Flying High
March 17, 2010
McCarran International Airport in Las Vegas, Nevada
McCarran International Airport in Las Vegas, Nevada
McCarran International Airport in Las Vegas, Nevada
You can already gamble at McCarran International Airport in Las Vegas, Nevada, and soon you may be able to buy a bottle of wine, or something stronger, as you’re waiting to pick up your luggage after a flight.
Commissioners in Clark County, which owns the airport, on Tuesday moved one step closer toward approving a liquor store at the airport’s south baggage claim area by voting to seek out applications from parties interested in running such a facility.
The store would sell beer, wine and spirits “for off-site consumption only,” according to the proposal.
Many of the country’s airports already have bars, but if approved, this would be the only liquor store operating inside a U.S. airport, said Randall Walker, the county’s director of aviation.
Outside the United States, many airports do have stores where passengers can buy duty-free items, including liquor, upon arrival, he added.
“We’re struggling just like everybody else with our revenues,” Walker said, calling the liquor store a potential new source of money.
He estimated it could bring in $400,000 to $600,000 annually for the airport.
Many of the commissioners were impressed. Chris Giunchigliani called it a “unique idea,” and Tom Collins also gave it a thumbs up.
“We’re different, and it’s about tourism, and it’s about making money, and it’s about getting our economy turned around,” Collins said.
I didn’t make that last line up.
Tom Collins actually told a reporter: “It’s about getting our economy turned around.”
Let it sink in.
Selling booze in the airport.
Is going to turn our economy around.
What do you expect from a guy who was named after an alcoholic beverage.
Of course, as soon as this news broke, Channel 8 immediately dispatched a news van to the nearest alcoholism treatment center to get expert commentary from an addictionologist regarding the scourge that is drunk driv … wait … they don’t seem to be concerned at all.
As a matter of fact, they seem to be taking the increased use of this intoxicant quite well. For instance, they conducted a couple of substance user interviews:
“We’re always looking to get a six-pack before we get to our hotel room because everything is so expensive,” said kathy Fournier, airport traveler.
“For myself, it wouldn’t appeal to me. I’d get my bags and go to the hotel if I wanted to drink,” said Keith Avery, a traveler opposed to the idea.
A six pack before getting to the hotel? I don’t know about the rest of you, but it sounds like someone might have a bit of a problem. Their lives may even be spiraling out of control. I wonder if “Kathy Fournier” is a pseudonym for “Oscar Goodman”?
Honestly, I don’t know what the big deal is. They are going to put the equivalent of an ABC Store in McCarran Airport. Whoop-de-shit. I’m just sitting here in minor disbelief that my former County Commissioner, Chris Giunchigliani, called this a “unique idea”.
Is selling booze for profit a “unique idea”? Really?
Call me crazy, but I’m pretty sure that someone else thought of it first. And by “somebody”, I mean “everybody”.
Let’s face it, we’re not a town of cutting-edge ideas.
“The airport is losing money, what should we do?”
“Sell booze.”
“By GOD man, that’s genius! Have you met Randy Snow? Between the two of you, you could rule the world.”
I digress.
It looks as if you’ll soon be able to buy a bottle of wine at McCarran Airport. Yay. It’s exciting. I guess.
Now if you will excuse me, I’m headed over to Princess Massage.
It’s not about me getting a happy ending, it’s about getting our economy turned around.
Written by tully on March 17, 2010 at 2:40 am
How did they get this past the cabbies? They make money when a customer wants to make a booze buying pit stop between the airport and hotel. Can’t believe they’ll be happy about losing that extra bit of income.
Not to burst anyone’s bubble, but it will take more than half a mil in liquor store sales at the airport to turn LV’s economy around.
Written by ColinFromLasVegas on March 17, 2010 at 3:43 am
Agree with tully.
A failure of an idea. Just like the over inflated dollars projected and ridership for the Las Vegas Monorail. It never happened. And jacking up the prices didn’t help neither.
Why would someone want to buy liquor in an airport when they know that the hotel/casino they are going to will provide (on the most part) free drinks for those who gamble?
It’s a commendable idea, but I really think their projected dollar numbers are way off. They’ll probably break even. That’s about it.
Written by james h on March 17, 2010 at 4:48 am
a ton of people will buy liquor before leaving the airport. lots of folks like to “pre-game” in the room before hitting the casinos and clubs. its not a mistake that there are few liquor stores around the strip, even though most casinos have gift shops or sundry shops that sell bottles, most tourist dont know this, and having a cabbie stop off at a liquor store is just bad idea, can you imagine how long that trip would be…talk about a long haul!
it may be tacky by most bible belt standards, but this idea is “so vegas” and this will work…the only shocking thing about this is that someone didnt think of it sooner..actually im sure someone did, but the casinos probably squashed the idea, but now they have other things on their minds (like avoiding going out of business) .
ill probably pick up a little grey goose on the way out of the airport, and i bet i wont be alone…Vegas, embrace what you really are, its all good!
Written by james h on March 17, 2010 at 5:11 am
colin from vegas,,,, the free drinks that you get while in the casino are a joke, i guess being a local you dont feel the excitement a tourist has when first getting to vegas…yes, we sprint from the airport to the hotel, throw our luggage in the room, then run to the closest table or slot machine, wait patiently for a smug waitress take our order and hope she finds her way back before we thrist to death…i guess youve never heard that non-gaming revenue now exceeds gaming revenue in vegas, so most people never get these “free drinks”…
now heres what a tourist really wants to do…get to the hotel, with as little effort as possible, check in the room with as little effort as possible, have a few cocktails with as little effort as possible (to get in the vegas vacation mode). walk through the casino, check things out, get some good food, then plan out the best (everyones best is different) assult on “our individual desires” of vegas…its almost magical…and i visit vegas 4 or 5 times a year, and its that way everytime..now after 4 days or so the magic is mostly gone, but we know it will be back upon our next arrival…and now that arrival can be made better with a stop at the liquor store in the airport…just sayin! after all, without us , there is no you!
Written by blueboar on March 17, 2010 at 7:57 am
“A six pack before getting to the hotel? I don’t know about the rest of you, but it sounds like someone might have a bit of a problem.”
Shit, I’ll say. Any couple that can’t polish off at least a 6 before getting to their hotel definitely has a problem with being lightweights.
Biggest problem I can see with this plan is effing McCarran will probably try to charge $60 for a six pack. It’s a “resort” town after all…
Written by ColinFromLasVegas on March 17, 2010 at 2:26 pm
Very good points, james h. And yes, you’re right. I only look at it as a local living here, and not a tourist. Opened up my eyes a little bit looking at it from another perspective.
I just hope you are right and this venture for the airport succeeds.
Written by Ken on March 17, 2010 at 2:58 pm
Today a liquor store…tomorrow a cat house!! Yesssssss!
Written by MrCdnVegas on March 17, 2010 at 4:22 pm
Not all tourists will not agree on this but……
First I agree with james that the free drink service at the hotels has gotten so bad, and the cost to buy a drink has gotten so out of hand that buying a bottle for the room to start the night is getting to be the normal.
The airport store would be a good idea and do good numbers IF the prices are good.
Some how I just ca’t see that happening. I’m sure the prices will be jacked up. If that is the case what is the point. I can get a price inflated bottle in the Hotel sudry shop.
I guess the other point to make is that this is showing how once again the reason that many people used to come to Vegas for, cheep food/ drinks/roooms in exchange for gambling their money if all but dead.
Written by Geri Behrens on March 17, 2010 at 8:18 pm
If prices are right, it will work. We always stop at Von’s or Albertson’s for booze, snacks, etc. before checking into the hotel. We do this whether we have a rental car, or are taking a cab. Since we go for 6-8 nights at a time, we usually buy enough to make the stop worthwhile.
However, I doubt airport prices will be as cheap as the stores I just mentioned.
Written by ColinFromLasVegas on March 18, 2010 at 12:54 am
I’m with ken though. He takes this whole idea one step further.
Get off the plane, step off into total sin.
Get a shot of brandy and a hum job in the airport.
THEN get your luggage and worry about how to get to your hotel.
Serious working in priorities action going on here………
I don’t think the casinos will go for it though. They want you doin’ that sin stuff ONLY in their hotel.
Written by james h on March 18, 2010 at 3:29 am
its not about sin, its about fun, its about a feeling, its about knowing the next few days are going to be great.
no matter what the liquor cost at the airport, it has to be less than the cost of the cab stopping at the liquor store, it has to be less than losing 25 dollars at a table waiting to get a watered down drink. Even if the bottle was 30 dollars it would be cheaper in the long run. 30 dollars at the airport…300 dollars at pure…humm, what to do……what to do……
keep the magic of vegas alive, when the magic is gone the city will cease to be, maybe the locals should keep off the strip, dont ruin it for us with a negative vibe. we chose to come here, we like it, but we get to leave, i guess if you lived in disney you would eventually get tired of the mouse.
vegas..its whatever you want it to be!
Written by keith on March 18, 2010 at 3:47 am
if the hotels are worried about it, maybe they should think outside the box, and actually LOWER the cost of the mini bottles in the room fridges. maybe if you only charged $3 for a $1.50 airplane bottle, more people would actually spend from the minibar (with the exception being the drunks, the stupid, and the lazy – they always partake).
then again, that would be a positive customer service development, and we all know that ain’t fucking happening. they forget the whole “give away the room to have them spend more at the tables/food/entertainment” idea that the town was founded on.
Written by edzeplin on March 18, 2010 at 9:07 am
Duty Free stores in airports all over the country sell liquor, but it is just for outbound international travelers.
The projected $400,00-$600,000 revenue to the airport would be what any retailer would have to pay in rent for the space at McCarran. Nothing for sale in a store that has that kind of overhead before paying for fixtures, store stock, utilities and employees will be cheap.
If McCarran wanted to increase revenue, utilizing existing businesses (and bringing in more of them) by providing a customer base that is willing to spend some leisure time there after going through security, put designated smoking areas back onto the concourses. When McCarran had those glassed in slot areas and bars that allowed smoking, checking out of my hotel at 11:00 a.m. and going straight to the airport for a 4:00 p.m. flight wasn’t a problem. As it is now, I bell check my luggage and don’t go to the airport until I absolutely have to. Sin City had the last airport I ever thought would ban smoking. When I can still grab a smoke in the airport at Salt Lake City on the way to Vegas but not at the Vegas airport, something is really screwed up.