Access Vegas Insider Vibe May 22, 2020

Hello From Las Vegas! – Vegas is back when? Man, I wish I had an answer. My educated guesstimate was May 15. We continue to have falling numbers, peak was long ago, curve flattened, casino plans in place (which will make them safer than anywhere else you venture). 

Casinos were ready, willing, and able. As we’ve seen from regional casino openings, there certainly is demand. With Los Angeles locked down until the end of the world, there is no shortage of drive-in visitors ready to come have fun.

However, it has become extremely clear that our Governor continues to have no plan. We’re in Phase 1 of what may be 4 phases. We think. They do not mirror the White House phases (which only has 3 phases). He said casinos may open during Phase 3 or Phase 4.

It is appearing that our governor is among those who will simply be keeping things shut down as long as possible. Period. Every aspect of the tourism and gaming industry is sitting here twiddling our thumbs. The fact that, for the first time in the history of Nevada, a governor is thumbing his nose at the very industry which fuels the entire state is also a strange quirk. Past that, I’ll leave things to your own assumptions.

So, Let’s Get Back To Talking Vegas! – I have backlogged stuff to write about. Las Vegas will be back, and we’ll get back to the inside info, helpful tips, and everything that helps you have a better visit next time. Because, there WILL be a next time. Even if the governor gets recalled to get us to the point we open back up.

But, let’s get to one more interesting thought you won’t (yet) read elsewhere. Although, if it does not get written about in the media soon, I’ll be submitting it as an op-ed to our paper:

We Already Were The Petri Dish – Our Mayor got lambasted for suggesting — in a very testy interview with Anderson Cooper — that Las Vegas should open and possibly be a Petri dish to see what happens. What everybody does not know is… We already were. In January. Let’s run though this:

– University of Southern California found out that Covid-19 had already been a thing in Southern California for some time: USC antibody study suggests hundreds of thousands in LA County may have had coronavirus This means long before quarantine and lockdown, Southern Californians (which make up upwards of 25% our our visitors, driving in), were here having a party. Having a good time. No distancing, no masks, no nothing.

– More than 175,000 industry professionals, including more than 61,000 from outside the U.S., were in Las Vegas in January for the Consumer Electronics Show (CES). As it was an electronics show, there was a significant contingent from China. (Or, as the President says, SHHIINNAH). Interacting not only with each other, but with hotel employees, bartenders, wait staff, drivers, the massive number of locals staffing the convention center… I could go on and on.

So, all of those locals got sick and brought Covid-19 home with them every night and we had a pandemic, and the hospitals got overwhelmed, and we all died.

I guess not.

Were there anecdotal reports of a weird flu going around the next couple of weeks? Yes. Absolutely. Not pretending it didn’t exist. However, that was that and life went on.

Having said all of that, and for the (probably) 47th time: STAY HOME if you have any concerns at all. Whether you are older, have health issues, are simply being extra careful, or you believe that opening up (as the nation is doing) will lead to a resurgence and millions of deaths, there is absolutely no hurry to return to Las Vegas!

We’ll publish again next week to make up for the week I missed while flat on my back in traction (not to mention surgery and recovery). At that time, we’ll go over more of what to expect as most casinos are putting their plans in place, what will and won’t be open when, and information along those lines. I wish we knew more now. As noted, I’m privy to as much info as almost everybody. Even the CEO’s of the casino company have absolutely no clue what the governor is up to, nor when he may think about letting hotel resorts reopen.

ALSO, members keep in mind that you can contact us in the members area with specific questions about planning for your next visit. I won’t lie: For the first time ever (literally), we don’t have all the answers. But, as always, we look at your specific situation and questions and we’ll do the best we can to inform you of what we know to date.

Stay safe, everyone. We’ll be open when you are ready.

Next Week – Vegas, Vegas, Vegas. Backloads of Vegas. Back to normal with this newsletter, and hopefully over the next weeks and months, back to normal for all of us.

Since The Governor Is MIA – The promo code ACCESS2020 is still good for a full year where, for less than the price of a cup of coffee per month, you get access to all of the info that does NOT go here in our free edition, all of our archives, 12 special Vegas Visitor “must have” reports you won’t find elsewhere on the internet, and much more at Members.AccessVegas.com 

The day the governor announces an actual opening date, that comes down. Immediately on the day he sets a date. Not on opening date.

Hope you are enjoying this issue!

Ted Newkirk
Founder/Managing Editor
AccessVegas.com

Our plans for Las Vegas this year is to try and get there twice! We usually stay 5 nights and we always make time for the newbie things to do/go see. We don’t always stay in the same place, though we do prefer the strip so we don’t have to drive around at night (in case we want to relax and not get a DUI) and can casino hop if one place gets too stale.

The energy is awesome in Las Vegas, so we try to casino hop as much as we can. We have also visited the Gold and Silver Pawn Shop, Rick’s Restoration and Danny Koker’s auto shop (which is a must see if you like autos!!!) which is something to do out of the norm of regular tours/casinos/shopping. I usually get to go a second time when the Girls Only trip happens in July. Yea, it’s a hot time to be there, but we laugh in spite of ourselves and have a wonderful time just the same! Hey, it’s Vegas Baby!!

Best,

Sharon Ball

Ted Responds:

Good suggestions all around. Danny is a character and is true-to-life! I was at my local Carl’s Jr. at Sahara and Valley View a few months ago. I was inside picking up an order. The clerk goes to me ‘The Count’ is in the drive through!” (This is on his way home from his shop, so makes sense). When he pulled around, it was dark out, but he was driving what was obviously a pimped-out 70’s luxury ride.

Also, if you are an aging “metal head” (I plead guilty), he owns Counts Vamped about 10 minutes west of The Strip on West Sahara. It is a rock ‘n’ roll bar and grill which regularly hosts retro rock/metal acts like Bullet Boys, Geoff Tate, Y&T, Britney Fox, Lynch Mob, Femme Fatal, and similar. If this is for you, you may want to check out their site before your next visit.

Do you refuse to put your reward card in the slot machine after a decent win?

Tom Tani

Ted Responds:

No, no, no, no, and… no!

Every spin or button hit of a machine is completely random. It is not based on what just happened on the last deal. The computer that runs the gambling portion of the machine does not know if there is a slot club card in the machine or not.

All you ever do by playing without your card is losing out on comps.

There is one exception! And, to check that out, PLEASE read the special report in our Members Area titled How To Con The Casino Computers Into Comping You More!

We have answers to your Vegas questions!

But, you have to ask the questions.

Email us at AccessVegas@AccessVegas.com, and let us know, what YOU want to know!