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If you’re an insider, do you really want other insiders’ views of the casino industry? Since you’re an insider yourself, they’ll either tell you what you already know or, if they say something different, well, they’ll get it wrong.An outsider, though—there you might learn something that you don’t already know. In the book being reviewed, the outsider is Tim Dressen, co-host of the podcast
Five Hundy by Midnight, a Minneapolis-based appreciation of all things Las Vegas. In their usually-weekly podcast, Tim and his wife Michele talk about the latest Las Vegas news, sharing their own perspectives and adventures.The
Outsiders’ Guide is in the same vein. It’s written as a travel guide, but the most enticing aspect is Tim’s voice, which comes through strongly. As an insider, you might not need to know how to find the lowest-cost airfare to Las Vegas or how to avoid getting long-hauled. But even (or especially) if you’re a property president on the Strip, this is a great book to read, because it will give you insights into how your customers think. Maybe Tim and Michele don’t stay at your property, but they’ve been in it, and their experience, good or bad, can tell you a lot about how your property is being viewed by a Vegas-savvy outsider.Market intelligence aside,
Outsiders’ Guide is just plain fun reading. Tim writes in a natural, accessible style that’s got an edge—think Garrison Keillor after a night of booze and blackjack. His opinionated approach holds the reader’s attention.The book starts with a section that explains how best to get to Vegas, from the view of those who, like Tim and Michele, fly there. The book has plenty of the more prosaic stuff—advice on booking flights and rental cars—but it also has things like tips on how to best enjoy Las Vegas when in the presence of non-Vegas work companions or (shudder) your own kids. This book also might introduce you to the concept of “Vegas Lent,” a 40-day period preceding a trip to Las Vegas during which devotees practice their blackjack and video poker play, binge-watch Vegas movies, and look for deals and new experiences.The book provides a guide to the town’s casinos, geographically arranged, with separate chapters for dining and drinking, entertainment, and gambling. The final chapter advises visitors how best to return to their post-Vegas reality.What casino insiders might find particularly useful in strategic planning is Tim’s concept of time as currency. He estimates that, on the average Vegas trip, he has 100 non-sleeping hours to spend. He wants to experience the greatest diversity and quality possible in that time. So, for example, taking the free shuttle to Sam’s Town for better video poker conditions isn’t worth doing, since the added monetary value is less that the worth of the extra time invested. When programming events or planning amenities, casino executives would be well-advised to keep this concept in mind; if their most loyal guests have about 100 hours to spend on a trip, how can a property encourage them to spend more time on-site?And if you’re not based in Las Vegas, there is still plenty in
Outsiders’ Guide that you might find valuable, since many of your guests will be comparing your property to what’s in Vegas. In short: this is a highly-recommended read.
The Outsiders’ Guide to Las Vegas (July 2015, 267 pages) is published by Otington Press (Roseville,Minnesota). ISBN 978-0996290609
