Gregrio, Sept. 3-7, All RIO

I got in around 9am. Checked in at registration and got
my favorite room around noon.
There's really nothing special about this room...it's actually
a bit smaller than their average Standard suite...it's the two
full walls of floor to ceiling windows that makes it work for me!

Room service filled my refrigerator with carrot cake and milk,
weather was great, pool below was full of scenery and the
gaming was fare...$2,000.bankroll for cabs and gaming, played
all I wanted/when I wanted/brought $820.home.

Cab rides for me still average aprox. twelve bucks (including $3.tip)
each way give or take a buck or two, I used Harrah's shuttle a couple
times to go to the Strip, but cabed back (that shuttle can be a real zoo)
RIO to Ceasars is pretty slick...just over the Flamingo hump, it hangs
a left just before the Strip into Caesars new Tower...it's the Harrah's
destination that takes you on a tour through all the backside bowels of
the casinos until you finally end up at their backdoor/front door...
...it's such a tacky/tourist property!

The RIO stayed busy after the holiday crowd left with a Hawaiian themed
Slot Tournament. Still no Show in the Ronn Lucus/Scintas Showroom,
the Sportsbook is tatally up and running, the Poker Room has been glassed in now and seems to work real well, and 'Bikinis' is being turned
into a BOWLING ALLEY...no date when construction will be finished, but
the old 'Rosemary's' restaurant is still vacant...if they hurry, Harrah's
could put BINGO up there too and have one big event opening!
......poor RIO, the rooms are still some of the best, but bit by bit, Harrah's
continues to cheapen the rest. SUPER WHEEL OF FORTUNE is rumored to
be coming soon to their KENO area.......

I took in one of Bob Dancer's little seminars at the Silverton one day...
Quite entertaining, but just reinforced the fact I SHOULD NOT be playing
video poker! lol
(aww, what the hell does Bob know...damn propeller head) it WAS fun!

The session was begining/advanced 9/6 JOB. I mentioned to Bob before
'class' started there weren't any 9/6 quarter games at the Silverton...8/5.
For his classes (different games through the rest of the year), the casino
has placed 8 machines on the floor (together) which reflect the games and
pay scheduals that Bob prefrers for that day's class. I don't know if they
stay up until the following weeks 'new game' or if they shut them down at
the end of the day...I didn't stay and play afterwords.

McCarran was a breeze both coming and going, several new fast food
joints now open on the 'C' Gate' side.
Pretty uneventful trip, SOS but lots of fun!
JUBILEE, LOVE, CLINT HOLMES, LEGENDS IN CONCERT filled out the trip.
I put some 'repeat' Show thoughts over in Entertainment, next trip
December 3d thru 7th.

 

Greg,
Do you ever stay anywhere but the Rio?

 

.........once in a while Chef. If I fly in for a 'quicky' as I did
for the Steely Dan Show at Aladdin a couple months ago...it
was a weekend, RIO rates way too high, Gold Coast is my usuall
first choice to beat the spur-of-the-moment-trips high rates...but
even they were too much. I stayed at Barbary Coast for $97.
I like to stay a night or two at the PALMS each year when they
have a reasonable rate...(hopefully this Dec.) and then use my
50% coupon on top of that from LVA...
The RIO over all, still works the best for me.

 

Hence the appropriate name on T2V (even though it took me like 8 months to not see Gregory... hehe)

 

Don't feel bad Keno. It took me a while not to see GREGORIO. Probably need new glasses.

Thanks for all the good info Greg. Glad you had a great time!

 

I thought I was the only one to see GREGORIO. It wasn't until the response to my post asking about the Rio that I figured out what it REALLY was, LOL. I need a new brain at times. And thanks for all your posts on the Rio, Greg. I'm really looking forward to staying there!

 

.............lol!

 

Greg...I always enjoy your TR's... I always get a chuckle (in a really good way) about your carrot cake and milk. We're all creatures of habit and like what we like... some people are just open enough to say what flips their switch and could give a damn if anybody else thinks it's odd or not...kudo's to you my friend for being you

You know... an observation: It seems I read more and more about the two main corporations (MGMMirage & Harrahs) that own the majority of the strip these days and all of the changes they're making to cut quality and bring in more tacky gaming and ruin good casino designs, restaurants, etc... It is beginning to look like a trend in Las Vegas. I love this city but it will be interesting to see where it all is 10 yrs from now and if they keep the great spark alive or kill it off by dumb ass management. As far as I'm concerend, Wynn will be remembered as an old school guy that did it right while these guys will have the legacy of fu**ing something up that was working great when they got it. ~ Dino

 

lol....I know just what you're talkin' about. It WILL be interesting
to see how Vegas grows/changes over the next ten years.
And HEY!...in re. to my carrot cake. The RIO has the best frosting.
Cake is cake...it's the frosting on the cake that floats my boat!
Real cream cheese, not too sweet, big healthy slices late at night with
David Letterman...wash it down with some ice cold milk...WONDERFUL!!! LOL!

 

Actually, I've always loved carrot cake too.....I feel an addiction coming on

 

Great report Greg. Thanks for posting.

 

Thanks for the report, Greg. The more I hear about the rooms at Rio the more I'd like to stay there, just wish they were on the strip...of course then the rates would probably quadruple. But I don't know, the carrot cake makes it very tempting.