vegas: it's not just for gamblers anymore.

Could these results be signaling a new sort of Vegas experience? Perhaps (but I don't think it's going to move the needles too much, honestly). From Las Vegas Business Press:

Half of U.S. Adults Say They Are Unlikely to Visit a Casino in the Next Year
Among Those Who Have Gone to a Casino in the Past Year, Half Have Traveled Over 100 Miles

ROCHESTER, N.Y., July 6 /PRNewswire/ -- As casinos continue to invest money into their facilities, a new survey shows that in the past 12 months, over half (59%) of U.S. adults say they have not visited a casino, while half (51%) say they are not at all likely to visit a casino in the next 12 months. Perhaps this is because people say they look for an entertainment experience, and not just gambling.

Among those who say they are at least somewhat likely to visit a casino in the next 12 months (49%), three-quarters of them are planning on going to their restaurants, 40 percent are planning on attending an entertainment activity/show and 35 percent are planning on shopping, compared to 69 percent who are planning to play slot machines (including video poker), 27 percent who are planning to play table games and 13 percent who are planning to participate in other gaming activities.

Further evidence that people are looking more for an entertainment experience is found in the low level of participation in Loyalty/Players Club card programs. While four in 10 (41%) adults have been to a casino in the past 12 months, only one in four (24%) adults participates in Loyalty/Players Club Card program.

These are the results of a nationwide Harris Poll of 1,172 U.S. adults surveyed online by Harris Interactive(R) between June 7 and 13, 2006. Read more.

I'm not saying I challenge the accuracy of the poll, but I don't think casino gaming will ever be rendered obsolete. But what's happening is the same thing in other entertainment circles: the consumer needs more than one hook to stay on the line. I certainly don't think that's a bad thing. That's why so many mega-casino/resort operations are thriving.

My first trip to Vegas was in 1999. I believe the only big non-Vegas show was Blue Man Group. (I'm not counting Wayne Newton, Danny Gans or Cirque, all who made their bones on the Strip.) Now, you're seeing more and more Broadway shows, less burlesque revues (sort of), more clubbing, finer dining, less buffets, and so on.

Given what we already know about the dwindling bargain rooms on the Strip, it's clear the future of Vegas is the affluent, young professional. They like to gamble, but they also like to be entertained, shop, and eat in style.

That's what I'm getting here.