Las Vegas ‘pricing problem’is scaring off tourists from ‘greatest city in the world,’says Rick Harrison

Tourism in Las Vegas continues to decline — with about38.5 million visitorslast year, a 7.5% drop from 2024, according to the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority (LVCA).

Rick Harrison of the Gold &Silver Pawn Shop in Las Vegas and of “Pawn Stars�

“You give customers what they want, and they return,” he said in an interview.“A lot of hotelson the Strip — they’re not hospitals where you have to go to them.There are choices out there.So, they’re changing their pricing around.”

RICK HARRISON OF ‘PAWN STARS’ SAYS GAMBLING ISN’T DYING EVEN AS LAS VEGAS POKER ROOMS CLOSE ONE BY ONE

Harrison said some of the casinos that are “really hot” and “always packed” — such as Circa Resort &Casino — are busy because they “don’t have crazy prices on everything.”

He added, “I don’t have crazy prices, and that’s what [some of the other] casinos need to do.Some casinos have always been doing that, and that is why they are doing well.”

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“I don’t have crazy prices,” said Rick Harrison, owner of the Gold &Silver Pawn Shop in Las Vegas — noting that “customer experience” is what keeps people coming back.

He said a big part of the success for Vegas venues in terms of drawing in tourists is customer experience.

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“I have a pawn shop.I changed it into a tourist destination, and people for years [said], ‘You get thousands of people a day at the store, you should charge them something.’ I’m going, ‘No,’ because I want them to come to the store,” said Harrison.

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food and experienceswere not as high — making trips to Sin City more attainable for most Americans.

“I want to make sure all of my [visitors] have smiling faces, that theyhave a great time,” he said.“So when they go back to Ohio or Alabama or something, they tell their friends, ‘Next time you’re in Vegas, you really should go to Rick’s Pawn Shop.'”

Tourists are shown walking through Caesars Palace in Las Vegas on Sept.20, 2025.Harrison said he’s seen some casinos dropping their prices and offering more deals to tourists, such as modified all-inclusives.

Harrison said he’s seen some casinos dropping their prices and offering more deals to tourists, such as modified all-inclusives. 

Many officials, hotel owners and travel experts have cited a drop inCanadian tourismas a major reason tourism numbers have been down.

Circa Resort &Casino,for its part, has launched an “at par” promotion — making the exchange rate for Canadians equal at its properties.

“This is still the greatest city in the world,” said Harrison.“It’s amazing living here.”(iStock)

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Rising gas prices, driven by oil hovering at nearly $100 per barrel amid thewar with Iran, are creating uncertainty for the summer tourism season.

Harrison said gas in Las Vegas is over five dollars a gallon currently.

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“The problem is we get our gasoline from California refineries, so it’s a couple of dollars less than California, because California’s got a crazy tax on everything — but that is tough inNevada right now,” he said.

He said California residents provide a large part of tourist revenue in Las Vegas.

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“This is still the greatest city in the world.It’s amazing living here,” said Harrison. 

“I willtalk to my wifeand [ask], ‘Which concert would you like to see this weekend?’ OK?[That’s] not like most cities where you wait for a band to come to town.[In Vegas,] there’s always something going on.”

Ashley J.