Worst of Las Vegas 2021

Worst Strip Hotel - BALLY'S

Bally's Las Vegas is a 2,800 room hotel-casino located in the heart of the Strip. It's been on a downward spiral for quite some time, signaled in large part by the construction of epic flop Grand Bazaar Shops in 2015. The outdoor mall, which replaced a pathway of gardens, flowers, and waterfalls, was an immediate failure. It's now just mostly-empty storefronts and plenty of room for the homeless to camp out.

Enter through the shared Bally's/Paris garage and you'll be greeted by out-of-service elevators, broken escalators, and the city's filthiest carpeting (above). Bally's has basically become a collection of closed-down restaurants, closed-down attractions, closed-down stores, and an understaffed casino. Forget about flagging down a cocktail server on the gaming floor, but if you head to the bar, you'll most likely be ignored by surly bartenders. Restrooms feature out-of-order sinks, broken toilet paper dispensers, filthy toilets, and peeling wallpaper. 

Just like the Rio (another Caesars property) Bally's has become a stepchild waiting to be shipped away to creepy Uncle Ernie. The "Bally's" name was supposedly sold to Twin Rivers Holdings in late 2020, meaning Caesars no longer gives an eff about maintaining the hotel-casino (or their own reputation as its operators). The upside is that you can usually get lower-than-average room rates if you don't mind going elsewhere for nearly everything...even a cup of coffee. The only real reason for casual visitors to stop by is for the entertaining production EXTRAVAGANZA. 

Most Depressing Sight - CASINO SHOPPING PROMENADES

Just a few years ago, seemingly every Strip resort was ripping out the front of their properties to build shopping centers. Treasure Island, Bally's, Park MGM, Mirage, Paris, and more bulldozed fountains and statues in favor of another Starbuck's and CVS. But what about those long-winding shopping corridors that already existed? They're faring even more poorly than Wynn's unnecessary THIRD retail promenade. The STRAT, Bally's, MGM Grand, Rio, Mandalay Bay, and more are home to dozens of stores and restaurants that are walled off by plywood. It's really depressing. Tropicana wisely jettisoned their own plans for a Strip-facing mall a few years ago, but now that they've been purchased by Bally's, who knows?