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Downtown Grand is improving

Discussion in 'Downtown Hotels' started by tominiowa, Jan 20, 2017.

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  1. tominiowa

    tominiowa High-Roller

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    I have stayed at the grand many times since it has opened. They have made many mistakes since the start but I do believe they have finally started to do many things right. some still wrong. Thought I would explain somethings that are happening there for those who have not checked them out for a while.

    The rooms are nice and elevators adequate. I like the showers with half doors, much better than full doors that are water spotted from other guests. I never take a bath in a hotel room anyway. I don't have water get on the floor. Decent water pressure in casino tower (only place I stay).

    Free coffee every morning at commisionary is good and hot and always plenty there. Hope they never end this nice feature.

    BJ games are as good as anywhere. Good rules and they now have more tables open. Good craps game (10X odds). Lately it has been busy there. Roulette must be decent as it seems busy. I wouldn't know a good game from bad there. sorry.

    The pit bosses are very friendly and as far as I have checked, are more than fair with average bet for rating. dealers have been nice last few trips also.

    VP pay tables have improved. Esp if you search the casino floor. Better than what the bar seems to pay.

    Business seems to have picked up some in casino compared to last winter for sure.

    Sportsbook is adequate also.

    They put the players card service in separate area again. Smart move.

    I constantly get free room offers , so comps are still good here.

    Valet parking is $7 but takes very little play to get that comped. It is a little messed up yet and hopefully they get that fixed. If staying there make sure to show front desk you are a silver card for free. Takes little play to become silver.

    Undecided about new café. It was busy last week. Food a little funky but good. band also plays almost nightly, which can be bad when the band also plays sometimes at other end of casino. Overall it usually a lot more laid back than the D. Which is too loud to me. I like less crowds so Grand works for me and still short walk to any place DT you desire.

    Now, it not as wild as other places yet, and to some it is still not what they want. But to others it fills a void. But wanted people to know changes have been made and most of them for the better.
     
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  2. Nevyn

    Nevyn VIP Whale

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    Playing what games for how long (if table) or how much coin in (if machines)?

    Just saying comps are good without a measuring stick is not super helpful.
     
  3. blissfulignoramus

    blissfulignoramus 3:2, nothing else will do

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    That's a very detailed, and very weak testimonial. It "fills a void" might be accurate, but you can say the same thing for any gas.

    It's pretty clear that the rooms in Downtown Grand are terrific, but they are very expensive by downtown standards, and the place has done a terrible job of offering much beyond that.

    For someone willing to spend Golden Nugget prices downtown, what does Downtown Grand offer that's better? I hear crickets chirping.

    I see two choices for Downtown Grand: reduce the prices of your rooms, or bring up the caliber of your other offerings to make it worth the prices. They have failed miserably at the latter choice, so it's time to focus on the former.

    I'd stay at Downtown Grand in a heartbeat if there weren't options just as good for a lot less.
     
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  4. wishman35

    wishman35 VIP Whale

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    The Commissary is closed as well :)
     
  5. tominiowa

    tominiowa High-Roller

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    It wasn't last Saturday, well what I call it anyway was the place in morning for egg sandwiches and fancy coffees and such.
    I call that bottom floor of that tower the commisionary, sorry if that is wrong

    as far as gambling stakes . Lately I only play 25 VP and run no more than $100 loss/day. wife does this only and no more than $60 loss/day and gets free night sun-Thursday. I also play BJ and play 15 min and progress up to 50/hand for less than 2 hours a day and 2-3 nights a month any night of the week. Hope that helps.

    like I said it still isn't for everyone, my purpose was to say they have made some positive changes, personally I hope it never gets as busy as the nugget. I like to be able to find others in my party when needed. this casino is small enough one can always find your spouse.

    sorry to blissfulignoramus, that my thoughts are just a weak testimonial to you. I was just making some comments. Guess I will think twice next time before making observations.
     
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  6. surf87

    surf87 MIA

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    Thanks for sharing tominiowa. Boy tough crowd in here (lol).
     
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  7. thecarve

    thecarve Misanthrope

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    Thanks for the review, @tominiowa. One of these days I'll spend a night downtown and DG is at the top of my list.
     
  8. tominiowa

    tominiowa High-Roller

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    One additional thing some people desire is they have room service 24 hours a day, I have never used it
    but the price list in room didn't seem too bad. Room service and free coffee is not available in many casinos anymore
    Granted you have to go get the free coffee.
     
  9. surf87

    surf87 MIA

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    Old pic from about 2015.
    [​IMG]
     
  10. tringlomane

    tringlomane STP Addicted Beer Snob

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    Please don't. This was well written. Thank you.

    But fyi, as for judging a "good game" in roulette, 1 zero = good, 2 zeros = bad. About 100% likely DTG offered double-zero. Most low limit wheels do.

    And glad to hear that you easily found better vp on the floor than the bar. The bar has some "okay" games. And the 8/5 DDB progressive has an Aces with kicker payout that moves fast. It was over 99% return when I hit this, my first ever VP progressive hit. Where was the kicker though!?!?! Haha

    [​IMG]
     
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  11. surf87

    surf87 MIA

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    I hope I don't get banged over the head too with a frying pan (lol) but Downtown Grand supposedely has good paying keno schedules at the bar tops, if keno can be called a good game. I'm no expert but something along the lines of this 1st pic, BTW this pic was not taken at DG but I think Orleans maybe in 2016. And this was a 1 coin .25 cent regular keno game.
    [​IMG]
    As opposed to something like this 2nd pic.
    [​IMG]
     
    Last edited: Jan 21, 2017
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  12. papadoc

    papadoc Tourist

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    Thanks for the info tominiowa, staying there last weekend in Feb, followed by 4 nights in Harrah's, quite looking forward to it. :drunk:
     
  13. Joe Strummer

    Joe Strummer VIP Whale

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    Thanks, Tom
    I always read your posts.
     
  14. tringlomane

    tringlomane STP Addicted Beer Snob

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    Yeah DTG bumped their bartops up to about the ~95% level (94.92% in the first pic) awhile back. It's a good choice for those that like video keno.

    The other pic, I would rather play slots at that rate (87.68%).
     
  15. blissfulignoramus

    blissfulignoramus 3:2, nothing else will do

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    Sorry, there was nothing wrong with your observations at all -- they are appreciated. I regret that my post sounded like an attack on you, which I did not intend. It's just that your topic was "Downtown Grand is improving" but then most of what you mentioned was qualified with a "but..." Maybe you're right about the improvement but the overall picture you drew for me (and I am guessing your observations are 100% factual) was not one of significant improvement over what it seems like Downtown Grand been for a few years now: a very nice hotel with a good staff, and very weak on the other offerings.
     
  16. tominiowa

    tominiowa High-Roller

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    In the last few years they have improved the VP pay tables, have as good as BJ rules as anywhere DT ($5 tables) , put back the players card station, put the table games back in center of casino, opened the hours back up on table games, 10X odds on craps (nugget last I knew was 3,4,5) and opened up a fine pool. YES, I see these as significant improvements. You still claim these are not significant improvements?

    Re-read my first post and never once said But. Maybe you should re-read it. Yes, your comments were taken by me and others as less than nice.
     
    Last edited: Jan 22, 2017
  17. Nevyn

    Nevyn VIP Whale

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    Thanks for clarifying on the gambling comps. Different people have far different experience and yardsticks as to what qualifies as an "easy" comp. And I have heard reports from members like Royal Flusher of middling offers, and teasers which are unavailable when you phone.

    On the subject of the coffee, its a nice feature (I'd rather just have a maker in the room), but my one comment on that would be that it was a bit odd to cross the street to get it, and it made for some confusion as to whether I was walking to the right place.

    It definitely is good news to hear that the gambling conditions are improving, but really what DTG needs for its rep to improve on here is for something they do right to stay the same (and good) for more than 6 months. Because the biggest complaint there seems to be the constant change as they flail to try new things.
     
  18. tringlomane

    tringlomane STP Addicted Beer Snob

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    The problem is they are also probably desperate at this point. They made a significant investment on a casino that is isolated from where a vast majority of downtown traffic is. If you ask me, they should have never opened in the first place. Personally I like the place, but there isn't much to entice the casual gambler there.
     
  19. tominiowa

    tominiowa High-Roller

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    Confusing thing is that Main Street is isolated and does well. And now El Cortez is full of locals and tourists. I agree they need to just stay the same and quit changing as they have done so many times. They burnt many bridges in early days and it will take time for people to come back. And as stated, cheap rooms maybe what they will be forced to do along with plenty of free rooms. Plaza had many problems when re opened and my last few trips it seems business has picked up a lot with positive changes there made after early mistakes.
     
  20. Nevyn

    Nevyn VIP Whale

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    I think downtown business has been trending up, and that could keep them viable. But the attempt to be upmarket for downtown has been questionable. And as other downtown properties upgrade they could have a tougher time charging a premium. What they really need is to build a loyal following, and that takes consistency and great service.
     
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