| I did not know anything about car rentals in Las Vegas | | | | transfers and the $10 Alamo charged for the first day. |
| when I was driving through on my way to Los | | | | How did this option affect the players? When the client |
| Angeles in 1957. But I did learn something about | | | | accepted the car rental he found out right away that |
| Roulette. Black can come up, and it did, 8 times in a | | | | one, there were no parking charges where ever he |
| row. However I was betting on red. That was | | | | went and two, he avoided cab fares if he wanted to |
| unfortunate. But I had stopped betting on red after the | | | | visit other hotels for gambling or restaurants. He could |
| fourth time. Now that was fortunate. | | | | also visit Hoover Dam, a likely must especially for first |
| I did learn about car rentals in Vegas about 1980. I was | | | | time visitors. |
| with Alamo Rent A Car and dealing with a Milwaukee | | | | He rented the car on the day of arrival and he could |
| tour operator who was including an Alamo car in their | | | | extend the rental for the additional two or three days |
| Orlando charter package, The package included air | | | | of his package. Package tours were offered for three |
| travel, hotel and a car rental. I don't usually mention | | | | or four days. The additional daily charge was a |
| names but because these people were the most | | | | competitive $19, about $5 or $6 less than the local |
| professional that I dealt with over the years I feel | | | | advertised car rental rate. If he wished to return the |
| compelled. Those days their name was Funway | | | | car after the first day he was faced with a cab ride |
| Holidays which was changed to Funjet Holidays in the | | | | back to the hotel and then a cab ride back to the |
| 90s. They also had a few charter flights into Las | | | | airport for his departure. The renters, almost 100%, |
| Vegas and that is when I learned about car rentals. | | | | retained the car for their entire stay. |
| Those days charter operators didn't rent cars and | | | | And how did Funjet fare? As mentioned the car rental |
| Funway was a large mover of people as well as | | | | option dropped $6 to their bottom line. They also |
| smaller operators into Vegas. I have no idea of the | | | | received a commission on the $19 per day rate that |
| percentage of tourists that the operators brought into | | | | the client paid when he extended his rental for two or |
| the area compared to the total number of visitors. But | | | | three days. Certainly not a huge sum per client but it all |
| the number had to be significant. I would also suspect | | | | added up. Especially if there were 30 or 40 car rentals |
| that people who visited Vegas on their own did not | | | | on each charter flight. |
| rent cars en mass since they were bent on gambling. | | | | How about Alamo? I never heard a complaint. The |
| Can I assume that car rentals in Vegas at that time | | | | program was initially offered to Funjet but there were |
| was not a big deal? | | | | other players. Smaller operators who purchased 10 or |
| The charter operators had to get people to their hotels | | | | 20 airline seats at a discount so they could offer a |
| so usually their charter package price included air | | | | competitive Vegas tour package. Car rental business |
| travel, hotel stay and bus transfers. Typically | | | | in Vegas became significant. Even our competitors got |
| advertised prices were per person, double occupancy. | | | | into the act with the first day $10 car rental offer. This |
| The net cost to the charter operator for the round trip | | | | business got very competitive to the point where the |
| transfers was about $16 for the two people. | | | | cost to the operator for the first day was zip, zilch, |
| Here was an opportunity to offer a car rental in lieu of | | | | nada, zero. Even then the business was profitable. |
| the round trip transfers. The offer to Funway was a | | | | How is the Vegas car rental business today? I don't |
| net rate of $10 for the first day, day of arrival. This | | | | have the vaguest idea. I have not handle this type of |
| could be offered to their clients as an option. If the | | | | business for the last 20 years. But I'll bet if I watch long |
| client accepted the car rental Funway would | | | | enough black will come up 8 times in a row at the |
| immediately see $6 drop to their bottom line. This was | | | | Roulette table. |
| the difference between their net rate of $16 for the | | | | |