New Year's at Caesars Palace

Happy new year to you and to everyone.

I was at Caesars, and yes I was at Katy Perry concert. I was right at the end of the runway, literally eight feet from her.

Here is some more info: The dinner that Caesars put out for its "special invited guests" was mediocre at best. In fact, it was disappointing. At Caesars table limits were lower than what I expected -- craps was at $25 and in years past the table minimums were 50 or 100. We did go outside for the fireworks show on the strip -- it lasted the usual 10 or 15 minutes but maybe I'm just getting older and am not impressed easily anymore, but I thought it was better the last time I was in Vegas for New Year's about six years ago.

And as I expected maid service was lacking, literally. The funny thing is when I called down for extra towels and soaps and tissues and shampoo they were promptly delivered, but the next morning the maid who came to clean the room for the day REMOVED all of the extras that were delivered the night before.

There was no New Year's gift. For year's Caesars delivered a gift to your room. It was usually something nice worth maybe $100. In the casino at midnight, there was no champagne for the players, no party hats, no countdown... unlike years past.

Perhaps the funniest thing was that on the side of Harrah's on the Strip there was a countdown to midnight. And as the seconds counted down to midnight... ten, nine, eight... a sign promoting the new Linq project moved up the electric sign. And then as the countdown hit zero for midnight did the sign flash happy new year? NO. At that moment the Linq promotion reached the top of the sign.

Gambling report: I won money playing craps. I even hit four points on the Fire Bet. I ran into Ahhcraps who I have known for years and he recently joined our Forum. Ahhcraps passed by the table as I was working on my fifth point -- but I didn't make it.

Video poker sucked. I played Bonus only and NEVER got quad aces, twos, threes or fours but I did get multiple quads of 9s, Ks, Js, 10s. How ironic that I never got a quad of the big payoff cards.

The casino was not especially crowded during the New Year's celebration time -- Dec 30 through noon today, New Year's day, and some of the dealers told me it was not as busy as years past.

By the way, I was late going to the New Year's eve dinner which preceded Katy Perry's concert. So I walked thru the casino at about 8pm and it was DEAD. There were four players at one craps table and at the other six tables the dealers stood with their hands clasped behind their backs. At the blackjack tables and roulette and carnival games there were maybe a total of half a dozen players. The slot machines nearby were empty as well.

I am wondering if Katy Perry's concert appearance at Caesars Palace on New Year's Eve signals something for the future. In the past couple of years, Caesars has been moving to a younger demographic by adding various clubs and bars, and lowering table game limits. Except for special event dates and holidays such as New Year's Eve, the minimum at craps is now $10 and gone are the days of $50 and $100 games.

Is Katy Perry a signal that the big concert entertainment will also be moving to a younger demographic? Will Katy Perry now become a regular at Caesars, perhaps joining the roster of stars who fill in for Celine Dion when she takes her breaks?

At the end of her New Year's Eve concert Katy Perry said to the crowd "see you in 2014" and I have to wonder if that was just a generic New Year's statement or something about future plans at Caesars?

Happy New Year Alan.

I can't imagine going to Vegas for New Years eve because it's too busy for us and rates are too high (flight & rooms). Ok, I do get rooms comped at New Years eve but the flight costs more than double the normal amount during any other time of the year.

Ceasars Entertainment is clearly moving to a younger demographic in the entertaiment department. CP is a different story I think. They just renewed Celine's contract for another 4 years (sure thing for filling up the place). Katy Perry is too hot and happening to get into a long term contract in Vegas. Her popularity is way too big. She's at a peak in her career, it would be an extremely dumb move for her to commit to Vegas at this point. She needs to travel the world, doing tours, make new songs, score hits. You know, all the stuff Britney isn't doing anymore. Britney's main reason for commiting to Vegas: earning money she can't earn anywhere else at this moment, she remains an A-list celebrity, she doesn't have to travel much so she can look after her kids, after her Vegas contract she can retire. I do believe Caesars would want to move to a younger demographic at CP. But I agree that it will probably only work to fill Celine's black out dates. Otherwise, no young and happening celebrity is interested I think.

I also don't think Katy Perry will sign long-term with Caesars -- at least not yet.

Alan, I was not invited to this concert. My whole New Year's invitation was really lame, so I decided to take my Seven Stars annual trip (and cruise) during this time.

Funny about the Linq thing replacing the Happy New Year. What a fail.

I liked the Vegas fireworks last year. I watched from my room at Caesar's, and I thought they were very well done.

I saw fireworks in New Orleans this year (also from my room), and while they were also pretty good, I liked last year's better in Vegas.

Were the seats or was it standing room only? It seems like behind you, there would have been people pressing against you. Hope it wasn't too bad and was enjoyable either way. Nice view at least.

As strange as this might sound the "preferred seats" were actually standing room at the stage. We were given special tickets and used a special entrance into a special gated area. Why they didn't have chairs for us I don't know nor do I understand. The only thing I could think of was that Katy Perry wanted people standing there to wave, rock, clap, hip and hop, bounce around -- as in her regular concerts. But for heaven's sake, the average age of the people in this "pit" was probably 50.

However, I did see TV cameras there and I wonder if the whole thing was videotaped for some future purpose.

When Gloria Estefan and the Miami Sound Machine was in the Colosseum for a concert they made an announcement before the concert started saying it would be videotaped -- and to give "notice" to anyone not with their spouse. No announcement was made at the Katy event.

I would estimate about 100 to 200 in the preferred group. If they had chairs they probably could have had triple that many in the "close in" area.

Caesars actually gave ladies in high heeled shoes "slippers" to wear during the concert and said to the ladies -- "you will be standing for almost two hours." But it was more like 90 minutes.

The closest "seats" were about sixty feet away. There was a walkway between the "preferred area" and the first real seats.

To be honest, the concert went quickly and I didn't get tired at all, and no one near me complained about standing (must have been a lot of craps players). I think the only complaint came when some high roller had his young daughter at the concert and hoisted the girl on his shoulders. But what really got the others upset was that he shoved his way right to the front.

I have had that happen there and at other venues---I don't consider standing in the pit to be desirable or a "VIP" experience. That is for the young kids--not a Caesars crowd.


Earlier in the thread someone was wondering if Caesars is going for a younger crowd. I somehow got on some kind of survey thing with Caesars, and they ask your opinion about performers and restaurants and concepts etc. Every survey involves performers for the younger crowd (they had asked about Brittney although I assume they had already made that decision), and restaurant concepts for the younger or at least less sophisticated crowd (like Guy Fieri who is a nice guy but his food gets horrible reviews). They seem to be falling into the reality tv type of thinking, and in the surveys I keep reminding them that Caesars is supposed to be class--not common garbage. Of course, maybe I'm just a grumpy old man and why ask my opinion at all.

regnis I think your observations are on target.

Happy New Year all. We spent ours at Harrah's New Orleans and had a ball. The slots were loose and the booze flowed freely. Had some great food. At the special New Year's Eve meal/show the four course meal was great and the band (unfortunately, I don't know who they were) was excellent. I especially liked it when the brass played NOLA music and came out to strut through the tables/fans. The female singer was excellent and the two sexy dancers, who performed at separate ends of the stage and mimed the singers words, added to the whole performance. For us, the Big Easy is a great place for special occasions -- might be dong Mardi Gras next.

Who is katy Perry?

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Originally Posted by carolinajacket

Happy New Year all. We spent ours at Harrah's New Orleans and had a ball. The slots were loose and the booze flowed freely. Had some great food. At the special New Year's Eve meal/show the four course meal was great and the band (unfortunately, I don't know who they were) was excellent. I especially liked it when the brass played NOLA music and came out to strut through the tables/fans. The female singer was excellent and the two sexy dancers, who performed at separate ends of the stage and mimed the singers words, added to the whole performance. For us, the Big Easy is a great place for special occasions -- might be dong Mardi Gras next.

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Were you at Harrah's New Orleans?

That's where I was on NYE, except I stayed in the room and watched the fireworks over the river.

YEP. And the casino floor seemed a lot more crowed than in was at the Vegas casino where Alan was.

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Originally Posted by quahaug

Who is katy Perry?

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I'm glad you wrote that... it means there is just one less in my way.

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Originally Posted by carolinajacket

Happy New Year all. We spent ours at Harrah's New Orleans and had a ball.

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Always great to hear that someone had a great experience at a Caesars property.

My son was at Planet Hollywood in LV for New Year's and had the greatest dinner... I wish I had his pictures to post with spectacular plating of steak and lobster and magnificent desserts. They were given tickets to the Britney Spears show but GAVE THEM AWAY because they wanted to play video poker. His date hit a royal.