Working with businesses on US expansion, Las Vegas almost never gets raised
This piece was originally shared on LinkedIn in response to recurring conversations with founders and leadership teams around this topic.
I’m publishing it here as part of an ongoing body of thinking around restaurant strategy, market entry, and operational decision-making.
And it risks missing one of the most incredible opportunities on earth.
What people don't see is how Vegas really runs - The number of people moving through is incredible. There’s a 24hr flow, and people are there to spend.
You’ve got clubs the size of stadiums, all-day high-energy beach clubs, and restaurants full of people dining all through the night.
And the revenue reflects that: When comparing similar concepts of similar size, Vegas often does double what you'd see in New York. I've seen reports where the numbers looked so high, I questioned whether it was a different currency!
That said, it's not an easy market to get right. There are well-established players and the dynamics are different to anywhere else.
But it must be considered. Currently, it’s often not on the radars of non-American operators the way it should be.