Rumors had been circulating since late last year that MGM was going to introduce parking charges at their Las Vegas strip properties. On January 15, MGM confirmed these rumors, stating that they will be implementing a daily parking fee. The company intends to put this new policy into effect in the second quarter of 2016.
MGM Resorts International Chief Operating Officer, Corey Sanders, issued a statement defending his company’s stance on the policy change:
The parking procedure is the initial and final interaction our customers have with us. Our visitors anticipate and merit an improvement to this facet of their experience at our resort.
We have considered customer feedback and meticulously planned enhancements to tackle their frequent issues – complex navigation and trouble locating available spaces. We recognize there’s room for improvement in this area of our resort experience, and we’re adopting a proactive strategy to address it.
Both self-park and valet services will reportedly have a fee of ten dollars per day. MGM also indicated that this fee is intended to discourage people from using MGM parking facilities to visit non-MGM casinos.
MGM, who is nearing the completion of Las Vegas’s latest venue, the T-Mobile Arena, expressed concerns about potential parking shortages during big events.
Will anyone be exempt from paying?
A number of MGM properties will be excluded from the policy. Free parking will continue to be available at self-parking lots directly attached to shopping areas and the self-park at Circus Circus. Locals will also be temporarily excluded from the fees, but they are urged to register for an M Life Player Rewards Card as quickly as possible.
Those who have reached specific status levels in MGM’s M Life rewards program will be granted parking benefits. However, MGM has not yet clarified which M Life level will be necessary to gain these parking benefits.
Local poker players have raised a huge uproar. Many professional poker players worry that they might not be able to avail the free parking, as MGM has a different policy for poker room comps compared to M Life Rewards. Additionally, hotel guests will be required to pay a daily charge of ten dollars.
How will this change the landscape of the strip?
Regular patrons of Las Vegas are preparing for the possible reactions of other strip properties to MGM’s new policy. At present, no other Las Vegas Strip properties have declared alterations to their parking policies. While the new MGM system might simplify the process of finding a parking spot, it’s likely that most locals who frequent the strip for entertainment will opt for other properties rather than pay a parking fee.
The new policy could potentially harm MGM properties with less popular poker rooms. The poker rooms at casinos such as Luxor and Excalibur depend significantly on local poker players to initiate their games. Given that MGM is no longer permitting players to earn M Life Rewards from time spent playing poker, it is reasonable to expect that many local players will shift their patronage elsewhere.
