So much for being recession proof. So much for isolated from the world’s economic woes. Maybe the reason Las Vegas is finally suffering the slings and arrows of America’s economic slowdown is because everything here costs SO MUCH!

Gone are the days of the 99 cent shrimp cocktail, long gone. Gone too it seems, are the days of the average tourist on the Strip getting any type of meaningful dinner or room comp or even a discount. Let’s face it folks, this place is just too damn expensive.

My heart goes out to the people who just got laid off from their jobs with MGM Mirage. I know all too well what it’s like to be shown the door even though I did a good job. It sucks. Those layoffs are sure to have a ripple effect on the local economy and they’re already having and effect on the psyche of the community. There’s a chink in the armor and the whole world knows. Are we in trouble? Yes. Can we pull out of it? Of course. But it will take courage, planning and something the casino powers-that-be do not want to do: lower the cost of the Vegas experience.

MGM Mirage spokesman Alan Feldman spelled it out to the Associated Press this week. He says people are opting for the 4 Star experience instead of 5 Star because they’re cutting back. They’re booking maybe 3 nights instead of 4 these days because they can‘t afford it. Hmmm, is there a pattern developing here? Memo to bigwigs: Enough is enough.

It’s not that simple, of course. MGM Mirage has to pay for City Center, to the tune of $8.1 billion. Most of these projects are not paid for by loans, but profits. It’s a great business plan, but it’s dependent on mega profits. Those days could be over for a while, unless drastic action is taken.

How’s this for a slogan: “What happens in Vegas doesn’t cost as much as it used to”?
To be fair, this problem didn’t start here. We all have to buy expensive gas and groceries and insurance and, and, and….

And we almost have to take a loan out to pay to park on the streets these days. The rest of the country and the world has been going through this longer than we have, but it’s the rest of the country and the world that fuels our economy here. I don’t have to tell you times are tough, but I wish someone would remind Mr. Lanni, Mr. Loveman and Mr. Boyd that most of us are barely able to pay our living expenses, let alone fork out hundreds for amusement and entertainment. Come to think of it, someone should point that out to Mr. Bush, Mr. Reid and Ms. Pelosi too.