I think Vegas is one of those places that makes sure to remind you what economic class you belong to.  From the minute you walk in to your hotel and begin the check in process, they immediately start working to find out how much money you’re worth.  They begin by pulling your history at their hotel.  How often do you visit; what type of member are you; do you have a designated host.  If this is your first time staying at their hotel, here comes the parade of questions.  “What brings you to Las Vegas Mr. Frank, Business or Pleasure?” Soon the questions pertaining to lifestyle & career will start to pour in and all the meanwhile they’re looking at your clothes, checking out your watch, peaking at your luggage and examining your credit card to see if its just another VISA or did you show some status with a black or platinum American Express.

If they’ve determined that you may just be someone of wealth, you’ll probably be quickly escorted to their private VIP check in area and your room will be upgraded “free of charge.”  This reminder of economic status continues as you make your way into the casino.  On the outskirts of the floor or off to the side in a section segregated away from all the excitement, you’ll generally find the small change slots.  This area is usually filled with elderly folks and people who can’t really afford to gamble.  There’s a rule in Vegas that says: “the drinks are free as long as you are gambling.”  What they don’t tell people is: good luck getting a drink at all if you’re sitting at one of the small change slots or small buy in tables; because the servers in Vegas avoid these people like they’re the plague.  I guess thats just another way they remind you what economic class you’re in.

But the hands down biggest way Vegas reminds you of what economic class you belong to is when you go to their nightclubs.  Vegas nightclubs get two kinds of guest: 1. Guest who purchase a table and bottle service. 2. And guest who don’t.  The guest who purchase a table and bottle service get to walk in first, while the guest who didn’t get to stand in a line for over an hour with hundreds of other miserable strangers and wait until the majority of table guest have arrived and have already been seated. Now I know most of you are probably saying, “No big deal, lets just get a table.”  Well to give those of you who haven’t ever experienced bottle service in Las Vegas, here’s some insight on their table prices.  If you were wanting to purchase a table and a bottle for 4 people, it would run you and your friends about $1200 dollars plus tax & tip, which is an additional 22%.  Your table would also be in a terrible location, possibly in a hallway away from the action or maybe right next to a speaker that would be so loud you wouldn’t  even be able to talk to the friends next to you.  So even the people getting tables at the nightclub are reminded of what economic class they belong to.

I mention all this because I remember being on both sides of this economic fence and how differently I was treated from when I first started going to Vegas in my early twenties (with only a little money in my pocket) to graduating into a Vegas baller, who frequented sin city 8-10x year and would drop tens of thousands of dollars in a night with friends.  When you do things like that, suddenly everyone becomes your friend.  Every host, pit boss, club owner and drop dead gorgeous cocktail waitress in Vegas knows who you are; and you know who they are too.  They make it a point that you don’t forget them and they make sure you’re always having a good time.  They know you can’t put a price on a good time so as long as you’re happy, they know you’ll be spending.

For several years Vegas became my go to spot when I needed a weekend away from work, family or friends; it was like a second home to me.  Sure, it cost me a lot of money each time I went out there and there was always about a 75% chance that I would stay up the entire weekend partying and end up sick as a dog on the flight back home, but for some reason it all seemed worth it.  I loved all the attention I received up there and I loved the non stop first class service I always got.  Back in Austin people treated me great and I was highly respected as a successful businessman; but in Vegas I got so much more than just good service and respect; I got a taste of royal treatment, which made me feel like a celebrity or even a king.  The feeling felt so good I never wanted to let it go, which meant taking more trips back up there and also not letting go of my experiences when I returned home.

I started bringing Vegas home with me, which meant my expectations of everything were now completely different.  I wanted to party harder & longer in Austin, just like I would in Vegas and I wanted to be treated like a king by everyone, just like I was when I was up there.  I was not allowing all the things that happen in Vegas, to stay in Vegas; and it was ruining my life and I was destroying my relationships.

Vegas had become a drug to me and I was highly addicted to her.