It’s hardly news when a Las Vegas casino moves from free parking to paid parking, yet here we are.
Oyo Hotel & Casino is expected to begin charging for parking after the demolition of its neighbor, Tropicana. Trop’s implosion is set for Oct. 9 at 2:30 p.m.
There hasn’t been an official confirmation of the parking policy change yet, mostly because the Las Vegas Review-Journal hasn’t had a chance to confirm our scoop yet. Give it a minute.
While free parking at casinos on The Strip is nearly non-existent at this point, it’s still pretty common near The Strip.
Some of the casinos with free parking that changed to paid parking include Venetian and Palazzo, along with Wynn and Encore. Those changes were the result of the Sphere and its 14 parking spaces.
Resorts World opened with free parking. Now, not so much. Ditto Fontainebleau. It had free parking for a solid three weeks. Even The Strat, one of the few hold-outs on The Strip, caved and started charging for parking.
Strip casinos with free parking include TI, Circus Circus and Casino Royale. That list used to be much harder to memorize. Now, even Jeremy Aguero could do it.
Anyway, plans for paid parking at Oyo have been in the works for some time, we hear, and parking machines are being installed, as well as signage letting guests know the free ride will soon be over.
Oh no @VitalVegas, it looks like paid parking might be at OYO! pic.twitter.com/c93ySV36DO
— Christopher Waldeck (@AtypicallyFly) October 1, 2024
As has been the case with many casinos that have started charging for parking, it’s not really about money. We are not kidding.
The issue is more about the challenges of having free parking when your neighbors don’t.
Wynn had free parking until Venetian started charging. Wynn then became a free parking lot for Sphere.
Oyo needs to ensure its parking is being provided to customers (of Oyo’s casino or restaurants), and not people going to T-Mobile for sportsball or employees from casinos and retail outlets in the vicinity.
The key to rolling out paid parking at a casino is to avoid creating barriers for customers, which means having a low bar for parking validation.
It’s anticipated locals will continue to park for free at Oyo (possibly time limited, most casinos on The Strip give locals 3-4 free hours), and validation will be readily accessible, as is the case at Binion’s and Four Queens downtown. They don’t want to be known as having free parking, but it’s easy to park free if you’re gambling or dining (just ask any employee to validate your parking ticket).
The specifics of Oyo’s paid parking plan have yet to be announced, but it sounds like it will follow the formula that seems to be working at other casinos.
You want to charge something, as it keeps trouble-makers out of the parking structure and ensures there are spaces for customers. Basically, freeloaders can hit the road.
Big thanks to @George_Addams for passing along first word of paid parking at Oyo so we can take all the credit for breaking the story, which is definitely one of our most charming qualities, and by “charming,” we mean “annoying.” Get your own blog if you don’t like it and good luck with that.
One of the best ways to get free parking at Las Vegas casinos is to join the loyalty club and gamble a lot. Parking at casinos was never really “free,” just as “comped” drinks were never really complimentary.
Oyo has struggled for ages, and paid parking is symbolic more than anything. While the optics suck, a casino known for being value-driven (“The Strip’s only 24/7 $1 blackjack!”) isn’t going to implement any serious obstacles to entry.
More to come.
