Day 7 - sad day. The journey home.
Wake shower and pack. Gotta do it quickly, so we can jam in a quick hour at the cash game table downstairs. Morning sessions are always my favorite, and this one was no exception. Call it a kinship with 3rd shifters. Had a pleasant conversation with a guy that works for a valet service. I suspected, but had to ask "Have you seen a change in the industry since the strip started charging for parking?"
Short answer: yes. Everyone is (valets) flooding out of the strip casinos. They were averaging $80,000 a year in tips, and those tips have all but dried up. Leaving them with their base salary (which is roughly $20,000 a year). Many have gone to places like the South Point, others have gone to private services (like his, who staff for hospitals and special events). Unfortunately, you cannot ask anyone to stick around and take a 75% pay cut. It's also hard to ask someone that has been leaving a $20 tip for the valet to pay $20 more for parking and then $20 more for the tip.
Strip casinos really kinda suck.
Down at the South Point however, parking was still free, and I was happily tipping the valet. Tip was even easier as I was in the cash game for $200 and out for $269, and Mrs Zombie took the morning nits for another $20.
Then it was off to McCarren's car rental facility (using the GasBuddy app to save 50 cents a gallon) and then to the airport. Just not a lot left to report.
Las Vegas: 5 Brains. Leaving,
