I've never once minded spending my entire bankroll on a Vegas trip -- a small one when when I was young, somewhat larger now -- but I've always wanted to feel like I got my money's worth from it. Losing that, THAT is how Las Vegas shot itself in the foot.
oh my god this is so true. it's not even about "it used to be cheap" but that IF YOU SPENT A REASONABLE AMOUNT OF MONEY YOU WERE A KING which is really the point of Caesars Palace, it's not possessive, it's the place where the guests are Caesars
I wouldn't even call it fawning, just being given a fair return for your money. You could play for hours, have watery drinks brought regularly, see some things you'd tell stories and laugh about for the rest of your life, then be handed a free ticket to a buffet and think, "This was worth it."
I was playing video blackjack at the bar and had already dropped 20 bucks and the bartender said I hadn't spent enough for a comped vodka soda.
That kind of sticker-for-the-rules bartender will make me leave a casino quickly. But a bartender who doesn't sweat that shit and brings me a drink without worrying? That bartender has a steady flow of too-big tips coming to them.