Resort and Parking Fees on the Up at MGM Las Vegas

_{MGM Resort and Parking Fees Increase (Image: Chris Greenwood/Alamy)}

Christmas is coming and the goose is getting rather large please put an extra dollar in the parking machine. That’s the deal at MGM Las Vegas properties where the resort and parking fees have been increased a second time this year.

MGM Resorts announced the increase in resort fees across all its Las Vegas Strip properties including casinos, effective December 4, 2024.

The latest changes see the resort fees for MGM's flagship hotels surge by $5, bringing the total to $55 per day, while value properties experience an even steeper increase of $8, now costing $45 per day.

Pro Tip: Resort fees don't exist at the best online casinos and sweepstakes casinos.

Resort Fees Under Scrutiny

Resort fees are mandatory charges that hotels impose on guests, typically calculated on a per-room, per-night basis. These fees are ostensibly meant to cover certain services provided by the hotel, such as internet access, parking, and gym usage. However, the practice of charging resort fees has come under scrutiny because these costs are often disclosed separately from the room rate, making it difficult for consumers to accurately assess the total cost of their stay when comparing hotel options online. Critics, including consumer advocacy groups, argue that the separate disclosure of resort fees is misleading and complicates the comparison-shopping process for consumers. 

They allege that this practice can result in consumers feeling "nickeled and dimed" and misinformed about the true cost of hotel accommodations. 

Reports indicate that the average resort fees have been increasing, and a significant portion of U.S. hotels now impose these charges.

Should Hotels Include Resort Fees in Displayed Room Rates?

The Federal Trade Commission's analysis suggests that separating resort fees from room rates—without first disclosing the total price—increases consumer search costs and cognitive load. This means that consumers may either end up spending more time and effort to determine the total price or might make less informed decisions, potentially leading to higher costs or frustration in selecting accommodations.

To alleviate consumer confusion and streamline the booking process, hotels could include resort fees in the displayed room rates. This would still allow hotels to bundle services while maintaining transparency in pricing. Such a change would help consumers navigate the booking process more easily and make more informed comparisons across different hotels.

New Resort Fees at MGM Properties:

Motorists Squeezed for More Cash

In addition to these hikes in resort fees, MGM has also increased parking fees. Self-parking rates now rise by $2, costing $20 from Monday to Thursday and $25 over the weekend. Meanwhile, valet parking has been standardized at $40 across all MGM resorts, replacing the previous variable pricing that ranged from $25 to $40.

Notably, certain exemptions are in place: active U.S. military members, veterans, and their spouses enjoy complimentary parking, while Nevada residents with state-issued IDs receive three hours of free parking at all MGM Resorts. Furthermore, MGM Rewards members at the Pearl tier and above can take advantage of complimentary self-parking, while gold tier members and higher are also eligible for free valet parking and waived resort fees.

In summary, the continued use of separately disclosed resort fees—especially without first revealing the total charge—is likely to disadvantage consumers by raising their search and cognitive costs. Implementing more transparent pricing practices would benefit both consumers and the hotel industry by fostering trust and simplifying the decision-making process.