1. Welcome to VegasMessageBoard
    It appears you are visiting our community as a guest.
    In order to view full-size images, participate in discussions, vote in polls, etc, you will need to Log in or Register.

Anyone else a Chairman with CET besides Terry Watanabe

Discussion in 'Comps' started by pphold, Jan 1, 2015.

Thread Status:
Not open for further replies.
  1. pphold

    pphold pp Park Place Degenerate

    Joined:
    Mar 23, 2013
    Messages:
    2,928
    Location:
    Dallas Texas
    Trips to Las Vegas:
    250
    So I was looking at 7 incredible Casino stories and saw this below. Bet CET wishes they had some mover players like Watanabe now. So was the "Chairman" for one person only or they still offer it?



    It started in 2007 when Mr. Watanabe took a trip to Las Vegas, but then never left. Enjoying the various comps and perks of being a High Roller, the casinos slowly drained his fortune for an entire year. It was a gambling binge that ended up costing him over $200 million.

    During that year, 6% of Harrah's total Las Vegas gambling revenue came from Terry Watanabe. He gambled so much that Harrah's invented a new tier in their Total Rewards program just for him called “Chairman.” It came with various perks such as $12,500 a month for airfare, free concert tickets, and $500,000 in credit at the gift stores. That's a nice little bonus for losing $200 million!
     
  2. gambler

    gambler VIP Whale

    Joined:
    Feb 7, 2012
    Messages:
    2,048
    Location:
    Canada
    Trips to Las Vegas:
    40
  3. Travel Fanatic

    Travel Fanatic The Arbiter of Taste Caviar Kid

    Joined:
    Jul 11, 2010
    Messages:
    21,510
    Location:
    Tennessee
    Trips to Las Vegas:
    50
    Somewhat old news. If memory serves, he ended up suing CET for plying him with alcohol and illicit drugs during his gambling binges. I think they ultimately settled out of court. Never heard of anyone else reaching "chairman" level, but I do recall a couple years ago VegasTripping reported a secret equivalent super high level for mlife. The story posted a picture of the mlife card for that level. I thought it was a joke, but I recall a few people on VMB swearing it was a real thing
     
    The plans have changed
    Post-Shopping Recovery Period
  4. Gamesman

    Gamesman VIP Whale

    Joined:
    Jul 21, 2014
    Messages:
    1,244
    Location:
    San Diego
    Trips to Las Vegas:
    30
    Casino policy is to not let visibly intoxicated people gamble? I'd never be allowed to play.
     
  5. mrstealth

    mrstealth VIP Whale

    Joined:
    Aug 7, 2009
    Messages:
    1,145
    Location:
    Midwest - Sister Bay, WI
    Trips to Las Vegas:
    62
    Sad part about this is he still had to pay resort fees
     
  6. pleepleus

    pleepleus 2016 - The monkey is back

    Joined:
    Jul 17, 2014
    Messages:
    2,351
    Location:
    Hanging around
    Trips to Las Vegas:
    100
    One of my friends worked on the Chairman web site. According to him, Watanabe was the only member.
     
  7. Travel Fanatic

    Travel Fanatic The Arbiter of Taste Caviar Kid

    Joined:
    Jul 11, 2010
    Messages:
    21,510
    Location:
    Tennessee
    Trips to Las Vegas:
    50
    What was the Chairman website?
     
    The plans have changed
    Post-Shopping Recovery Period
  8. given2gamble

    given2gamble Low-Roller

    Joined:
    Jan 7, 2011
    Messages:
    179
    Trips to Las Vegas:
    50

    i lol'd
     
  9. pleepleus

    pleepleus 2016 - The monkey is back

    Joined:
    Jul 17, 2014
    Messages:
    2,351
    Location:
    Hanging around
    Trips to Las Vegas:
    100
    It was basically a Total Rewards site built just for Watanabe.
     
  10. dmr

    dmr Registered Abuser

    Joined:
    Feb 18, 2011
    Messages:
    19,790
    Location:
    Somewhere in Middle America
    Trips to Las Vegas:
    70
    Watanabe was a very successful MAT here in the Omaha area. He headed up Oriental Trading, an importer founded by his father decades before. During his reign he was a very generous supporter of worthy causes here in the area.

    Unfortunately he ran into some trouble with compulsive gambling and subsequently attempted to blame CET for the issues.

    He lost his position at Oriental, which is now controlled by Berkshire-Hathaway.
     
  11. pleepleus

    pleepleus 2016 - The monkey is back

    Joined:
    Jul 17, 2014
    Messages:
    2,351
    Location:
    Hanging around
    Trips to Las Vegas:
    100
    The story I was told was that Watanabe was diagnosed terminal so he went on the bender of a lifetime, but was later told he was going to live.
     
  12. nostresshere

    nostresshere Mr. Anti Debit Card

    Joined:
    May 4, 2009
    Messages:
    23,218
    Location:
    TN
    Trips to Las Vegas:
    40
    ROFLMAO

    Wow!
     
  13. Chuck2009x

    Chuck2009x VIP Whale

    Joined:
    Apr 5, 2009
    Messages:
    14,199
    Location:
    Boston
    Trips to Las Vegas:
    30
    "I have some good news, and some bad news..."
     
  14. Gamesman

    Gamesman VIP Whale

    Joined:
    Jul 21, 2014
    Messages:
    1,244
    Location:
    San Diego
    Trips to Las Vegas:
    30
    Hahaha!
     
  15. RockyBalboa

    RockyBalboa Front Line Winner

    Joined:
    Jan 24, 2010
    Messages:
    4,212
    Location:
    Houston by way of Philadelphia
    Trips to Las Vegas:
    14
    hahahah - nice
     
  16. BeeeJay

    BeeeJay President of The Red Lobster Hostess Satisfaction

    Joined:
    Aug 23, 2008
    Messages:
    9,150
    Location:
    Chicago & Scottsdale, AZ
    Trips to Las Vegas:
    100
    They sued him for some unpaid markers. To me the most interesting part of his story is that Steve Wynn refused his action before he went to Caesars. For me that verifies Caesars took some unfair advantage.
     
  17. Gamesman

    Gamesman VIP Whale

    Joined:
    Jul 21, 2014
    Messages:
    1,244
    Location:
    San Diego
    Trips to Las Vegas:
    30
    No way, we're all grown folk. He just got caught up in it. No one forced him to drink.
     
  18. Travel Fanatic

    Travel Fanatic The Arbiter of Taste Caviar Kid

    Joined:
    Jul 11, 2010
    Messages:
    21,510
    Location:
    Tennessee
    Trips to Las Vegas:
    50
    Yeah, but there are regs on the books CET (and all other casinos) agree to follow. They did not in this case (thus the confidential settlement). I recall the accusations included the casino procuring schedule III pills for him to take while he gambled. That goes a bit beyond serving someone free alcohol
     
    The plans have changed
    Post-Shopping Recovery Period
  19. marktaylor

    marktaylor Low-Roller

    Joined:
    May 12, 2010
    Messages:
    269
    Location:
    berkshire,england
    Trips to Las Vegas:
    3
    me too lol
     
  20. pleepleus

    pleepleus 2016 - The monkey is back

    Joined:
    Jul 17, 2014
    Messages:
    2,351
    Location:
    Hanging around
    Trips to Las Vegas:
    100
    Allegedly, he really loved the vicodin martinis. Shaken, not stirred.
     
Thread Status:
Not open for further replies.