2016 Trippies winners announced, looks like the ballot box stuffing is back

Ahhh, ok thanks. After that 2014 debacle, I have a hard time giving them any credit.

Chef and Sonya, I think there is a major difference. The LVRJ best of list that names Outback the best is the result of legitimate votes. Although Outback obviously isn't the best, it's not an issue of ballot stuffing or favoritism, more an issue of LV locals that eat at and enjoy Outback. You don't see Outback also winning best bar, atmosphere, nightlife, value etc which is what these clowns did 2 years ago with anything that Derek Stevens touched.

I'll take inaccuracies over corruption any day.

Nick

 

Lastly what it does at the heart of things is deceive people to influence their purchasing decisions. There's a mutually beneficial relationship between Derek and the VT folks.
One that I would never accuse Sonya of having. This online community is run with very little editorial control even if opinions expressed might negatively influence banner ads or hotel referral revenue.

I work in technology and the marketing people at a very large tech company I used to work at loved it when we wrote byline articles on subjects for online blogs.
where they could quote or reference them for free advertising or to help push a software deal.

"Named best product information website for dog turd sanitation engineers." by Dog Turd Weekly online, etc you get the gist.

 

Touche, I toned down my critique of the readers selections since I think they disparately represent VIMFP attendee picks. However VT does not share the vote totals, so we really don't know.
I feel IMHO that my observation on the editors picks are spot on and I think I can quantify my accusation of bias thru both VT site content as well as mainstream opinion. I also was not critical of their selections
for non Derek Steven owned properties even though I might have had a different view point.

 

There is far too much shilling for MSS on this board!

 

Thanks Sonya and to be fair to Chuckmonster, Hunter, etc I still greatly respect their contributions to VT blogging and have expressed so. I don't think I would be as irked if they divulged into their process of evaluation. Chuck responded to me with the comment and I am going to quote him here: "The Trippies aren't about rebroadcasting the latest stats on house advantage. A lot more goes into the editors picks than the mathematics of house advantage, this is true for all categories, not just the gambling ones. We look at these awards from the human perspective, not strategy nerds.". If you follow the Trippies you can go back to last year or few years and find conflict with Chucks statement. For example I cited their VP choice where historically they quoted payback percentage as an influencer.

Look at best bar, how do you in a year go from picking Hyde Lounge to The D longbar?! Did the D do an extensive remodeling, add an incredible cocktail selection, or maybe Bellagio tripled prices. Anyway there's no clear logic to follow such a radical change in opinion, except to say it was purely personal bias. My argument isn't really one of differing opinions but rather false advertising and back up my accusations with their own site commentary. In regards to shilling, there is a tangible value in the meeting space they receive and accommodations for their event. It may not be cash but it is still something of value.

BTW love that you have been around since the days of usenet. You probally remember the days of gopher search as well.

 

I'm sure I won't stop reading VT or listening to their rambling podcast--just because, like everyone here, I'm a sucker for Vegas content. The Trippies are fun to contemplate because they're an organized consideration of, well, everything Vegas. But I really do get tired of things like this:

http://www.vegastripping.com/news/blog/5413/when-a-blogger-gets-in-bed-with-pr/

http://www.vegastripping.com/news/blog/5606/sayonara-vegas-chatter/

There's a mean-spiritedness or snideness that comes through on the site and on the podcast. Not from all the guys, and certainly not all the time, but too often. Perhaps I'd feel differently if I actually met the guys (and they are all guys, as far as I know, which works to the podcast's detriment). But they keep holding VIMFP in October, and I'm never going to be able to get off work in October.

 

I generally defend the VT guys (though I think the Vegas Chatter glee was a little much... including the awarding - of all things - Jeff Simpson Award Trippie to Conde Nast for the Most Improved for shutting down Vegas Chatter).

However, what were they thinking in awarding Justin Vegas as Best Podcast? He's had one episode, and listening to it was like listening to a stoner reading a 3rd grader's trip report.

 

Here is a question...Is VT that big to even warrant caring? From my perspective, most of the people who would visit their site are people that listen to Five Hundy, who I know has a bigger following. I think the results may sway a bit more towards the readers, like Sonya mentions, who seem to me mostly, if not all, the VIMFP crowd.

 

Sonya, A few things.... Outside of the typical insanity associated with Best or Top 10 lists, your Wynn analogy just doesn't work. It's the Wynn, and they have the D beat by a wide margin in many areas, and selection of any of the umpteen diamond/ star properties as "Best Of" in any random category is easily defensible. I'm sure that we could justify the D over the Wynn in several of the categories, but nowhere near the extreme of the 2014 Trippies.

The other issue is that in any such review or in your example a positive thread, you run the risk of preferential reviewers. That's accepted, especially in the world of Amazon reviewers, where many of them are offered free samples to test, not surprisingly offering a positive gleaming review, which is viewed by other manufacturers, resulting in a continuation of dishonest reviews and rewards. Of course, things change slightly when you're talking votes and awarding winners.

In 2014, the D was voted Best Hotel, Rooms, Value, Dining, Restaurant, Steakhouse, New Restaurant, Hangover Food, and Bar. Yes, bar... In all of Las Vegas, land of a thousand bars, the Longbar is the best. The rooms at the D are better than the Golden Nugget Rush Tower, the Wynn, Aria and Palazzo? Maybe people just really like the rooms at the D. Hell, in reality are the rooms at the D better than the mid-tiers like TI or Paris? The D bathrooms (non-suite) are grandma's house all the way.

When you add in that the D was also awarded: Best Casino, Slots, Video Poker, Blackjack, Dice, Players Club. If any of this were remotely defensible, you wouldn't be able to book a room at the D, nor find a vacant machine, or seat at a table. This is laughable. The D, on such a small scale has accomplished something that the evry other property has failed at.... the best everything, Room? check, every aspect of every type of casino gambling? check. Top Restaurants? check. Remember that at this point in time, the D had downgraded VP paytables that had people up in arms, yet they still won Best VP. I'm sorry, but you could throw a dart at a downtown dartboard and end up with a better choice, as every other property had them beat on paytables. Perhaps the voters were just lucky and hit several royal flushes at the D. Same with slots, craps and blackjack.

Of course, you can make an argument for a few categories. Andiamo is certainly a kickass steakhouse. It's not on par with the top joints on the strip, but I know there's folks on this board that would argue that, and there's merit there. I've had some amazing meals there. Best Steakhouse: Andiamo @ The D. Fair enough.

Further proof of the ridiculousness of it all is that the D was voted as having the best Carpet, yes carpet...... The threads at the D must be woven with fine silk. Maybe people just really like the carpet at the D, right? The carpet at the D is pretty amazing. I can hear the tackstrip and padding being pulled by Steve Wynn himself this very minute.

I too give benefit of the doubt, but It gets to the point where viewing this scenario through rose colored lenses isn't viable. My issue was a 2014 poll, not a thread or review. There's a reason that lobbying is under fire, and that people expect doses of honestly in voting structures, and the "maybe" possibilities are too far stretching to give the 2014 poll the benefit of the doubt. If you need further proof, check the results of the last 2 polls. The results are far more in line with reality, (and as I mentioned to Funk in my first response) vastly improved. The improvements in subsequent years don't correct the many problems of the 2014 Trippies however.

Why am I hung up on this you ask? I don't even know who these people are... I've never looked at the website, save for the links to the Trippies, because "Best of" and Top 10 lists tend to infuriate me and I enjoy pain. My opinion is purely based on a really bad poll, that was a bit too loose and had horrible results. I agree with you that board members have proclaimed outlandish things. Usually when they do, others step in to counter their opinions. I think we can agree though, that our board members don't go this far. For every board member that will claim that the Orleans has the "best" buffet in Vegas, will readily admit that the rooms are nicer at Aria, and the Peppermill serves better drinks.

Is this problem big enough to worry about? Not at all, but it certainly shouldn't be defended.

Nick

 

Voting is always skewed when the voters have not been to all the venues.

Almost every voter has been to the D casino, as they are a attention grabber downtown, but many have not been to all the luxury casinos on the strip.


In a nutshell, without a video segment on all nominees, or casino crawl for all voters. The votes are going to swing to the most visited venues.


PS, I like the D a bunch, but there should be a separate vote for DT and the strip.

 

Agreed, but the 2014 situation is beyond being "A little skewed". Almost every voter has been to the D, which means almost every voter has been to multiple downtown casinos. With that being said, the Golden Nugget didn't get a single award to the D's dozen+. I guess nobody liked the Golden Nugget bars, rooms, restaurants, blackjack, slots, craps, video poker and on and on. This isn't an issue of more voters having visited the D, resulting in more votes for the D.

I would also venture to guess that the folks that have been downtown and participated in this poll have been to a few strip casinos as well, so they know, or at least have an idea. This isn't a turnip truck situation.

With this thought process, we're still going on the notion that the votes are based on actual beliefs. There are a ton of Nick's favorites that I know damned well aren't anywhere near the best. The most ironic thing is that I enjoy the hell out of the D.... It's a fun place!

Agreed that you have to have separate categories for best on the strip and best downtown. For accuracy, top 3 in each is even better.

Nick

 

I can't believe this is soooooooo important ... to a few people.

 

You just have to remember the hardcore audience at vt isn't as large/diverse as this site. Since they added the account need to vote I doubt the readers poll part is cooked in any way it's just that group of voters hears about the d or maybe goes during vimfp has a good time so it gets votes. For the editors stuff I certainly don't agree with all the results but that's a small group of editors opinions.. Wait once/if alon opens I bet you hear less d and more drooling over alon

 

Yet you continue to read...... Ken, you've been a contributor in countless mindnumbing In N Out Burger threads. Lets be real here.

Nick

 

Actually I read the first, scrolled through what looked like two or three names across four pages and, guilty as charged, drew a conclusion.

Perhaps you should fund your own poll. All above-board and scientific and all.

In-N-Out rocks, btw.

 

Just lobbing it back at you.

No poll funding for Nick. Even with the popularity of this board, Sonya struggles. I do my part by adding a little flava, hopefully triggering a few extra hits. I just want to see the endangered species of logic live on.

I've only had praise for In N Out. Double Double, Animal Style.

Nick