How is Vegas treating jugglers?

A few months back The Long Run blog's founder Brett Spurr was in Vegas and observed an interesting economic phenomenon: while hotel room prices were at all-time lows, food was now pricier. So a hotel room at a major hotel might run you $50 a night but the Coke machine on your floor is now charging double. The old "if you can't make it in popcorn, make it in peanuts" strategy.



Brett cautioned his observations were purely anecdotal. I thought I'd follow up on Brett's intriguing observation by wrangling my connection¹ with Vegas local Michael Goudeau (former co-host of the Penn Jillette Radio Show and an occasional panelist for the yearly The Amazing Meeting) and get his observations about how the down economy is affecting what is surely one of the most interesting local economies on earth.

Anecdotal observations from Las Vegas

I happened to be in Las Vegas for a conference this weekend and noticed something new. No, not another hotel or attraction- those are always springing up. Rather, I noticed that prices have risen on the strip. Not hotel room prices- those have fallen hard.  In fact, a room at the center-strip and recently renovated Mirage are just $63 per night. The Monte Carlo offers rooms from just $38. I have paid double and triple these rates at the same properties in the past.