MyVegas What the Hairy Heck Happened with Border Grill?

So according to some threads over on TA, part of the reason there has been a pullback on offers is because on an incident at Border Grill involving the FB group now know as Vegas Rover. They have a shill saying they aren't responsible for the changes in the game but at the same time one of their admins is whining about not being able to redeem LPs. Anyone know what happened?

From what I've read, the restaurant ran out of food and drink to accommodate all of the people who went to the "meet up." Some people raised a stink after leaving the restaurant, got compensated by the restaurant along with an apology, and at least one of them has supposedly had his rights to redeem loyalty points removed.

If I'm not mistaken, there was some of this on either MyVegas, Border Grill, or Mlife's Facebook page.

If this has anything to do with the recent reductions in rewards, I wouldn't be surprised. From what I saw, some of those people were redeeming up to 10 rewards in one trip. Throw in there that they were bad mouthing the program along with causing a PR nightmare for some of the restaurants or hotels, I can see how the golden goose got killed, so to speak.

I read about the Border Grill issue but hate to say it the "main" admin over there I think wanted too much from the game while he was promoting the game and the folks at playstudios tried to find a way to do so but doing that were restrictions. That admin didn't like it so he changed the group and is bad mouthing the game all over the place (but funny he still plays it). I think he expected MGM/PlayStudios to bend over backward for him for the meet up some one was too greedy.

The restrictions were put in place because people found ways to gather chips quick and saw that there was no limits on rewards so they scooped them up so of course playstudios decided to implement the restrictions which caused people to be upset...naturally...but I don't think the restrictions and all are that bad.

Wow.....just wow..... too bad.....so sad..... the need to grow up!

Just wanted to add...how does a buffet in Vegas run out of food? Now I know they were sitting in a "room" away from the reg crowd due to the size of the reservation but really how does a buffet run out of food for that one group?

We just heard on side of the story...from people who already were upset w/ MyVegas and nothing from the other side. You know what they say...there are two sides to every story and then the truth

I read over on TA that all the admins from that board were banned from redeeming. And they are surprised? It irritates me when some people try to take generosity and and run with it for their own greed. It's FREE! C'mon, they could have quite possibly ruined it for everyone else!

Off topic - Butterfly I wish my countdown looked like yours! Mine has too many numbers in it lol

Laura - I remember when I had a triple digit countdown clock too...but trust me your trip will be here before you know it and I'll have the higher number

ButterflyMtn said:

Just wanted to add...how does a buffet in Vegas run out of food? Now I know they were sitting in a "room" away from the reg crowd due to the size of the reservation but really how does a buffet run out of food for that one group?

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Border Grill is not a buffet - at least not a traditional buffet. It is a regular restaurant. They have a weekend "all you can eat brunch" but I doubt they expected a swarm of greedy locusts to descend on the restaurant like it was the last drop of water in the desert. A traditional, true buffet has a lot more of a food stockpile and more chefs on duty to whip up dishes as they are depleted. I think Border Grill was way in over its head with that obnoxious group.

From the start I am not defending the actions of anyone but have been following this topic from the beginning when the meet and greet was first planned. Just think there should be some balance before placing blame. I am not and have never been other than reader of the referenced support group.

The "main admin" at the referenced group was one of the biggest supporters of the game and at the time had the largest support group but he also saw the shortcomings and did not toe the line with the powers in charge and was an advocate for the players. The meet was coordinated with the restaurant well in advance of the date and they had agreed to host the group. It was initially planned to host the group at an MGM facility for the 1st major meet and greet but management denied the request and the Border Grill agreed to host them. I do not see how the Border Grill did not expect a "swarm of greedy locust" since it was planned in advance and space was available to handle the "swarm". I just don't see the need or reason for labels such as "obnoxious group" when there has been absolutely nothing posted anywhere from to say the group acted as such. If I had a voucher for $15 , $25, $50 or whatever amount the reward was for I would expect to receive a meal that would match the price paid.

As far as " run with it for their own greed" how is playing by the rules of the game greed? There was no magic or secret way to accumulating the required LP's to redeem for rewards. The "main admin" early on expressed doubts that the game could continue at the rate everyone was accumulating redemption points. There just weren't enough rewards available even back then to meet the outstanding level of LPs and subsequent demand for redemption. Players today can redeem 4, 6, 10 or even unlimited rewards depending upon their status. Is that greed?

This is a posting from Dec 2001 (yes 2001) on the former implementation of this concept by the same leadership who are just repeating their same mistakes:

"regardless, the prizes aren't as good as they once were...when wageer works first started there were more buffets and no limits to time frames...I ate at MGM 3 times and bellaigo once...

I don't think that they thought response would be so good... "

The pressure caused by so many players redeeming for the meet & greet WAS the game changer for the rules change but it was inevitable that it was going to happen if not that month, then the next month when other groups organized meets.

The game cannot continue at the same level as it had, nor even continue as it is today without becoming even more restrictive. There are just too many players going after too few rewards which is not the fault of the players.

If the group was the cause for the lack of food issue at Border Grill then why where they given apologies and vouchers to compensate? If I had received poor service by any establishment I would be telling everyone.

The "main admin" is no longer a player of the game and announced on other group sites that he has closed his account.

I was part of that group and his "friend on FB for the game", if he had really deleted his account why was I still getting "gifts" from him (and this was after he announced he deleted his account)? I couldn't stand the complaining and bad mouthing so I removed myself from the group and removed him as a "friend"

Sure he was an "advocate" for the group but IMO from what I read he wanted a little to much for doing his "job". If something didn't go his way he raised a big stink about it...like when no properties w/ Mlife wanted to "host" the big meet up he caused a big stink of the board at the time and "threatened" to take the meet up to a CET location. To me the drama just isn't worth it.

yes, the rules would have been changed eventually and I'm not saying he started the change but you could read the strain between both sides - when he posted and when Monty posted. I belong to other MyVegas groups and there are not issues like what was going on and everyone seems to be enjoying the game.

All of this is just MOO, in the end I think that for those that want to play and earn free comps or spend money on chips then good for them because they are getting something out of it...and I will certainly enjoy my 2 night comped stay at the Mirage in T-minus 30 days.

For all the posters that play the game I hope you get the LPs you want and can catch those rewards....good luck!

Wow. I can't help but question the maturity level of the people involved in this.

Can anyone explain to me where a meet and greet is needed in the first place? were these people going to have a Q/A with Mlife to improve the game in any way?

It sounds like this group, whoever they are, feel like they are entitled to a kings bounty since they "promote" the game for Mlife...

When it comes to free stuff all common sense goes out the window. Even if it is not "breaking" any rules there has to be some sort of self policing that needs to be done. I'm sure this group was farming every bit of money they could and now have to own up for their actions.

Cats and dogs will get away with it.. but pigs never do.

utwofan said:

The "main admin" at the referenced group was one of the biggest supporters of the game and at the time had the largest support group but he also saw the shortcomings and did not toe the line with the powers in charge and was an advocate for the players.

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What do you mean "toe the line"? No one is asking anyone to toe any line.. you either play the game or you don't. Why would there be a need for an advocate for the players of a FREE game that no one is forcing you to play.

utwofan said:

The pressure caused by so many players redeeming for the meet & greet WAS the game changer for the rules change but it was inevitable that it was going to happen if not that month, then the next month when other groups organized meets.

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What do you mean "the pressure" of the players redeeming was the game changer? Was the meet and greet supposed to be free and then it wasn't so all of the people redeeming had to use their LP's for the lunch?

utwofan said:

If the group was the cause for the lack of food issue at Border Grill then why where they given apologies and vouchers to compensate? If I had received poor service by any establishment I would be telling everyone..

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This might be true, but why are some of those same people banned from future LP redemptions?

"This might be true, but why are some of those same people banned from future LP redemptions?"

I'd like to know this also. Why were they banned.

I get why BB was he acted inappropriate to say the least.

But why the other's..if true of course.

AbFab said:

"This might be true, but why are some of those same people banned from future LP redemptions?"

I'd like to know this also. Why were they banned.

I get why BB was he acted inappropriate to say the least.

But why the other's..if true of course.

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Based on the little bit I got from Tripadvisor, they believe the admins were blocked as retaliation for them Playstudios from their group. However, before I quit the group and unfriended Brad, I had seen a lot of negative threads started and the admins were instigating the negativity. I think they know exactly why they were blocked from the game and I was irritated that one of them went on TA to try and drum up sympathy.

The reason some may be throwing out the greedy word as it relates to this meet and greet was because of all the redemptions Brad was making. I know he redeemed at least 10 rewards for Border Grill in one day, commenting that they were for the meet and greet and within days all kinds of rules started changing. He also made other multiple redemptions for several other rewards for other event sites. At the end of the day, there were several people who were funding their entire vacations with game rewards. As Monty Kerr stated when the rules changed, that was never the intent of the game.

leo21 said:

Based on the little bit I got from Tripadvisor, they believe the admins were blocked as retaliation for them Playstudios from their group. However, before I quit the group and unfriended Brad, I had seen a lot of negative threads started and the admins were instigating the negativity. I think they know exactly why they were blocked from the game and I was irritated that one of them went on TA to try and drum up sympathy.

The reason some may be throwing out the greedy word as it relates to this meet and greet was because of all the redemptions Brad was making. I know he redeemed at least 10 rewards for Border Grill in one day, commenting that they were for the meet and greet and within days all kinds of rules started changing. He also made other multiple redemptions for several other rewards for other event sites. At the end of the day, there were several people who were funding their entire vacations with game rewards. As Monty Kerr stated when the rules changed, that was never the intent of the game.

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I also think playstudio got blindsided with how popular the rewards were...How can you not know when you give great freebies away with no restrictions that people won't go in for the kill????I mean did any one at playstudio stand
up and said hey,what if people grab 30 or 40 rewards...Playstudio should have seen it coming IMO

Yea I read some of the weird rant... I mean what did they expect with 55 people coming to eat for free haha. Seems like a bad idea. Even if the place gets reimbursed. Not to mention that's a small restaurant...

It's like it's free fun, why would you take advantage and ruin it for everyone.

I agree that they will change and up price of the rewards at some point, which is fine with me. They are good quality rewards. Which make the game worth playing.

They don't want supporters and advocates of the game... they are giving us a little taste of Vegas, with something free so we come to Vegas and blow money. Not lets get 5000 people to game the system and get tons of rewards. I don't think they intended thousands of strangers to friend each other and get all these points.

heatherlovesvegas said:

Yea I read some of the weird rant... I mean what did they expect with 55 people coming to eat for free haha. Seems like a bad idea. Even if the place gets reimbursed. Not to mention that's a small restaurant...

It's like it's free fun, why would you take advantage and ruin it for everyone.

I agree that they will change and up price of the rewards at some point, which is fine with me. They are good quality rewards. Which make the game worth playing.

They don't want supporters and advocates of the game... they are giving us a little taste of Vegas, with something free so we come to Vegas and blow money. Not lets get 5000 people to game the system and get tons of rewards. I don't think they intended thousands of strangers to friend each other and get all these points.

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You are right...They didn't figure on millions of chips flying back and forth with thousands of people friending each other...Why didn't MGM figure this out??? I can see playstudio not knowing what they were walking into but why not MGM... They deal with this all the time,where people are trying to squeeze out every last freebie they can...

vegasdiva48 said:

You are right...They didn't figure on millions of chips flying back and forth with thousands of people friending each other...Why didn't MGM figure this out??? I can see playstudio not knowing what they were walking into but why not MGM... They deal with this all the time,where people are trying to squeeze out every last freebie they can...

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MyVegas has been a marketing genius move by MGM. Every Vegas message board has active threads about the game. People who normally wouldn't be at an MGM property are staying and playing there - over CET. And really what's it costing them? Most folks don't befriend thousands of people they don't know & dont save an enormous amount of LP's for multiple big rewards... So MGM gives away a few free room nights, a buffet and maybe a show. Lots of free publicity, good pr and bring in customers that usually visit other properties - genius.