Year of the Rabbit may bring higher visitor traffic to Las Vegas

It has never received the same amount of public attention as New Year's Eve or Super Bowl Sunday, but Chinese New Year has become one of the most important annual periods for resorts in Las Vegas.

The Chinese New Year arrives Thursday along with thousands of international and domestic travelers looking to celebrate the Year of the Rabbit, which is supposed to bring with it prosperity and luck.

This year, Chinese New Year coincides with Super Bowl weekend, potentially bringing in even more visitors to Las Vegas.

"We'll see very high visitor traffic during Chinese New Year, perhaps not to the same degree as other hotels," said Donald Bowman, manager of the Mandarin Oriental at CityCenter.

The luxury hotel at CityCenter does not operate a casino. But it does benefit financially by being able to set higher room rates than its competitors on the Strip.

It also helps that its parent company, Mandarin Oriental Hotel Group, was founded in Hong Kong.

"The heritage of our company is tied to Asia," Bowman said. "This is a time of year that means a lot to us. The hotel has been decorated in a very traditional way with red lanterns and citrus trees."

For weeks, casinos have also been working on installing other traditional decorations, including lush gardens. Greetings in Mandarin scroll across resort marquees as they welcome guests over the holiday.

"Kung Hey Fat Choy ... Happy New Year," read a red sign with gold lettering placed over the entrance to Caesars Palace.

Caesars Palace, Flamingo, Paris Las Vegas, Bally's and other Caesars Entertainment Corp. properties will usher in the new year with ceremonial lion dances.

The dance, which includes fireworks, is supposed to ward off evil spirits as lion dancers parade through each property.

Wynn Las Vegas and Encore have the traditional dance scheduled at their properties, too. Both properties offer special Chinese decor celebrating the Year of the Rabbit, including ceremonial dragons suspended above guests in the Encore Esplanade.

The centerpiece of the Bellagio Conservatory's display is a 45-foot-tall Chinese junk topped with a rabbit to represent the fourth sign of the Chinese zodiac. The elegant display includes seven replica Terracotta Warriors embellished with crushed walnuts and ground carrot seeds.

Chinese New Year celebrations will last for 15 days, resulting in longer stays for many international travelers.

"We expect visitor volumes to be higher this year," said Greg Shulman, vice president of international marketing for Bellagio.

Shulman said the ethnic Asian customer base is mainly coming from Southern California. The higher-end customers who stay at Bellagio or Wynn Las Vegas typically come from Hong Kong, mainland China and some come from Taiwan.

Both Bowman and Shulman declined to discuss revenue projections.

Shulman said visitor volumes could be on par with New Year's Eve, with one exception: lower overall gaming revenues. He said the impact of Chinese New Year would be seen in Bellagio's baccarat numbers.

In November, baccarat generated $68.6 million in revenue from hotels along the Strip, according to the Nevada Gaming Control Board. The holiday typically attracts a high-end, gambling-friendly clientele.

On Feb. 7, the Bellagio will host a
$1 million baccarat tournament, he said.

The Bellagio, which is owned by MGM Resorts International, along with Wynn and Encore benefit from their properties in Macau. It allows the Strip's luxury properties to bring guests familiar with their Macau properties to Las Vegas.

"The Macau market is still in its infancy in terms of offering more beyond gaming," Shulman said. "We have a portfolio of amenities to offer international travelers. We will reap the fruits of that relationship."

Contact reporter Chris Sieroty at
csieroty@reviewjournal.com or 702-477-3893.