Official "Viva Las Vegas!!" Thread - Trip Plans, Ticket Qs, Tailgating, Casino Advice

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Stan The Caddy said:
Completley disagree? Both the flights and the hotels are going to be more affordable for a Wed - Sat Vegas trip than a Fri - Monday during a Holiday Weekend. That is better for people travelling to Vegas.

It is your right to have a preference. I never said it was not. It was the whining about vacation days and the inconveinence of something that was changed 6 months in advance that I gave you a hard time about. I think most people on here have limited vacation time, family considerations, etc... Personally, I waited to make any plans until a game date was finalized.

As far as televison goes, Thursday is much better. Fewer games on, less competition from the National Networks to get your game on and let's be honest, it is going to be a night game, so for a majority of people they are not in the office on a Thursday night at 7, 8 or 9pm. Personally I would much rather watch the game on a Thursday night and spend Saturday of Labor Day weekend golfing if I am not in Vegas.
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Flights on Saturday are more expensive than a Sunday or Monday would be. Vegas hotel prices are 50% higher on Thursday than weekday rates, and almost double for Friday/Saturday than weekdays. Sunday is the same as M-W. I have been many times and priced many trips and found this to be true, and that included last year for Labor Day weekend (Sunday rates were MUCH lower than Fri/Sat). So by that logic it's a wash on cost, possibly in favor of the Fri-Mon trip. Also, if you are not in Vegas but want to catch the game on TV on Saturday, it would almost certainly be at night (5 PM or later kickoff in Vegas due to heat, meaning 7 PM+ in MN). Sunset in MN on Sept 1 will be at 7:49 PM, so I'm not sure how much of the game you'd be missing due to golf. I also would bet that most adults would rather watch a game that starts at 7 or 8 PM on a weekend where staying up til 10:30 or 11:30 PM doesn't affect their Friday workday. Just pointing out why I think the TV on Thurs vs Sat argument is at best a wash in your favor.

Again, I guess we have differences of opinion on "whining." Great for you that you can schedule trips with no worried less than 6 months in advance. For some people, it takes much more. My job, my wife's job, and my family's schedule meant I was trying to put something together earlier. I expressed my frustration here because I felt if they weren't sure on the date (time, whatever) then they maybe shouldn't have posted it but left it TBD.
 

On Orbitz right now for flights: Wed - Saturday lowest price is $326. Friday - Monday lowest price is $379. $106 difference for 2 adults.

Really? You cannot stay up past 11:30 on a Thursday night without affecting your Friday workday? Wow. Have 2 less beers and you will be fine.

I agree that TBD would have been better on a date, but what can you do? Also, touche on the sunset time regarding golf in Minnesota, because it will be a night game...
 

RailBaronYarr said:
Flights on Saturday are more expensive than a Sunday or Monday would be. Vegas hotel prices are 50% higher on Thursday than weekday rates, and almost double for Friday/Saturday than weekdays. Sunday is the same as M-W. I have been many times and priced many trips and found this to be true, and that included last year for Labor Day weekend (Sunday rates were MUCH lower than Fri/Sat). So by that logic it's a wash on cost, possibly in favor of the Fri-Mon trip. Also, if you are not in Vegas but want to catch the game on TV on Saturday, it would almost certainly be at night (5 PM or later kickoff in Vegas due to heat, meaning 7 PM+ in MN). Sunset in MN on Sept 1 will be at 7:49 PM, so I'm not sure how much of the game you'd be missing due to golf. I also would bet that most adults would rather watch a game that starts at 7 or 8 PM on a weekend where staying up til 10:30 or 11:30 PM doesn't affect their Friday workday. Just pointing out why I think the TV on Thurs vs Sat argument is at best a wash in your favor.

Again, I guess we have differences of opinion on "whining." Great for you that you can schedule trips with no worried less than 6 months in advance. For some people, it takes much more. My job, my wife's job, and my family's schedule meant I was trying to put something together earlier. I expressed my frustration here because I felt if they weren't sure on the date (time, whatever) then they maybe shouldn't have posted it but left it TBD.
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I've been looking at hotel prices for the trip, and a Wed-Sat trip compared to a Fri-Mon trip saves you hundreds of dollars on hotel alone. That Sunday night is still expensive for hotels b/c of the long weekend and people staying till Monday. Notice the difference between Wed & Thurs night rates compared to Sat & Sun (assuming Friday night is included in both trips)

MGM: $65/$65 Wed+Th, $220/$120 Sat+Sun
http://www.hotels.com/hotel/details...valDate=08-29-12&departureDate=09-03-12&rooms[0].numberOfAdults=2&roomno=1&validate=false&previousDateful=false&reviewOrder=date_newest_first

Monte Carlo: $50/$50 Wed+Th, $176/$120 Sat+Sun
http://www.hotels.com/hotel/details...valDate=08-29-12&departureDate=09-03-12&rooms[0].numberOfAdults=2&roomno=1&validate=false&previousDateful=false&reviewOrder=date_newest_first

TI: $88/$88 Wed+Th, $200/$160 Sat+Sun
http://www.hotels.com/hotel/details...valDate=08-29-12&departureDate=09-03-12&rooms[0].numberOfAdults=2&roomno=1&validate=false&previousDateful=false&reviewOrder=date_newest_first
 

Gopherocious said:
I've been looking at hotel prices for the trip, and a Wed-Sat trip compared to a Fri-Mon trip saves you hundreds of dollars on hotel alone. That Sunday night is still expensive for hotels b/c of the long weekend and people staying till Monday. Notice the difference between Wed & Thurs night rates compared to Sat & Sun (assuming Friday night is included in both trips)

MGM: $65/$65 Wed+Th, $220/$120 Sat+Sun
http://www.hotels.com/hotel/details...valDate=08-29-12&departureDate=09-03-12&rooms[0].numberOfAdults=2&roomno=1&validate=false&previousDateful=false&reviewOrder=date_newest_first

Monte Carlo: $50/$50 Wed+Th, $176/$120 Sat+Sun
http://www.hotels.com/hotel/details...valDate=08-29-12&departureDate=09-03-12&rooms[0].numberOfAdults=2&roomno=1&validate=false&previousDateful=false&reviewOrder=date_newest_first

TI: $88/$88 Wed+Th, $200/$160 Sat+Sun
http://www.hotels.com/hotel/details...valDate=08-29-12&departureDate=09-03-12&rooms[0].numberOfAdults=2&roomno=1&validate=false&previousDateful=false&reviewOrder=date_newest_first
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Yea but....but...but that is not as easy for the visiting fans! Nice work Gopherocious. I think we could nominate Rail for the Preposterous Statement Tourney 2012...
 

Stan The Caddy said:
Yea but....but...but that is not as easy for the visiting fans! Nice work Gopherocious. I think we could nominate Rail for the Preposterous Statement Tourney 2012...
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He's mad about the Thursday game cramping his style, then created an argument to fit. I've tried it before, too. Unsuccessfully, I might note.
 



Stan The Caddy said:
Yea but....but...but that is not as easy for the visiting fans! Nice work Gopherocious. I think we could nominate Rail for the Preposterous Statement Tourney 2012...
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Again, define "better." The Wednesday flights you cited leave at 6:30 AM from MSP (vs an 8 AM or later departure on Friday), include a layover in both directions (vs direct flights on Friday/Mon), and therefore force THREE days vacation on a weekend where you're naturally getting one off anyway. You both also failed to look at package flight+hotel deals, which most people would use. Stating that the hotel difference from W-Sat vs Fri-Mon saving hundreds is misleading. Using Expedia and package flight+hotel...

Excalibur: W-Sat: $377 F-M: $507. $230 difference for 2 adults.
Riviera: W-Sat: $353 F-M: $461. $214 difference for 2 adults.
Aria: W-Sat: $480 F-M: $620. $280 difference for 2 adults.
Imperial Palace: W-Sat: $376 F-M: $500. $248 difference for 2 adults.

I will concede that this year Sunday prices for hotels seem to be about 15% higher than the Friday counterparts (which is different than 2011), but the real cost difference is the Saturday night hotel stay, which is nearly 3x the weekday rate (typically only 2x on non-holiday weekends) and in our discussion was the major difference in price for Wed-Sat vs Fri-Mon.

However, once again I'll ask. Is 3 days vacation and a 6:30 flight more or less convenient than 1 day vacation (I used the early flight for Friday, driving a day vacation) and the extra 1.5 hours of sleep?

For reference, those interested in getting to Vegas on Thursday instead to save a vacation day and staying the full 3 days like the other comparisons (still 1 more than the Fri-Mon trip, mind you) pay on average $20 less per person for the whole trip. (when using Bellagio, Aria, and Riviera as data points).

So no, I did not make a statement and form an argument around it. My vacation time is worth my pay, same with my wife. Using that time (4 extra days total) would is worth nearly $1,000 to us (not to mention leaving work for a vacation that doesn't utilize the weekend and not having those extra 2 days for a different vacation). Add in the "other factors" : do any of you have kids? Would it be easier/cheaper to find people to watch them for you over a weekend (when they're home) or during the weekdays? How about pets? Grabbing a cab at 5:00 AM because no one can bring you as opposed to hitching a ride at 6:30-7 when friends/family are on their way to work. All these things add up and factor in to the cost and convenience argument.

Reality: I will be at the game this fall so it doesn't really matter anyway. Just bummed I had to cancel on my uncle.
 

RailBaronYarr said:
My vacation time is worth my pay, same with my wife. Using that time (4 extra days total) would is worth nearly $1,000 to us (not to mention leaving work for a vacation that doesn't utilize the weekend and not having those extra 2 days for a different vacation).
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Any chance you could translate the above statement into English? Just curious. Unless you plan on leaving your job sometime soon, the argument that those vacation days are worth any dollar amout is worthless. You said yourself, you were going to use them sometime. Again, it is just a matter of choice as to when you use them.

OK, I am done now.

Officially excited for the Thursday night game. Hopefully I will be there in person.
 

I wonder if the Illini fans did this much pouting when they had to come down to the Dome in the middle of the season on a Thursday thanks to the Twins forcing the Gophers out of the building.
 



Or Michigan fans when the game that should not be mentioned was moved to Friday Night?
 

Stan The Caddy said:
Any chance you could translate the above statement into English? Just curious. Unless you plan on leaving your job sometime soon, the argument that those vacation days are worth any dollar amout is worthless. You said yourself, you were going to use them sometime. Again, it is just a matter of choice as to when you use them.

OK, I am done now.

Officially excited for the Thursday night game. Hopefully I will be there in person.
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Let me translate for you. Yes, I WAS going to use them whenever (now I can't). I have N vacation days. I plan on taking 2 (or more) trips. If the game is on Saturday, I have N vacation days still (N-1 if I choose the cheap, early Friday flight). In the case of a Thursday game, I now have N-2 vacation days (N-3 if I take the Wed flight and go Wed-Sat). Now If I wanted to take my second vacation, I would have to limit it by 2 days that I otherwise would have had paid by my company, OR take time off without pay to get an equal vacation length I had originally planned. People's time is worth something to them, in my case I equated it to a dollar amount equal to my pay. My second sentence is stating the absurdity of using vacation time to go somewhere for a short amount of time (2-3 days) when you have a natural holiday weekend (3 days) right then and there. This is why it is more convenient for traveling fans to attend the game on a Saturday, even if the costs were slightly higher.

Bringing up other games where this has happened as asking if fans complained/pouted/whatever to try to make me feel stupid is pointless. But if you must ask... I'm sure I WOULD be pissed it I were a season ticket holder who bought tickets, scheduled a trip, or allocated vacation time to go to an away game that had a listed date on it only to be informed after one of those that the date would be moved to a weekday. In fact, that was so much of an inconvenience to Gopher fans that it was one of the reasons the U cited having a stadium on campus was a benefit to us.

We clearly disagree and all I was doing was defending those on here (myself included) who thought it was kind of an inconvenience and a crummier time since people were yelling at them for being babies and to just suck it up because it "isn't a big deal". You obviously haven't changed your mind on it since, and you continue to make fun of me for it, so we'll agree to disagree.
 

GoAUpher said:
BTN has never been in play. They can only televise B1G home games.
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Just wondering... what is the reason for this?

It would seem to me that the Big Ten (and perhaps, its partner, Fox) would want a clause in the agreement for any OOC away game that if a certain level of distrubution can't be met they can step-in buy the broadcast rights back.

Having OOC Big Ten games only on ESPN 360 or some obscure channel is like throwing away $ when you own a widely-distributed network that is starving for this sort of live content.
 

Goldmember said:
Just wondering... what is the reason for this?

It would seem to me that the Big Ten (and perhaps, its partner, Fox) would want a clause in the agreement for any OOC away game that if a certain level of distrubution can't be met they can step-in buy the broadcast rights back.

Having OOC Big Ten games only on ESPN 360 or some obscure channel is like throwing away $ when you own a widely-distributed network that is starving for this sort of live content.
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The issue is that the rights are owned by the home team's conference. That means the game is promised to someone already through the Mountain West's television contracts, be it NBC Sports, CBS College Sports, the ESPN family of networks, or The Mtn. I'm guessing they aren't allowed to sell the rights to BTN.

The B1G isn't throwing away money because it's money they never had.
 



I am planning of going to this game but have had a hard time finding tickets online. I will not be travelling from MPLS so a trip via the alumni club is not an option. Where have people been able to get tickets? Thanks.
 

raindog said:
I am planning of going to this game but have had a hard time finding tickets online. I will not be travelling from MPLS so a trip via the alumni club is not an option. Where have people been able to get tickets? Thanks.
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Alumni Club does not have a trip.

Single game tickets are not on sale yet, which is why you are having a hard time.

Tickets will be available from the Gopher ticket office, first for season ticket holders, then the general public if not sold.

I don't think you need to worry. UNLV has one of the worst football attendance averages in the MWC (7th 0f 8):

Stadium capacity 36,800
7,700 football season ticket holders
Average home football attendance 21,700
Largest crowd 26,200 for #5 Boise State

You likely won't even have to buy before you get there, but you will be able to get tickets online from several sources when the SGT go on sale. Good luck.
 

Alumni Association IS Sponsoring a Trip to Vegas

Go to www.minnesotaalumni.org link to upcoming events and then link to Go Gophers and you will find the info. Looks like there are three trips depending on how long you want to be in Vegas and how much luxury you need. Two of the trips have Treasure Island as the home venue, the other one has the Cosmopolitan. I will probably find my own way there and then book rooms at Treasure Island to hang with the Minnesota crowd.





highwayman said:
Alumni Club does not have a trip.

Single game tickets are not on sale yet, which is why you are having a hard time.

Tickets will be available from the Gopher ticket office, first for season ticket holders, then the general public if not sold.

I don't think you need to worry. UNLV has one of the worst football attendance averages in the MWC (7th 0f 8):

Stadium capacity 36,800
7,700 football season ticket holders
Average home football attendance 21,700
Largest crowd 26,200 for #5 Boise State

You likely won't even have to buy before you get there, but you will be able to get tickets online from several sources when the SGT go on sale. Good luck.
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Redbird said:
Go to www.minnesotaalumni.org link to upcoming events and then link to Go Gophers and you will find the info. Looks like there are three trips depending on how long you want to be in Vegas and how much luxury you need. Two of the trips have Treasure Island as the home venue, the other one has the Cosmopolitan. I will probably find my own way there and then book rooms at Treasure Island to hang with the Minnesota crowd.
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Actually, they're linking to the same Creative Charters trip everyone can go on...the "official fan tour". Not the sponsors. Semantics, I guess.

http://www.creativecharter.com/gopher_packages/Gophers at UNLV.htm

All that aside, tickets will be easy to come by. Very easy. When Whiskey was there, they drew 31,107, and 3/4 of the crowd was Budgies.
 

Thanks for the information. Some time ago, I had read individual tickets would go onsale at UNLV on March 1. And I was having no luck via the UNLV site or anywhere else for that matter. I was not really wanting to book travel without a better idea of whether I would be able to attend the game. This helps.
 

denguegopher said:
I bumped into a guy I know in the UNLV athletic dept this evening. He said that it looks like a 5:00 pm local start and they are still looking for a network, but it appears that it will be CBS Sports Network.
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Ok, I'm responding to my own post which I'll admit is strange. Anyway I saw this same guy again Monday night and he said that with The Mountain Network folding it might take several more weeks before a TV deal is hammered out. I then asked if they are still thinking about a 5:00 p.m. start. He says, "oh no, it will be at 7:00 or 8:00, your Gophers would melt with a 5:00 start." So take what I'm writing with a couple of grains of salt. I would have followed up with a comment like, "you told me it would likely be a 5:00 start a couple of weeks ago, what's changed?" He's a moody guy, so I let it drop. Go Gophers!
 

Keep us posted! I am tentatively planning on flying in Thur morning!
 

We're on the Delta flight that gets in around Noon Thursday; 8pm start that night would be awesome.
 

denguegopher said:
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Ok, I'm responding to my own post which I'll admit is strange. Anyway I saw this same guy again Monday night and he said that with The Mountain Network folding it might take several more weeks before a TV deal is hammered out. I then asked if they are still thinking about a 5:00 p.m. start. He says, "oh no, it will be at 7:00 or 8:00, your Gophers would melt with a 5:00 start." So take what I'm writing with a couple of grains of salt. I would have followed up with a comment like, "you told me it would likely be a 5:00 start a couple of weeks ago, what's changed?" He's a moody guy, so I let it drop. Go Gophers!
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So it isn't up to him and he's pissed about the time change. That's how I read this massively passive-aggressive remark. Did you mention that UNLV seems to melt whenever and whomever they play? That's my massively passive-aggressive remark...
 

As first weeks go, Big Ten fans will have a pretty nice "extended" Memorial Day weekend. Some pretty decent games to track, and probably on a variety of networks.

Thursday -- Gophers @ UNLV

Friday -- Boise State @ Michigan State

Saturday -- Michigan vs. Alabama in Arlington; Iowa vs. NIU @ Soldier Field; Southern Miss @ Nebraska
 

SelectionSunday said:
As first weeks go, Big Ten fans will have a pretty nice "extended" Memorial Day weekend. Some pretty decent games to track, and probably on a variety of networks.

Thursday -- Gophers @ UNLV

Friday -- Boise State @ Michigan State

Saturday -- Michigan vs. Alabama in Arlington; Iowa vs. NIU @ Soldier Field; Southern Miss @ Nebraska
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Those are awesome games! Can't wait to sit at the sports book watching games all day Saturday.
 

Stan The Caddy said:
That would be surprising. The average high on August 30 in Las Vegas is 100. Going back to 2003 the earliest a home game has started at UNLV in August or September is 6:00pm local time and that was on September 24, 2011 versus Utah State and August 29, 2003 versus Toledo. It is good the hear it will be Nationally Televised for those who do not go.
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denguegopher said:
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Ok, I'm responding to my own post which I'll admit is strange. Anyway I saw this same guy again Monday night and he said that with The Mountain Network folding it might take several more weeks before a TV deal is hammered out. I then asked if they are still thinking about a 5:00 p.m. start. He says, "oh no, it will be at 7:00 or 8:00, your Gophers would melt with a 5:00 start." So take what I'm writing with a couple of grains of salt. I would have followed up with a comment like, "you told me it would likely be a 5:00 start a couple of weeks ago, what's changed?" He's a moody guy, so I let it drop. Go Gophers!
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Den-

I will join you in responding to my own message. It does not surprise me at all that they are looking at a later kickoff in the desert...If we do not go, might just have to take Friday off and make it a LONG weekend!!!
 

SelectionSunday said:
As first weeks go, Big Ten fans will have a pretty nice "extended" Memorial Day weekend. Some pretty decent games to track, and probably on a variety of networks.

Thursday -- Gophers @ UNLV

Friday -- Boise State @ Michigan State

Saturday -- Michigan vs. Alabama in Arlington; Iowa vs. NIU @ Soldier Field; Southern Miss @ Nebraska
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Did we all forget about the amazing Northern Iowa @ Wisconsin game? :rolleyes:
 

SelectionSunday said:
As first weeks go, Big Ten fans will have a pretty nice "extended" Memorial Day weekend.
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Wow, they're really moving the schedule up in the calendar this year! A lot of the HS players won't have finished their senior year by then!
 

dpodoll68 said:
Wow, they're really moving the schedule up in the calendar this year! A lot of the HS players won't have finished their senior year by then!
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Oh, for the joy of it! I have spent a lifetime saying "Memorial Day" when I am thinking "Labor Day" and vise versa. That doesn't mean that I can't laugh at someone else when they do the same thing. :)
 

denguegopher said:
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...... I then asked if they are still thinking about a 5:00 p.m. start. He says, "oh no, it will be at 7:00 or 8:00, your Gophers would melt with a 5:00 start." ..........Go Gophers!
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Have they been talking with DanceswithRaiders from Middle Tennessee? How come everyone else thinks that we ice-skate on Lake Minnetonka in August? Sheesh...
 

I'm all booked. 11am arrival on Delta Thursday morning.
Staying MGM.
Coming home Sunday and hitting te cabin for a day.
 

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