Las Vegas falls victim to economic downturn

Sue Garrett, in Las Vegas for a birthday party earlier this month, went to what she considers extraordinary lengths to hold down the cost of her trip.

"We decided to sit through one of those blasted timeshare presentations to get a free hotel room," said Garrett, who lives in Los Angeles. She turned down the timeshare but earned herself and her husband a stay on the Las Vegas Strip for her trouble.

Similar stories are heard all over Las Vegas these days, where resorts are discounting and even giving away room nights just to attract enough people to keep their roulette wheels and slot machines spinning.