Hmmmm. I don’t know if I’ll have the money, what with a trip to Idaho in July, but I’ll sure try to be there. Vegas sound good to me. Irishman, I’m not much on gambling, so I’ll stay and chat with you. 
It will depend on how much everything costs as to whether I’ll have the money or not. I can eat poptarts and drink water. 
Keep us updated. I’ll do my best.
Date and location works great for me Techie.
I’d really like to go, but i’m not sure about school at that time, and if i’ll have the finances to support it. Vegas is great, but I assume i’d blow several hundred dollars for hotel, food, a little gamblin, and entertainment. I dont have a job at the moment, and i’m not sure if i’d have one by then either (and if I did, i wouldnt know if I could get off for that date either)
I would really like to go, but with me going to Saudi in June, I’ll be lucky to have gas to put into my truck. Chicago would have definately been a better destination.
Plus I have a family reunion at the end of July, that also puts a damper on things.
Sorry.
Bump
If you all can get organized talk to some of the airlines and/or hotels and see if you can get a group discount. If that fails, say that all 300 of you are going to a funeral. That’s a definite way to slash the rates hehehehehe.
PS It’s weird. I have seen several people in this group (only been posting for a few weeks) who have mentioned they have connections in Saudi. Well, me too!!!
Not positive I could make it, but I’d love to try…depends on my job situation.
And hey, figured I’d bump the thread up at the same time…
Just wanted to add a link to one of the last times this all was discussed.
http://boards.straightdope.com/sdmb/showthread.php?threadid=21121
I would be up for a trip to Vegas. Thats probably because I am on the West Coast.
Car pooling sounds great Shayna, my poor little car wouldn’t like a trip throught the desert.
We should get some people together and rent a convertible, so we could travel in style.
Doob! I will look for cheap hotels and we could share one, or I will get a single and you could sleep on the floor, no reason to tell the hotel staff.
Of course, food will still be a problem. But, thats one expense that might be lowered.
pat
I really love the idea of a kind of universal meeting (as opposed to the literal Universal meeting we LA Dopers had ). However, Labor Day is just about the worst weekend of the year for me: School starts the day after Labor Day. This means Labor Day weekend is an absolutely insane last-minute rush of classroom preparations. As I’m changing grade levels and classrooms this September, it will be doubly insane.
Anything else? Please? I’d love to go to Vegas! 
Hmm, you know, if we could dupe the hotel staff maybe peeps could split the prices, but not tell the hotel staff (oh him? he’s a friend from…"). Anyway, food is always expensive, but i generally eat one or two meals a day anyway ;). I’m really going to try to look for a job this summer. I really would like money to buy shiny new things, and well, my current situation kind of stiffles that.
Good thinking pat!
bump!
I realize that not everyone that is an active part of our boards can attend. It’s very hard for everyone to make it, which is why I went ahead and am giving everyone 3 1/2 months to plan for this. That’s a chance that is taken when trying to gather a bunch of people.
Money is an issue with a lot of the board members, again, find some others to bunk with. We did this for a bachlorette party in Denver, there were 16 of us, we reserved two rooms with 2 double beds each. Some grabbed a bed, some grabbed a floor. It was fun and cheap.
Those that don’t gamble, there are ton of other things to do. Hanging out at the pool, go to New York New York and play video games and catch the roller coaster. Caesers Palace has great shopping (even if you can’t afford to shop there’s a lot there.)Of course shows. Go on a jeep tour through the desert…I think they still have those. And many other things.
I spoke with my father last night. The place he goes to be a bunch of old men gambling, The Desert Inn, is not very kid friendly so I will look around.
Last time I stayed at the Monte Carlo, but The Strip has so many cool hotels. If we get a decent response, I am sure we can find a hotel that gives us a discount.
We don’t have to be on The Strip but if not then a lot of money is eaten up in cab rides. You can walk The Strip, and it’s a wild experience for those of you that haven’t been there. Remember, bunk up with each other, those of you with low cash flow.
Looks like we have several people that have relatives and those that have lived there. Your help in local contacts would be appreciated.
What I need is a head count of those that possibly can go, again, send it to: sdvegas@cwcm.net
Just a reminder to those of us that live somewhat close to Vegas. Driving would be great, but you can get very cheap airfare and driving home after 2 - 3 days of drunken gambling can be a major drag.
to that address, can you resend it?
I screwed up setting up the address, it came out as sdvegas.cwcm.net@cwcm.net.
Dangit.
I called the reservation desk at the Imperial Palace. They seem to have the best rates on the strip, and then you aren’t eating up money on cab fare if we go off the strip.
They have a Labor Day special going, Friday/Saturday/Sunday nights, for $89.00 per night in the main tower. You can fit 5 people in a room, each person add $15.00. That comes out to 32.80 per person if the room is filled.
They have another part which is $10.00 a night cheaper.
I will be calling their sales office tomorrow to see if I can strike a deal with them and talk to them about our needs. In addition, I will ask them if they work with any airlines.
For those of you that don’t gamble and end up bunking together, you should be able to save a ton of money.
Those of you that are broke, try to work with one another to make it fun while not stretching the purse strings.
I would consider, at a nominal amount, to bunk up with one other person who is honestly in a financial bind. I would plan on getting the nicest room I can afford – that’s just how I work. But someone has to do some serious ass kissing < kidding >. He or she must be able to tolerate smoking, I snore at night and am usually up till 3:00 in the morning out gambling. I would prefer a she, but a nice male person is considered.
If you do gamble, you usually get free drinks.
As for food, I will check around and those that have relatives or used to live there, I will ask you to help us out. The nice restaurants are there but there is fast food, not nutricious (sp) but something to fill your belly.
Knowing this crowd, at least from my experience at the Denver Dopers night, we all pitched in and didn’t make it a big deal out of those that couldn’t or didn’t pay
You have 3 1/2 months to save up your cash…my gambling jar is getting filled.
Here’s a list of free stuff to do in Vegas.
Am I convincing you yet?
Add me to the tentitive yes group. Haven’t been to Vegas since before I can remember, so going there should be fun.
Just a little FYI, I am checking with the Luxor too, the accomodations are better and the pricing should be similar…will keep you all updated
This is great! I’ll have to get me a room of my own – I wouldn’t ask anyone but a cat to share a room with my allergic, asthmatic, hyper self – but (thanks to my recent raise at work) I should actually be able to afford to do this!
Catrandom
I will almost certainly not be able to go, since I think I’m on surgery that month. 
However, I wanted to recommend the website Cheapo Vegas, a great resource for those who want to do Sin City on a budget.
I have stayed at the Imperial Palace. The rooms and pool are no-frills and the service is one step from nonexistant, but it’s hard to beat for the location (mid-strip, right across from Caesar’s and the Mirage) and the price. The blackjack is also pretty good. Avoid the lunch and dinner buffets at all costs. My favorite place to stay on the strip is the Barbary Coast–it’s small, the rooms are nice, it sits on the same intersection as Caesar’s, Bally’s, and the Bellagio, and it usually isn’t that expensive. They have cheap blackjack, but they’ll bar you from playing if they even think you’re counting.
You should definitely schedule as part of one evening a mass Doper session of my favorite Vegas activity–getting drunk at the $1 blackjack tables. Casino Royale and the Sahara are great places to do this.
Dr. J
I wanna go too!! Airfare might be arranged, but I need to bunk with one or more other people seeing as how the bulk of my money would be spent on airfare and food, etc…
And just to clarify, will this be something those of us just shy of 21 can still enjoy? On labor day I will still be about 3 weeks short of 21 (life loves to bite me that way).
I have four people that have emailed me with a yes or a tentative…save up your pennies and such…but email me. The thread is cool, but if I have a better idea via email I bet I can sweet talk one of the hotels to give us a good deal!
Come on you guys, this will be a kick in the butt!
Hip bump.