on the flight to Vegas. No dice. The airport was somewhat busy, busier than other airports I've flown through lately (HOU, IAH-relatively, DAL, and ABQ). Luggage took forever to get the carousel, about par for LAS.
Lyft was $17 from LAS to Gold Coast hotel, and that price is consistent with previous trips. Drove past the new "Roomba" football stadium; it's beautiful! Rio is closed and looks to be closed for good.
Gold Coast Casino - The first thing that shocked me was the table minimums. The $5 blackjack tables were all $15. No $5 or $10 minimums to be found...on a Wednesday evening. The BJ tables have plasti-glass partitions that allow 4 players, and there's a partition between the players and dealer. The roulette table and craps were pretty much as before (not sure about the minimums). These tables were PACKED, perhaps because you weren't in a plastic cage. Roulette - free to place your bets all of the table, as before. Same for craps. If you've been to GC, you know PaiGow is big here. I don't play that, but those tables looked pretty full too. All in all, I'd say the only drastic change was, unfortunately, to blackjack.
Masks - Ridiculous. You can "sip" but have to immediately re-mask. It's sip, re-mask, sip, re-mask, and so on. You can't just have a beer in your hand, and that qualifies you to remove your mask. Perhaps the plan is to sip non-stop for 4 days! The casino security lady was cool about it, not rude.
I am headed to the Strip today and downtown for Friday and Saturday nights. Pool cabana on Saturday. Feel free to ask questions below, and I'll answer as best I can. Otherwise, I'll update today's experience in a post here tomorrow.