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Harrah's Council Bluffs

Discussion in 'Non-Vegas Casino Hotels' started by weluvvegas, Feb 21, 2013.

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  1. weluvvegas

    weluvvegas Casino Countess

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    A business trip next week is bringing me to Omaha, NE....and I see a quick visit to Harrah's Council Bluffs in my future. What else is there to do there besides make snow angels in the cornfields....

    Anyone been there? How is it? Is it an Indian casino...I'd really like to play some blackjack but don't want to pay any "tax".
     
  2. dmr

    dmr Registered Abuser

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    I would suggest either Horseshoe or Ameristar, both in the same vicinity as Harrah's.

    Horseshoe is the largest of the three. I go to both Ameristar and Horseshoe semi-regularly.

    Harrah's is smaller and nobody I know goes to it anymore. I do know they have done some re-arranging but I have not been there since.

    The buffet at Ameristar is the best of the three, both for food and atmosphere. The buffet at Horseshoe has great food, but the ambiance is that of a high school cafeteria.
     
  3. tmaas21

    tmaas21 Low-Roller

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    Not an Indian casino, but really no reason to go there. It is a riverboat and thus comes with all the riverboat glitz....lol. Instead - go to Horseshoe. Just across the interstate, and they run a free shuttle.
     
  4. weluvvegas

    weluvvegas Casino Countess

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    Do I get M Life credit for play at Ameristar? I thought I saw something about that somewhere... I have an old Binion's card from downtown Vegas...can I use that at Horseshoe?
     
  5. vegas_or_bust

    vegas_or_bust High-Roller

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    Horseshoe is by far the best of the three. Jack's Binions steakhouse is an excellent restaurant. The Horseshoe is worth checking out IMO
     
  6. saintpauljeff

    saintpauljeff VIP Whale

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    huh? what "tax" do you mean?
     
  7. vegas_or_bust

    vegas_or_bust High-Roller

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    I am assuming that the OP is referencing the "ante" or "tax" that is required on a per-hand basis at some Indian casinos. For example, at some casinos in Oklahoma, you are required to pay an ante each hand at the blackjack table. Its not part of your bet, it simply goes directly to the house.

    There are no antes or "taxes" at the three casinos in Council Bluffs for blackjack.
     
  8. JRSOBX

    JRSOBX Low-Roller

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    I visited the Ameristar there a few years ago. I liked it. The staff was very friendly and I won every hand for the first hour at the roulette wheel. :beer:

    I first attempted to stay at Harrah's but they had no vacancies. I ended up staying at a hotel that was attached to another hotel that was attached to the Ameristar.
     
  9. saintpauljeff

    saintpauljeff VIP Whale

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    wow, never heard of that before, interesting
     
  10. Hogman

    Hogman VIP Whale

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    It is $.50 for bets up to $50 and $1.00 for bets over $50. That is one reason I do got to the one that is 15 minutes from my house..
     
  11. addicted

    addicted High-Roller

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    If you're looking for a place to get a drink or good meal at harrahs head to the 360 steakhouse. Its on the 12th floor of harrahs hotel. The food is great steak dinner starts around $20 (I think you can get a flat iron for 17) an 8oz fillet is about $30 but its damn good. Crab legs are HUGE (they cut the tops off so you can use a fork to get the meat out, lobster is very good and I also recommend a twice baked potato.

    Horseshoe is definitely the better casino.

    Also if you're looking to have a drink don't get it in the casino, they are real sticklers with the liquor. And they have some nonsense rule about only serving you 1 drink per hour. I have heard of people not being let into the casino for appearing to be drunk. Apparently it is against the law to be intoxicated in a casino in Iowa....its the most ass-backwards thing I have ever heard of
     
  12. JRSOBX

    JRSOBX Low-Roller

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    That was a real pain. When I was there, I had been driving across the country. After 12+ hours in the car, that first beer completely evaporated when it hit my tongue. We actually had to walk to the bar and get beer several times in between the cocktail waitress coming around.
     
  13. dmr

    dmr Registered Abuser

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    Huh??????? WTF??????

    I can attest with a history of over 10 years at the CB casinos that there is no such policy! If you sit at the Whiskey Pit bar watching a game or something, they regularly come up "ready for another one?" and such.

    Both Horseshoe and Ameristar have a beer cart out on busy evenings and they sure don't limit you at all!

    Yes, they do have "Visibly intoxicated individuals will be excluded" sign but I know it's seldom enforced. I'm sure they will turn away somebody who is rowdy drunk, but the casinos are as much a drinking establishment as a gaming establishment.

    It may be on the books, but seldom enforced. They would have to throw out 80% of the players if they did enforce it.

    Now that you mention it, at Ameristar one evening I did see them refuse to admit a whole gaggle of 20-something wannabe hipsters, they had all kinds of security there and the guys were dropping f-bombs and such. I don't blame them for not admitting them!

    Now Iowa does have a few Native casinos that are totally dry. If the reservation/settlement is dry, so is the casino, but if liquor is allowed elsewhere on Tribal property, the casino will serve adult beverages.
     
  14. vegas_or_bust

    vegas_or_bust High-Roller

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    FWIW, I have had friends denied entrance on multiple occasions because they were too drunk.

    As long as you get your shit together and act politely when you have your ID checked you will be fine. It's the people that don't even try to act semi-sober that get turned away.
     
  15. jpw711

    jpw711 Is that your cat?

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    Use your TR card, it's owned by Harrahs in Council Bluffs.
     
    No reason to go home yet.
  16. dmr

    dmr Registered Abuser

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    I wonder if it occurs primarily with those who are motioned into the "ID check" line. Those of us who could not pass for under 30 if our lives depended on it are routinely just waved through. All of the casinos do "card hard" for those who look under 30 or so.

    I know that on several occasions our Friday evening after-work session has migrated to either Ameristar or Horseshoe, with everybody having quite a few drinks beforehand, and probably not legal to drive, and nobody I know has been denied admission for being under the influence.
     
  17. dmr

    dmr Registered Abuser

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    Ameristar has their own card system, even though there's some kind of cooperation with MGM. I know that the Las Vegas MGM cards will not work at Ameristar, and even the Ameristar red card from Kansas City will not work in Omaha and vice versa.

    If you reach certain levels (out of reach for micro-rollers) yes, you can get comp stays at the MGM properties in LV with your Ameristar red card.
     
  18. vegas_or_bust

    vegas_or_bust High-Roller

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    I am 30 years old, so each time I go I get carded before even getting into the casino. As you mentioned, the process is a little over the top, as they typically ask you one or two questions based on information in your ID to make sure you aren't using a fake.
     
  19. addicted

    addicted High-Roller

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    Yes I have been there many times as well...I've never actually been denied a drink, I just remember one of the bartenders at one of the casino bars tell me that...Actually if I remember correctly I was trying to get an extra shot to add to my drink and they wouldn't do it...

    The whiskey pit is a little more relaxed, but I still don't like buying mixed drinks there, better off getting a beer...
     
  20. weluvvegas

    weluvvegas Casino Countess

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    Well I went to Horseshoe and used my TR card. Really nice, clean and not smoky. Never saw one CW and when I pressed the drink button on my slot screen....none ever came by. I was confused about that one! I played only $100 and left 2 hours later with $90 of it thinks to a
    Monopoly Party Train bonus round. All in all, a nice place to gamble....nicer than OK but definitely not Vegas!
     
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