Say Goodbye to Free Parking in Las Vegas
Las Vegas is about to get a little more pricey. Starting this spring, MGM Resorts International will implement a paid self-parking program, the first of its kind along the Strip. You can expect to spend up to $10 on overnight self-parking at Bellagio, Excalibur, Monte Carlo, Mandalay Bay, The Delano Vegas, Luxor, New York-New York, Vdara, Aria, The Mirage and MGM Grand (specific rates have not been released yet and will depend on the property).
In the meantime, parking at Circus Circus as well as the Shops at Crystals and The Shoppes at Mandalay Bay Place will remain free of charge. Clark County residents will have a grace period and members of MGM's loyalty program may be able to get free parking as a perk (TBD). The move is expected to take place around the same time as the opening of the new T-Mobile Arena, which will make MGM Resorts' 37,000 parking spots a hot commodity and potentially bring in millions of dollars.
So far, other hotels along the Strip are reportedly keeping tabs on the situation but not yet hopping on board with the plan to charge for parking. According to an article by the Associated Press, The Cosmopolitan says it has no plans to change its current policy, while Caesars Palace and the Las Vegas Sands Corp., which runs the Venetian and the Palazzo, have declined to comment.
While this news will no doubt garner a negative response from Las Vegas area locals and regulars who tend to drive in for the weekend, the good news is there are other ways for visitors to get around Sin City without a car. Uber can pick you up at the airport and take you around Las Vegas, as well as to surrounding areas like Henderson and Summerlin — if you haven't signed up for Uber yet, use promo code UberTPG to get $15 off your first ride. You can also maximize your points by using one of these five cards to pay for your ride.