ENCORE BOSTON HARBOR is now letting its customers self-park for free at the Everett casino, dispensing with the hefty charges that had been in place since its June opening — $22 for the first six hours and $42 for up to 24 hours.
In a statement, Encore Boston Harbor President Robert DeSalvio characterized the introduction of free self-parking as a new amenity for guests, but the move also suggests the casino found the fees were discouraging guests from coming to the facility.
Five years ago, when Wynn Resorts was seeking its Massachusetts casino license, traffic was one of the biggest concerns. Casino officials at the time indicated they would do everything they could – including implementing parking fees – to encourage guests to visit the facility without driving. But since the opening of Encore Boston Harbor traffic has not been a problem.
The casino experimented with doing away with self-parking fees at the beginning of August, and decided to dispense with them entirely as of Friday. A spokeswoman said the feedback the casino received after the initial test was “overwhelmingly positive.”
Casinos in Las Vegas began moving to self-parking charges several years ago to boost revenues, but the two Wynn Resorts properties in Vegas reversed course and dispensed with the fees in May.
Encore Boston Harbor has approximately 2,900 parking spaces at its Everett hotel and casino.