Stateline casinos do worse than rest of state
While the state gaming numbers were good in August, the same cannot be said for Stateline.
The Nevada Gaming Control Board on Monday said statewide winnings were up 11.2 percent in August compared to the prior year. On the South Shore they were down 2.7 percent. The state win was $955 million; Stateline was $21 million.
There was a time when August was the busiest month in the Lake Tahoe Basin. With schools starting before Labor Day, that has changed.
But that didn’t hurt Reno casinos this year where the win was 9.7 percent higher than a year ago for a total of $54 million.
— Lake Tahoe News staff report
Perhaps it is because Las Vegas IS the destination resort. Reno promotes itself heavily as the Gateway Destination Resort for Tahoe. Here we have got lots of bickering between the two visitor bureau’s a few miles apart. Why drive to Tahoe to gamble (gaming) when you can stop elsewhere with a shorter drive. The visitor bureau’s need to work towards a common goal and that is to get people to a close radius to Stateline to enjoy the amenities Tahoe has to offer.. Then they need to get a transportation system that actually services the area rather than a select few streets. People will then gravitate to the casinos for a little gaming so they can enjoy the entire “Tahoe Experience”
worldcycle is right…. and Reno (the city) does an excellent job of scheduling events to attract people throughout the year. Those people come for the event then find the casino. I’d bet (not pun intended) there are dozens of major events hosted in Reno. (Roaring Thunder, Street Vibrations, Hot August Nights, Rib cook-offs, Bowling Tournaments year around, art exhibitions, Balloon Races, Air Races, Music Festivals, Water Ski events, Chicken Wing Festival, River Walk Festivals, Rodeo, Food Festivals,and on and on…..)
South Shore has the July Golf Tournament, Fireworks and summer concerts (all sponsored by the casinos not the city) which are major tourist draws but everything else ( with the exception of Snow Globe) seems to be focused at people once they’re here not to get them here.
I’d say most the of the people who go to Reno for their events end up going to the North Shore if they want to see and enjoy the lake.
It’s hard to find Tahoe South when all the signs say South Lake Tahoe!
How many speed traps, DUI checkpoints, endless construction sites and broken stop lights do people drive through on HWY 80 to visit Reno?
tourists need better and more frequent signage from Reno, starting at the Airport. We’re ignorant geographically.
Also it doesn’t help that the average rental car does not come with a pre-installed free gps (and the rent on a gps is about the same as buying one!).
Better and more signage please.
And don’t forget that the Sat. of Labor Day fell in Aug. this year. If all things were merely equal to last year, that should’ve led to a bit of an increase. Thus making this drop look even worse!
And great point sunriser2!
Tourist – thank you for your comment above. You completely substantiated my opinion that the #1 problem facing Tahoe is transportation. And I presume by “airport” you’re referring to Reno, which is an hour+ from Tahoe on a good day. Throw in a winter storm and that hour+ looks good.
The casinos are tired, the commercial buildings in the city are tired, most of the homes are tired, even the “hole” is tired, and the people living here are tired of it all. There is nothing vibrant about the town and its infrastructure. We are attracting people who can barely afford to have a weekend away or overnight CA vacationers who are trying to see the state. That’s why no one is spending money here and casino drop continues to drop.
Compounding this are the extremely high prices for our best tourist attraction on South Shore… Heavenly. With gondola tickets at $38 and ski tickets over $100 each its just too expensive for the average tourist. Of course the flip side is that there are less people in town skiing and driving which is kinda nice for some of us locals who don’t rely on tourism to live here.
I do feel sorry for the tip folks, ski instructors, etc. and local kids who want to stay here. Hope work life gets better for you before you have to move.
reza — everyone who lives here depends on tourism. Maybe not directly, but without them, you would be gone. I also make my living elsewhere. Without tourism there would be no service workers whose kids fill the schools which supply jobs for teachers, janitors and bus drivers. Without tourists you would not have 2 Raleys and a Safeway which also supply numerous jobs. Tourism makes sure the gas stations are open, the tow truck drivers work and the trades people have work keeping the rental properties in shape for people to come back and enjoy. With out all the tourism and second home owners we would not have the infrastructure of the PUD, gas company and electric companies that are fairly efficient at keeping your home nice and toasty with water and flushing toilets year round. Without all the tourists who visit, there would be no reason for the roads to get plowed on a regular basis, the police and fire departments would be much smaller and a hospital? Forget it.
Thank you tourists!!!!! Each and every one of you. I do not need your money, yet I need you to visit so that I may continue to call this beautiful area home. I wave at you every Sunday and say thank you for visiting. Please return, please tell your friends how much you enjoyed staying and playing here. And most importantly bring more money, any amount will do because that is what makes our economy thrive.
worldcycle:
That was perfectly stated. Thank you.
Carl Ribaudo might be right about fewer tourists coming. If the middle class is dwindling, and north Shore is attracting the big spenders……..Stateline looks like a war zone. Look on the bright side, state of california workers are so corrupt and have $s from the 7th biggest economy on the planet, niche marketing.
Humm, could that really small drop in be because we had alot of smoke in the basin in August from the Rim fire. I am not sure where Carl got his numbers but Visitors to our town are up(by alot) not down. Thats how the city was able to ballance its budget for last ficual year.
Worldcycle, I know everyone here directly or indirectly relies on tourism dollars. You missed the point. Unless the south shore gets its act together there is no significant improvement on the horizon.
Everything but the recent work by Caltrans and NDOT as it relates to infrastructure is tired and not getting better. The commercial property owners on both sides of the lake are not seeing a bright future and therefore not investing. The place is run down.
The north & west shores are attracting big money. Perhaps Stateline ought to be looking on the other side of the lake at the successes of their neighbors.
Reza, there are a couple of exceptions to your point. The biggest one is what Park Cattle (Edgewood Companies) is planning on the golf course with their new 5 star resort.
Another will be what they do with the Horizon property after they take it back April 1, 2014.
I’m sure they have a plan but haven’t announced it yet.
Another commercial property having millions spent on a remodel is also at the lake. It’s now called “The Landing” and is located at the end of Stateline Blvd by the beach.
Unfortunately, these aren’t along Hwy 50 where most tourists drive. I believe the proposed realignment of Hwy 50 could go a long way to creating a tourist center feeling. I know it’s unpopular with some people who might have to move but if those few can be worked with and reach an equitable plus agreement, the city will benefit from the new look for a major part of the Core Tourist Area and the investment which would follow.
Tahoe Advocate, yes all of what you mention is out there. However, we are talking years and years and there is still the issue of lawsuits pending, environmental and economic studies and where the money for the loop road will come from and how and what roll Caltrans will play.
In addition, local commercial real estate owners have their properties over valued making purchase and re-investment by new developers very, very difficult. That’s partially why nothing is moving and retail locations remain vacant and tired looking.
Finally, what is the big plan that will have people invest here. Are we going to be a casino town again, a recreational town, and who are the leaders? No leadership, no progress.
reza- you’re right about lack of direction for the area.
The city touts it’s efforts in doing planning, the latest is the Tourist Core Area Plan, but it is an infrastructure plan not a marketing plan.
A real Strategic Planning effort should be done which identifies the strengths, weaknesses, opportunities and threats (SWOT) to running the South Shore (not just the city) as if it were an integrated business. Analyze the SWOT results and develop a plan to take advantage of the positives and offset the negatives to create a community which looks good, is financially healthy and creates a market pull for tourists.
Tahoeadvocate, you obviously have a management background and understand marketing. You are right on the money with your comments. I wish the current council and county had a few people with this type of expertise who could engage the NV side and start to formulate a south shore plan. Until then I fear projects will start without full integration to a lake wide vision plan. I’m also not sure that the voters in SLT really want significant change based on who they have voted for in the past.
Give up the gaming and go for recreational business.
How did North Shore get the Tahoe Ironman? 2700 athletes, 10,000 spectators…full hotels and restaurants. BTW: 5 year contract.
…and the IM committee approached SLT first?
What a joke…..
Mick, simple answer. No one with piloting skills was driving the south shore boat.
Mick, is that correct, that IronMan approached SLT first???
If so, what an utter travesty. They have the rooms, the dining, and the airport. What the heck is going on over there?
There’s something very wrong with the South Lake community. It’s like they can’t get out of their own way to improve things on their side of the lake.
dryclean, bingo.
nothing to see here. Harrahs has been a huge part of the problem. The inmates have been running the asylum for years. unfortunately Bill Harrah and Harvey Gross will not be coming to save us