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CRAIG T. KOJIMA / CKOJIMA@STARBULLETIN.COM Kenneth Kunita has gone to Vegas every month for the past year, and regularly for the past 20 yers. He is 83 years old. With him is his partner, Doris Sato.

Doing Vegas,
senior style

» Stargazing in Vegas

Kenneth Kunita loves Las Vegas. The retired 83-year-old Honolulu baker has been there every month this year, and also has getaways planned for this month, November and December. All told, he figures he's visited Sin City about 50 times since his first trip in the early 1980s when he was working at Love's Bakery.

What's the enticement of Vegas for seniors like Kunita? "It's a short flight, just a little over five hours from Hawaii," he notes. "It's cheap: For less than $500, you can get a package that includes air fare, a room and meals. Plus, when you go with a charter or tour group, everything is taken care of for you, including baggage handling and ground transportation. That makes going there so easy! And if you stay downtown, the casinos are very close to each other."

During the last five years, Kunita has settled on a favorite hotel, the Fremont downtown, where he's gotten to know many of the staff. "The people there are terrific; they're so friendly," he says. "Everything is familiar; when I go there, it's like I'm going to my second home."

CRAIG T. KOJIMA / CKOJIMA@STARBULLETIN.COM Andrew Aoki is another Vegas regular.

Shows used to be on Kunita's Vegas itinerary, but not lately. When he's not eating or sleeping, you'll likely find him at the Fremont's crap table. "Once I'm at the hotel, I don't leave," he says. "I'll wake up at 10 or so in the morning, eat brunch and gamble until dinner. Then I'll eat dinner and gamble until bedtime. You get addicted; if the game is going good, you don't want to go to sleep. Sometimes I've stayed up till 3 in the morning. It's a very different schedule from when I'm home - I usually go to bed around 9:30 - but it's fun!"

Kunita is a loyal customer of Vacations-Hawaii, one of the largest companies in the state that books Vegas vacations. Vacations-Hawaii transports nearly 110,000 passengers on its nonstop chartered flights from Honolulu to Las Vegas each year. Six charter tours, which include four- and five-night stays, operate weekly.

Vacations-Hawaii's first charter flight took off on Feb. 9, 1996, but it has been actively selling Las Vegas packages as a wholesaler since 1988. The company is owned by Boyd Gaming Corp., so packages include stays at Boyd's three downtown properties - the California Hotel, Fremont Hotel and Main Street Station - as well as the Stardust Hotel on the Strip.

"The mix changes during different times of the year. However, in general, a great number of our customers are at or near retirement age," says Russell Gouveia, Vacations-Hawaii's manager of marketing and operations.

Senior Discounts Las Vegas is known as a value destination. Here's a sampling of discounts, just for seniors. >> "Star Trek: The Experience" at the Las Vegas Hilton offers two thrilling attractions -- BORG Invasion 4D and Klingon Encounter. Those aged 65 and older qualify for senior rates. Dual Mission Ticket (both attractions): $31.99 (regular $34.99). Single Ride Ticket (guest chooses one ride): $26.99 (regular $29.99). (888) GO-BOLDLY; www.startrekexp.com. >> Seniors aged 65 and older pay $12 for admission to the Bellagio Gallery of Fine Art at the Bellagio resort (regular is $15). On view through January 9, 2005 is "Claude Monet: Masterworks from the Museum of Fine Arts, Boston," featuring 16 famous works from nearly every period of the artist's life. (877) 957-9777; www.bgfa.biz. >> All 5 p.m. Sunday performances of "Mamma Mia," a musical at the Mandalay Bay Resort and Casino featuring the music of ABBA, offer a $10 discount on $75 and $100 tickets for those aged 62 and older. (702) 632-7580; www.mamma-mia.com.

He cites value as a primary reason why Vegas is so popular among older travelers. "In return for a low package price, which is often the cost of air fare alone on scheduled service carriers, our customers receive round-trip air transportation, hotel accommodations for four or five nights, meals throughout their stay, transfers, baggage handling and escorted service. We're currently featuring complete packages starting from $395, and we have nearly 100 different departure dates priced at that rate. You won't find this kind of value anywhere else."

Bringing 350,000 visitors annually, Hawaii is Las Vegas' 12th-largest state market. Many of Vacation-Hawaii customers make trips there three or four times a year not only because they enjoy the destination, but so that they can take advantage of incentive programs offered by the hotels.

CRAIG T. KOJIMA / CKOJIMA@STARBULLETIN.COM Faye Aoki regularly visits Las Vegas, which continues to be a popular destination for many people from the islands.

For instance, the Fremont's Gold Card provides qualifying guests with complimentary accommodations (with an upgrade to a suite whenever possible), food and beverages, including alcohol, for their entire stay. These customers must maintain a higher level of casino play, rotating a minimum of $6,000 in coins per day through the slot machines and putting down an average bet of $75 per hand at the table games for four hours per day during their stay.

If you're not an experienced high roller, these requirements might cause some trepidation, but "it's a great program," asserts Howard Jochsberger, the Fremont's vice president of marketing. "The Gold Card gives us a chance to reward good customers. Most Las Vegas hotels have similar programs, but they require much higher coin-in and table game bet averages."

Kunita appreciates the VIP status that goes with being an elite Gold Card holder. He always flies first class to Vegas, he's guaranteed a suite and he can eat gratis in the hotel's gourmet restaurant every night of his stay if he wants.

But for him the biggest draw of going to Vegas is the chance he might "hit it big" someday. "You never can tell," Kunita says, smiling. "It makes going to Vegas that much more exciting. Next time I go, I may be the lucky one!"

The Las Vegas Connection For hotel and motel availability, rates and reservations and the most up-to-date information on shows, attractions, activities, tours and more, call toll free (877) VISITLV between 6 a.m. and 9 p.m. Pacific Time. You can request a free Las Vegas Information Packet online at www.vegasfreedom.com. The Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority's Web site, www.lvcva.com, also is chock-full of helpful information. Vacations-Hawaii operates charter tours to Vegas year round. Call 591-4777 to find out what's available during the time you wish to travel.

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