Caesars Entertainment to launch paid parking initiative
Caesars Entertainment Corp. said late Tuesday that it will launch a paid valet and self-parking initiative beginning late next month. The move follows the lead of MGM Resorts International, which began charging for parking at its Las Vegas properties earlier this year.
In a statement, Caesars, which runs nine hotel-casinos on or near the Strip, said the program will exclude the off-Strip Rio and will begin phasing in at The Linq and Harrah’s in late December, when valet services become paid. The company didn’t give a precise date for the program’s start and didn’t say what parking charges will be.
Self-parking at The Linq and Harrah’s will remain free until self-parking equipment is installed, the company said.
Rollout at other Caesars properties will vary, the company said.
As with the MGM Resorts program, Caesars Entertainment’s paid parking program has an out for locals. Local residents with proper identification and Total Rewards loyalty members rated platinum and above will be able to continue self-parking for free, the statement said.
Total Rewards loyalty members rated platinum and above will also be able to valet for free, Caesars said.
Caesars said the move aims “to improve the parking experience” for guests, locals and members of its Total Rewards loyalty program. The company said its hotel guests have reported dwindling availability for parking and valet services.
“Guests who stay, game and shop at our resorts have said that parking spaces and valet services have become increasingly scarce,” Bob Morse, president of hospitality at Caesars Entertainment, said in the statement. “So we believe that implementing a paid parking program while also investing in LED parking guidance systems will help address these issues.”
Caesars Palace, Harrah’s, Flamingo, Bally’s and Paris Las Vegas will get new parking guidance systems to help guests identify occupied and unoccupied self-parking spaces, Caesars Entertainment said. The company didn’t say how much the new technology would cost.
At MGM Resorts properties, the maximum parking fee is $10 per day, or $18 per day for valet. As with the new Caesars Entertainment program, the MGM Resorts program offers exemptions for locals with valid Nevada license plates and some MLife rewards program members.
As part of its enhanced parking program, MGM Resorts planned to build a new $54 million, 3,000-space parking structure near the Excalibur, close to T-Mobile Arena to add parking for arena events. The company also planned to invest $36 million in upgrades and enhancements to existing parking facilities.
Contact Matthew Crowley at mcrowley@reviewjournal.com. Follow @copyjockey on Twitter.
CORRECTION: This story has been updated to reflect that MGM Resorts’ did not project a revenue figure for its enhanced parking program.
