When most people think of Las Vegas, the first things that come to mind are usually slot machines, massive resorts, and bright lights that never dim. For decades, Vegas has lived up to its reputation as the entertainment capital of the world, offering everything at a grand scale. But behind the dazzle and high-end finishes, there’s a quieter conversation happening in the background, about service.

Let me say this: service in Las Vegas isn’t dead. But it is tired. It’s stuck in patterns that no longer serve the modern guest. The solution isn’t to scrap everything, but to reset. We need to go back to the core of hospitality, human connection, and bring that into the future.

I’ve worked across different parts of the hospitality industry, and my roots run deep in South Florida. Down there, you don’t just serve people. You host them. You remember their names, ask how their family’s doing, and genuinely mean it. There’s a warmth and attentiveness that doesn’t feel scripted. It feels real. That’s the kind of service I believe Las Vegas is hungry for, whether it knows it yet or not.

Beyond the Script

Let’s be honest, so much of service in Vegas feels robotic. When you’re operating 3,000-room properties, I get it. You need systems, structure, efficiency. But the side effect is a kind of scripted hospitality, where everyone says the right thing but no one feels anything.

Guests pick up on that. You can’t fake care. You can’t outsource the magic of real human presence to training manuals or tech. It takes people who actually love the work and leaders who give them the space to make it personal again.

There’s a myth in this city that service equals speed and flash. In truth, great service is about attention. It’s listening before speaking. It’s anticipating needs instead of reacting. It’s making someone feel seen in a place designed to overwhelm the senses.

Redefining Luxury

Another challenge is that Las Vegas has become obsessed with “luxury,” but in ways that miss the point. Luxury doesn’t always mean marble and velvet. It means ease. It means being known. It means thoughtful touches that say, “We noticed you.”

A bottle of water waiting in the car after a long flight. A front desk agent who remembers that you like a feather pillow. A bartender who doesn’t need to be told your favorite drink twice. That’s luxury.

Boutique properties and smaller hotel concepts have a real opportunity to lead here. They’re not weighed down by corporate protocols or ten layers of management. They can move fast, take creative risks, and train for intuition, not just compliance.

If you’re running a 60-room hotel, you can know every guest by name. You can hire for emotional intelligence. You can empower your team to make decisions that surprise and delight without waiting on permission.

Bringing Soul Back to the Strip

I’ve been inspired by people in this city who are already doing things differently. They’re the outliers, the independent operators, the restaurateurs who still come in and greet every table, the GMs who walk the floor not just for show, but because they actually care.

The future of Las Vegas service lies in the return of the host. Someone who sees the role not as a job, but as a craft. That’s the kind of culture I want to help build, one where people stay in hospitality because it gives them energy, not just a paycheck.

There’s a place in this city for heart-led leadership. For teaching team members that pride in service doesn’t come from tips or titles, but from knowing you helped someone have a beautiful experience they’ll never forget.

Rooted in People, Not Process

In South Florida, I learned that hospitality isn’t about being perfect. It’s about being present. The best moments aren’t scripted, they’re spontaneous. A server who notices a guest shivering and brings a shawl. A housekeeper who folds a child’s stuffed animal with care. Those are the things people remember.

In Las Vegas, we have the talent. What we need is the mindset. A shift from scale to soul. From transaction to transformation.

I’m not here to throw stones at the legacy brands or the people who’ve built empires here. They’ve done remarkable things. But we’re at a turning point. And the next era of Vegas will belong to those who remember what hospitality really means.

Let’s Make Vegas Feel Personal

Las Vegas will always be bold, loud, and thrilling. That’s part of its charm. But there’s room now for a different kind of magic, the kind that lives in eye contact, memory, and care.

I believe we can still create jaw-dropping experiences without losing the human touch. We just have to make that a priority again.

This isn’t about being nostalgic or naive. It’s about being honest. People crave connection. And in a city where everything is larger-than-life, there’s something radical about making service feel small in the best way: intimate, thoughtful, and warm.

Let’s not wait for someone else to fix it. Let’s be the ones to reset the standard.

Vegas, you’ve still got it. But it’s time to bring the heart back to the table.