We Need to Talk About Mandalay Bay

_{Mandalay Bay's casino floor casts a shadow of nostalgia. (Image: Marc Meltzer)}

Las Vegas casinos change all the time. Every visit to Las Vegas can be different—even if you visit the same casinos every time.

Change is part of the charm. Las Vegas is all about shiny new objects, and that’s why I was visiting Mandalay Bay for the first time in a few months. Swingers is definitely a fun new experience on the Vegas Strip.

Since I’m early for everything, I walked through the casino before checking out Swingers.

Mandalay Bay was kind of haunting, and I didn’t like it.

It was a weird feeling that I hadn’t experienced elsewhere in Las Vegas. Walking through the casino almost felt like I was in The Upside Down from Stranger Things.

I’ve only felt this eerie feeling at the Wild Wild West casino at Bally’s in Atlantic City before I left the East Coast for Las Vegas.

This hit me hard because I had many great times at Mandalay Bay before moving to Las Vegas. Like Hard Rock (RIP) and Palms, Mandalay Bay was a destination casino away from the action in the heart of the Vegas Strip.

I’ve spent a lot of time at Mandalay Bay over the years. Similar to The Mirage, I have a special connection with the casino.

This is where I first played Pai Gow Poker. This quickly became my favorite casino game. I would fly to Las Vegas for a night just to see bands at the House of Blues at Mandalay Bay.

_{Mandalay Bay's present state tells a story of faded glamour. (Image: Marc Meltzer)}

I rarely spend much time at Mandalay Bay now because most people I know visiting Las Vegas tend to stay in the center of the Vegas Strip. That’s a story for another day.

It Feels Like A Haunted Casino

Mandalay Bay felt ghostly on this most recent visit. This wasn't because of a lack of people in parts of the casino. Guests were mostly huddled around table games and slot machines on the east side of the casino floor between Hazel Coffee and Rhythm & Riffs.

The very dim lights throughout the casino helped create the eerie vibe. The less populated areas were a little more creepy.

The table games were mostly arranged the same way as they were twenty years ago. Even though the slot machine banks were different, they dotted the casino floor similarly to the early 2000s.

It felt as though I was dreaming about walking through a casino graveyard.

My last walk through Delano had a similar feeling. This part of the Mandalay Bay complex should have a new life when it becomes the new W Las Vegas. 

This all made me feel sad. Between work and vacations, I’ve had great times at Mandalay Bay. I liked my visits to Delano so much that it was the first hotel I stayed at when casinos reopened after the Covid-19 pandemic.

_{Dim lighting and dated layouts—casino floor struggles to shine. (Image: Marc Meltzer)}

My visitation to Mandalay Bay won’t change. StripSteak is still one of my favorite steakhouses, and the sportsbook screens look better with low lighting.

My next visit to Mandalay Bay will likely be to see what kind of changes are made to Delano when it becomes W Las Vegas. I probably won’t be spending much time at the property outside of the sportsbook, restaurants, and Swingers.

New Life For Mandalay Bay Around The Corner?

MGM Resorts updates its properties pretty often. The company has been updating hotel rooms across the board. For example, MGM Grand is currently in the middle of a 4,000-room renovation.

Mandalay Bay isn’t being entirely ignored. Earlier this year MGM Resorts finished an upgrade of the convention space.

However, it feels as though the massive space between the two areas could use some changes so it doesn’t feel so sleepy. This should be an important space, as guests have to walk through the casino when walking to events and Raiders games at Allegiant Stadium.

MGM Resorts is a billion-dollar corporation that is focusing on the money-making parts of its properties. Less than 30% of Vegas Strip casino revenue is from gaming. It makes sense that it would be the last part of a property to see an update. 

It’s time for the casino at Mandalay Bay to see some kind of update. It shouldn’t be too difficult, expensive, or time-consuming.

Things as simple as changing the lights, moving games, and adding a new coat of paint aren’t difficult or expensive. MGM Resorts isn’t a lipstick-on-a-pig renovation company, so there could be bigger changes ahead.

I didn’t reach out for comment because I didn’t want their words to skew my judgment. It’s possible there’s a plan in the works that they haven’t shared on earnings calls or with insiders I’m familiar with.