Super Bowl week is, historically, one of the biggest weeks of the year for casinos in Las Vegas. However, the city is practically empty with less than 48 hours until kickoff.
High-ranking executives are completely baffled by the unexpected lack of tourism.
The 2024/25 NFL championship pits the Philadelphia Eagles against the Kansas City Chiefs for the second time in the last three seasons. It will be played in New Orleans on Sunday evening.
Held in Las Vegas, the Super Bowl generated an estimated $1 billion in economic impact for the city last year. That is not even close the case this year. And not just because it is taking place in a different state.
Casino execs across Las Vegas are baffled and rattled by Super Bowl weekend falling off a cliff. Some are reporting losing days (expenses exceed revenue) multiple days this week. As our fellow kids say, oof.
— Vital Vegas
According to boots on the ground, casinos on The Strip are largely unoccupied. The standard shoulder-to-shoulder chaos of Fremont Street is far more tame than normal. There just aren’t as many people.
This doesn’t feel like a normal Super Bowl weekend on the strip. The buzz isn’t there. The crowd isn’t the normal A-list. It’s more like the normies and low-budget crowd.
— Jeremy Ross, a local bartender
As a result, a large number of hotel rooms sit vacant and luxury suites are selling for extremely cheap.
If you were to purchase a room for Saturday and Sunday night, you would have a number of options. Some of them are obviously more expensive than others but none of them are outrageous.
- Caesars Palace: $40 (per night)
- MGM Grand: $68
- Paris: $35
- Luxor: $19
- Harrah’s: $16
- Flamingo: $24
- Treasure Island: $30
- W: $95
- The LINQ: $38
- Bellagio: $194
- Wynn: $188
- Fontainebleau: $145
- Encore: $180
- NOBU: $209
Those prices may or may not include some hidden fees or taxes, but still. You can stay on the strip for two nights, on Super Bowl weekend, for less than $150 total or pay up for a higher-quality stay at a price that would typically cost two or three times the amount.
There are a lot of factors involved in this downswing like political climate, the rise of online sports books, overpriced food and drink, and “all-inclusive packages” that cost more than they are worth. Other theories also point to the economy and the constantly rising price point of the city. Whatever the reason(s) might be, Las Vegas is mostly vacant for the Super Bowl. That’s not normal!