“The only constant is change” is a saying that’s especially true in Las Vegas, where history and traditions frequently take a backseat to shareholder profits. Experiences once synonymous with the famous Strip have disappeared over time.
In 2016, the last glamorous musical production, “Jubilee!” at Bally’s, featuring classically trained dancers in lavish outfits and heavy headdresses, closed its doors. Bally’s, which opened as the original MGM Grand in 1973, is now the Horseshoe. The showgirl spectacles became too costly, exceeding $5 million annually, while audience preferences shifted. Today, most Strip casinos present music and comedy residencies by A-list performers, or lease their showrooms to Cirque du Soleil and other entertainment operators. Modern “showgirls” seen on the Strip are typically paid models or street performers posing for tips.
The COVID-19 pandemic gave many Strip casinos the excuse they needed to eliminate buffets, a cost-cutting move they had desired for three decades. Buffets once served as loss leaders when gambling accounted for 75% of casino revenue. The first buffet appeared in the early 1940s at El Rancho Vegas, offering an all-you-can-eat experience for $1. As gambling’s share of revenue dwindled to around 25%, subsidizing food costs became unsustainable. By 2021, Caesars Entertainment’s buffets were losing $3 million per year. Today, only seven buffets remain on the Strip, with none of them being cheap. MGM Resorts and Caesars each maintain a minimal buffet presence, with other casinos likely to replace their buffets with more profitable food halls, upscale food courts leased to third-party restaurants.
For decades, Strip parking had been free, a gesture toward gamblers ready to spend their money. However, in June 2016, MGM Resorts, the largest Vegas casino operator, began charging for parking, quickly followed by Caesars Entertainment. This move turned two-thirds of the Strip into a paid-parking zone, forcing other properties to follow suit as guests filled their previously free garages.
In the past, B- or C-list singers and comedians performed for free at all hours in Strip lounges. Icons like the Mary Kaye Trio, Sonny King, and Pete Barbutti entertained guests in the ’50s, ’60s, and ’70s, respectively, keeping gamblers in casinos. Today, free lounge acts have given way to expensive DJ-led mega-clubs, where admission costs hundreds of dollars.
Magic shows featuring big cats also faded as cultural shifts towards animal welfare gained momentum. Roy Horn’s 2003 tiger attack accelerated the decline of these performances. Dirk Arthur, the last magician to use big cats, ended his “Wild Illusions” show at the Riviera in 2015, just before the hotel closed. Arthur, who died last year at 63, struggled to revive his act and was reportedly working as an usher at the Westgate, where he had once headlined.
