Why are Canadians staying away from Las Vegas? ‘Friends shouldn’t be treated like this’
Canadians said they could handle the tariffs. Telling America’s northern neighbors that their country should become part of the U.S. is where they draw the line, which includes canceling trips to Las Vegas.
The trade war isn’t the only thing keeping Canadians from visiting Las Vegas.
National pride is also a factor.
“How would you feel if another country said what your government has said about us? Canadians are proud, and I’ve never seen us come together like this before. Friends shouldn’t be treated like this,” wrote Rick from British Columbia, one of several Canadians who reached out to me following last week’s Indy Gaming about the slowdown in Las Vegas visitation from Canada.
Rick, who asked that his last name not be used, said President Donald Trump’s talk about the annexation of Canada is the primary reason he is giving up on his five annual trips to Las Vegas.
Statistics back up what I’m hearing from readers. According to the Clark County Department of Aviation’s monthly passenger report, Canadian airlines accounted for some of the largest declines in passenger volume at Harry Reid International Airport in February.
While tariffs placed on Canadian goods have been a factor, Canadian residents who reached out to me put more weight on being disrespected by Trump after he suggested the country become part of the U.S. as “the 51st state.”
“The current administration running (ruining) your country has repeatedly threatened our country with [a] takeover,” Southern Ontario resident Jason Kent wrote in an email. “We are an independent country, dealing with repeated threats from your government. This isn’t about taxes and inflation at all. If it was, you wouldn’t even register the change.”
Last week, The Globe and Mail noted that bookings for air travel between Canadian and U.S. destinations have dropped more than 10 percent. Several airlines have reduced the number of flights into U.S. markets, including Las Vegas.
Elizabeth Turner, a Winnipeg, Manitoba resident who holds dual U.S.-Canadian citizenship, said Canada’s boycott of U.S. goods and travel is primarily because of the administration's annexation threats.
“The trade war is certainly frustrating, but Canadians are aware that we live in a resource-rich land, and the U.S. is looking to expand its power and wealth,” Turner wrote. “We are expecting the administration to develop a narrative that eventually justifies a military invasion.”
Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority CEO Steve Hill said in an interview Monday that 12 percent of visitation to Southern Nevada comes from international markets, and he expects there will be a decline from the 1.4 million that arrived in 2023. However, it’s “too early to know what the magnitude” of that loss will be.
Hill said that American consumers “don't feel as good about their economic situation as they did a few months ago” and noted that “Canadians are reacting to different messages, such as tariffs or whether Canada should become a state.”
Hill added, “We're certainly hearing anecdotally [the messages] are causing concerns from people in Canada.”
Turner offered advice for Las Vegas tourism leaders hoping to keep Canadians as their visitors.
“The only U.S. political and industry messaging that I can imagine being effective with Canadians is unequivocal support for our sovereignty and advocacy actions to back up that position,” she said.
Disclosure: I have Canadian family members in Toronto, but I have not discussed this issue with them.
A’s stadium clears two hurdles, but needs building permits before groundbreaking
The $1.75 billion future home of the Athletics on the Strip passed two milestones in the last few weeks, but a groundbreaking date for the 33,000-fan capacity stadium has not been announced.
First, the Federal Aviation Administration (FAA) determined that the ballpark at the southeast corner of the Strip and Tropicana Boulevard does not pose a hazard to air navigation, according to a letter from the agency’s Obstruction Evaluation Office.
The Clark County Commission also approved a land use permit last week for the A’s to construct the stadium on the former site of the since-demolished Tropicana Las Vegas. The A’s now need to pull construction permits before building takes place, new team President Marc Badain told media following the hearing.
The A’s, who are playing home games at a minor league stadium in Sacramento for the next three years, hope to break ground on the Las Vegas ballpark by the end of June, with the venue ready for the opening day of the 2028 Major League Baseball season.
The FAA’s approval came four days after the agency ended public comment on any potential hazards that could have arisen from the stadium’s construction.
An aeronautical study determined there was “no substantial adverse effect on the operation of navigable airspace by aircraft or on the operation of air navigation facilities.” The FAA noted that the ballpark, which is designed to have a roof peak of 320 feet, is near Harry Reid International Airport’s helicopter arrival and departure corridors.
“Occupants and people outside the stadium will be exposed to frequent loud jet aircraft and helicopter noise, as well as the sight of helicopters and large jet aircraft flying at very low altitudes close to the stadium,” the FAA noted.
What I'm reading
🚀 Indian Gaming Association Conference: Panel debates emerging technology for California tribes — Rege Behe, CDC Gaming Reports
“I truly believe we will see a human being on Mars before we get [an] online casino [in California],” said Adam Krejcik, a partner in Southern California consulting firm Eilers & Krejcik Gaming.
🏀 Beyond March Madness, colleges face sports betting issue — David Purdum, Pete Thamel and Dan Wetzel, ESPN
There has not been an illegal point-shaving scandal in college basketball since sports betting was legalized in 2018. The NCAA is concerned that the streak is in jeopardy.
🗽 NYC legislators push bill to aid Bally’s bid to build casino on Bronx parkland — Carl Campanile, The New York Post
Bally’s hasn’t finalized its plans for a resort surrounding the A’s stadium site. But the company continues to push for a New York City casino project.
News, notes and quotes
🏈 ⚾ STN sportsbooks on track for Treasure Island, Mesquite
Station Casinos, the operating arm of Red Rock Resorts, is seeking Nevada regulatory approval to operate sportsbooks at Treasure Island on the Strip and the CasaBlanca and Virgin River casinos in Mesquite. The Gaming Control Board will discuss the plans for STN Sports during Wednesday’s hearing in Las Vegas. The Treasure Island sportsbook would be the company’s first Strip location under the STN brand. STN provides the technology and wagering odds for the Fontainebleau Las Vegas, but the company’s name is not on the sportsbook.
💰 Howard Hughes' takeover bid is still on the table
A standstill agreement between Summerlin developer Howard Hughes Corp. and suitor Pershing Square Capital Management was extended into next week. The hedge fund, controlled by billionaire Bill Ackman, offered to spend $900 million to purchase a controlling interest in the developer. The January offer was initially rejected. Hughes is deeply involved in one of the proposals to lure the film industry to Nevada through measures that would greatly expand the state’s film tax credit program. The developer is partnering with Sony and Warner Bros. to pass AB238. A hearing was held on the bill last month.
💸 Gaming analyst not positive on Macau’s recovery
Stifel Financial gaming analyst Steven Wieczynski is soured on Macau, where revenue has not recovered to 2019’s pre-pandemic levels of more than $3 billion a month. “Macau can’t get out of its own way at this point. While we continue to take a longer-term [view] around the recovery of this market, even our patience is running thin,” Wieczynski wrote. Three months into 2025 and Macau’s casino industry — including properties operated by Las Vegas Sands, Wynn Resorts and MGM Resorts International — has averaged $2.4 billion a month in revenue. “We wish it was an April Fool’s joke, but it’s not,” is how Wieczynski headlined his April 1 research note. “Macau continues to massively underperform.”