Las Vegas Y2K Celebration Will Cost

By ANGIE WAGNER Associated Press Writer

LAS VEGAS (AP) -- Talk about no room at the inn.

Some 750,000 partygoers are expected to pour into Las Vegas this New Year's Eve to ring in the new millennium. Problem is, the city only has 120,000 hotel rooms, and many of those are going for thousands of dollars a night -- rates unimaginable other times of the year.

In fact, nearly everything in Vegas that night -- from concerts to air fare -- might require a lot of luck at the gambling tables.

"It's all accelerated because of the demand. That's kind of the American way," said Mark Paris, president of the Fremont Street Experience, a downtown attraction.

Caesars Palace will be charging $2,000 a night, with a four-night minimum, or $3,500 a night with a three-night minimum. Rooms there usually are between $125 and $500. Bellagio, one of the newer hotels, will charge $2,000 a night, with a three-night minimum -- up from the $129 a night some rooms go for on less festive nights.

Even the family-oriented, usually affordable Circus Circus is bumping its room rates from about $39 a night to $450 with a four-night minimum.

Many hotels are already sold out for New Year's Eve, but that isn't likely to deter tourists from spending the holiday in this gambling mecca. This year's crowd estimate is almost double the number of people who came here to ring in 1999.

Those who don't get a hotel room probably won't sleep at all.

Las Vegas isn't alone in its outrageous prices. Hotels in other millennial hot spots such as New York, Los Angeles, New Orleans and Honolulu are also upping their rates.

At the New York Hilton and Towers, on Sixth Avenue, a standard room for Dec. 31 is $550 per night, with a three-night minimum stay. A standard room is usually half that. At the Plaza 50 on 50th Street, a studio suite that normally rents for $299 a night is $448 on New Year's Eve, with a four-night minimum stay required.

"The large urban hotels are offering New Year's Eve revelers packages that are commensurable with the kind of entertainment that is being offered," said Jim Gallagher, spokesman for Starwood Hotels and Resorts, which operates the Sheraton and Westin chains. "We certainly think that any of Starwood's properties are giving their guests real value for their money."

The prices for rooms in major cities usually include tickets to a concert or some other type of entertainment for New Year's Eve, he said.

Marc Grossman, spokesman for Hilton Hotels Corp., said demand for lodging in prime locales is driving prices higher.

"Rooms are going fast," he said. "The places that you would imagine that are New Year's headquarters are going to get premium pricing."

Back in Las Vegas, just about every concert, party and even the airlines are following the hotels' lead.

The price tag to party downtown under the canopy of the Fremont Street Experience block party is $100 -- 10 times what it cost last year.

"New Year's can get a little bit rowdy. The thinking is that the cover charge would keep out some people that may be a little bit more rowdy and try to make it a little bit more controllable," said Dawn Christensen, a city spokeswoman.

Bally's Las Vegas is offering a "Time Tunnel" party for a mere $300 ($250 for hotel guests). Pricey yes, but it does include a buffet, party hat and a horn.

Tickets to New Year's Eve concerts with the likes of Elton John, Tina Turner, Bette Midler and Rod Stewart cost upwards of $100 and most of those shows are already sold out.

Just getting to the party is costing travelers from the East Coast big bucks. They are paying $2,500 to $3,000 for airfare and a four-night stay at less ritzy hotels, said Mary Baltodano, a travel agent with Creative Travel in Las Vegas. These package trips normally cost only several hundred dollars a person.

Baltodano books them -- with a hint of disgust.

"This is outrageous. I can't believe people are purchasing them," Ms. Baltodano said.

While clearly some don't mind paying inflated prices to revel in happening places, to others it seems a bit frivolous.

"I don't make enough money to blow it like that," Janis Anderson, 43, of San Antonio, Texas, said as she dropped quarters into a slot machine at the Las Vegas Hilton.

AP-NY-09-24-99 0040EDT<

http://www.newsday.com/ap/rnmpfn1p.htm

-- Homer Beanfang (Bats@inbellfry.com), September 24, 1999

Answers

I have a sibling in Vegas. Can anyone tell me (or point me to some info) about how Vegas is coming along? TIA

-- Brooks (brooksbie@hotmail.com), September 24, 1999.

And I felt guilty about buying stuff not on sale!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

-- Carol (glear@usa.net), September 24, 1999.

Vegas is not the only place where this is going on. We have friends who booked a cruise for the rollover. $1500 a person for a 10 day cruise. In July they were informed that they would be required to pay $3000 per person with the money due by 10 August. They cancelled. He has to be at work anyway - all vacations cancelled from Nov. 1 - January 10 (or whenever...).

-- Valkyrie (anon@please.xnet), September 24, 1999.

After reading this post, anyone who asks why people DGI, needs to have their head examined. I'm hunkering down with a bottle of wine, a fire, and then go to bed around 12:30......no big deal. Total cost: $25.00

-- Stingy and Happy (stingyandhappy@stingy&happyyy.com), September 24, 1999.