LAS VEGAS
MGM Resorts International announced it will become the first major casino company to begin charging for parking at its Las Vegas Strip properties. The strategy could bring in millions of dollars yearly, and is also part of a major parking strategy and investment to address long-term growth in visitation to the destination.
After extensive review, the company will construct a $54-million, 3,000-space parking structure near the northwest corner of the Excalibur Hotel campus that will serve to absorb further visitor growth and enhance the experience of attendees of events at nearby resorts and entertainment venues. The facility is designed to serve the city's newest venues—T-Mobile Arena, The Park, and the Theater at Monte Carlo Hotel & Casino—and provide additional on-site parking for employees. Construction of the new parking facility is scheduled to begin in the second quarter of 2016, with completion scheduled in the second quarter of 2017.
The company is also investing an additional $36 million to upgrade parking facilities at its Las Vegas resorts, implementing guidance technologies and other guest enhancements. Among the planned improvements according to MGM are: Redesigned parking facility layouts to improve accessibility; parking guidance systems that will guide guests to available spaces; mobile technology allowing visitors to check space availability prior to arrival; upgraded lighting, LED signage, paint and striping; and elevator and escalator upgrades and enhancements
Guests utilizing self-park facilities will be able to check real-time availability from a smartphone and quickly find a space by following dynamic signs and LED guidance.
The $90 million strategy, MGM says, will expand and enhance parking infrastructure, take advantage of new technologies that will significantly improve the parking experience, and meet changing consumer tastes and demands. The strategy includes the implementation of a parking fee program that will introduce a modest fee for customers utilizing valet services or self-park facilities.
“The parking process is our customers’ first and last touch-point with us. Our guests expect and deserve an enhancement to this aspect of our resort experience,” said Corey Sanders, MGM Resorts International COO. “We’ve taken into account our customer feedback and carefully planned these improvements to address some of their most common concerns—challenging navigation and difficulty finding available spaces."
Parking fees will be moderate when compared to similar fees in other markets, according to MGM, and that overnight guest utilizing a self-park facility will pay $10 or less. Las Vegas locals will be given a grace period for free parking after the program starts and can maintain their free-parking status by enrolling and earning privileges through M life, the company’s customer loyalty program; non-resident guests can also earn free-parking status through the same program.
The parking fee program will be implemented in the second quarter of 2016.
