VIP Gambler: Las Vegas Grand Prix Criticisms Are ‘Ridiculous’

It’s hard to remember an event rolling into Las Vegas that has divided opinion as much as the Formula One Grand Prix. It’s easy to see why, too, with many people believing the attraction disrupts the lives of the have-nots to pander to the whims of the has-lots.

That’s always going to make for an emotive discourse, but it can also make for a loaded debate given that those most happy to talk about it are those who feel impacted. Indeed, even a cursory glance on social media shows a discussion on F1 Las Vegas can be quickly hijacked by angry locals and frustrated tourists wielding digital pitchforks. 

However, what about the has lots’? They will flock to Vegas in their thousands again this year for the race weekend, and studies show gamblers spent 3.6 times more in Vegas than they normally would during the F1. 

“At the end of the day Las Vegas is a tourist attraction and event city, so don't be surprised when a big event comes rolling into town,” Charles, an MGM Noir level VIP player told Casinos.com ahead of his second F1. “Living in Las Vegas and complaining about spectacle is like living at Disneyland and complaining about children.”

And yet many did complain about it. Four businesses, including Ellis Island Hotel and Casino, are suing the city for lost earnings. Meanwhile, regular tourists who want to come for Las Vegas for Las Vegas itself, not for a sporting event that swallows up most of the Strip, feel cast aside. 

Those complaints are not just restricted to the race weekend either. Construction to prepare for F1 Las Vegas starts weeks in advance, and deconstruction extends to weeks after the event. Tourists who want to get their selfies in front of the iconic Bellagio fountains, for example, have to make do with a side shot for a quarter of the year because of one weekend.

'Ridiculous' Criticisms and Complaints 

“A lot of criticism came from the medium to lower end casinos and businesses from when it was first announced, and I get it,” Charles continues. “People attending this event were not going to be eating, staying or playing cheap, so it would only really benefit the Wynn, Bellagio, Aria, Caesars, and Cosmopolitan on the strip, but that's life and business. 

“It also got a lot of hate from local influencers and people online which I thought was totally unmerited. They complained about reasonable things, like the traffic from the construction (welcome to the real world in every other city), and the ridiculous like the removal of trees on the Las Vegas strip that were going back post-race anyway. 

“Negativity gets clicks and views, so local social media accounts were riding that negative wave all the way to the bank for YouTube cheques.”

The truth is, Las Vegas has always been a little duplicitous in its presentation. It’s a city that has grown on the ideals of inclusivity while boasting about its capacity for exclusivity. That’s just part of the allure, though, and it’s a formula that has brought stunning success. 

By very definition, most of us will never know what that exclusivity truly looks like. Las Vegas is, after all, carefully engineered to have us empty our pockets with a smile on our face. What if you were a VIP player, though?

“Once it was announced, my host, who I will sit down with once a trip for a coffee, said to me: ‘F1 Las Vegas has just been announced, want me to put you forward for some tickets?’

“It was an instant yes. As it was the first one, I really didn't know what to expect. I knew the Bellagio were having the fountain club hospitality on top of the Bellagio Fountains and fully expected it to be there, but I was given a choice between that or the main grandstand on the starting grid and opposite the pit lane. 

“I wanted to be where the action was, so I picked the main grandstand and the gamble paid off. I was 10 rows from the starting grid and race night was just such a buzzy atmosphere with the cars getting ready, DJ's & Celebs everywhere. 

“The three-day ticket was all inclusive of food, which was supplied by Wolfgang Puck, and Soft Drinks. They had everything you could imagine foodwise from American favourites to Korean Bowls, Fish & Chips to Sushi, and Desserts.”

'Surreal' Experience to Enjoy

From a point of view of a VIP gambler, it all looks very different to the much-maligned you see online. It does, though, raise an important question. If Charles wasn’t able to do F1 Las Vegas at this VIP hosted level, would he want to do it at all? 

“Yes, I would,” he answers. “I have been visiting Las Vegas for the last nearly 15 years, so when a first of its kind comes to town, I feel like I really want to be there. You feel a part of the town and connected to it. 

“Business commitments got in the way of the Superbowl, but I really wanted to be there for that also. I watch F1 as a casual viewer, so it was win-win for me.

“Look, I’m biased. Las Vegas is my favorite place in the world so I would go there to watch paint dry! But to see it in a different light and on the world stage was great," high-roller Charles said. 

“I took a friend who is F1 crazy and had never been to the States, so seeing him experience Las Vegas for the first time was really good. The race itself was entertaining and true Vegas style with famous DJ's and celebrities everywhere I looked. 

“It had its drama with a manhole cover being ripped up in the first practice causing it to cancel, and I was then woken up at 3 am to the sound of the drivers practicing. Watching that from my hotel window in a robe was surreal. 

“Also, with all the extra bars, like the Shoey Bar, pop-up restaurants, and F1 related things, it felt more like a festival of F1.”

However, there is an interesting twist to the tale. Charles qualifies for the VIP treatment because his gambling makes him an asset to casino resorts desperate to bring whales to Las Vegas for the F1.

Ironically, though, his gambling for the trip was some way down on normal – because of F1. 

“Access to Casinos were absolutely fine,” he explains. “The Las Vegas Strip/Track was open right up until two hours before any F1 activity before the race, so once I knew that it was easy to plan. 

“Both sides of LV Boulevard are connected and bridges were open, so it was no problem at all by foot. Gambling wise I am a slot player, so I found it a little easier and less crowded when gambling. A lot of Europeans were in attendance, so the table games were super packed, but it didn't impact my gambling. 

“I’d say that in terms of what impacted my gambling most, it wasn’t casino access, as that was fine, but the excitement of the event itself. I was keen to check out all the displays and goings on around F1, so I actually gambled significantly less than I would on a normal trip.”

What, then, could be his message to those who feel they are forced to avoid Las Vegas when F1 is in town? That’s simple

“I would say experience wise it is no different than going to Vegas during the Marathon or New Years Eve. It takes nothing away unless your ideal Vegas trip is just driving around. 

“Traffic and driving times are impacted because of the strip closures, but Vegas is still just as fun. There are a lot of extra displays, pop-up bars, and experiences on the strip that weekend, so it adds to the fun. 

“But if you would rather avoid it, that's cool too. After all, there are 51 other weekends you could visit Las Vegas instead.”

(Image: Media Punch / Alamy Live)