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Maybe the Grand is getting their act together- a little bit, anyway

Discussion in 'Downtown Hotels' started by Joe, Jul 1, 2014.

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  1. Joe

    Joe VIP Whale

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    I got two offers from them today, (July 1) for 2 nights, $40 in FP & $25 in food credits. The big difference from previous offers is that this one is good for July, August & Sept.

    I also got a second mailer, that they will reimburse me airfare up to $100 in free play. Also July, Aug & Sept. Details sketchy, just says up to $100, but no info in the mailer on how much must be run through machines to get the $100.
     
  2. Funkhouser

    Funkhouser In Charge of the Big Door

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    From what I read, they are getting desperate to drive business into the place. The shuttering of resto's and reduced hours to cut costs is happing dramatically. I guess their vision of the property is not taking off with downtown regulars. Waiting to see if they wise up and improve the gaming odds to get foot traffic. apparently a block off Fremont is a long walk if your gaming return is not great.
     
  3. zamboni

    zamboni VIP Whale

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    Someone said on Five Hundy By Midnights FB page they lost $20 in the place and are now getting comped room offers.
     
  4. Joe

    Joe VIP Whale

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    My total losses after 3 stays is ~$50. I haven't actually stayed there but I did double book it for my brother, twice now. 1, $20 each time in play and a couple of beers.

    Him and his wife really like the place, but they do not gamble there. Bad VP tables, so they go their "home" the Four Queens to gamble.
     
  5. BeeeJay

    BeeeJay President of The Red Lobster Hostess Satisfaction

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    The DTG will be a faint memory in short order as many predicted here....well because to have a nicer than average low-priced hotel in a bad location....you need to ....uh......make some money off the gamblers???
     
  6. Funkhouser

    Funkhouser In Charge of the Big Door

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    Fifth Street gaming management could possibly wake up and improve the situation. However I think its still being run by the guys who believe people are coming to Vegas to spend their money on other things, yeah...but not downtown.

    I have been getting a steady stream of free room mailers, but I don't like the place enough to stay there yet.
     
  7. gradytripp

    gradytripp High-Roller

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    Other than the VP (where the best game I think is 8/6 JoB), what is so bad about the gambling? The blackjack is $5 3/2 (better than much of what's on offer at Four Queens). The slots? I don't play them, precisely because we have no way of knowing what the house edge is, and anyway it's never very good. I didn't pay attention to the carny games or the craps. Maybe I'm missing something. It's a nice, new property with friendly staff and I was happy to walk a block to play there.
     
  8. makikiboy

    makikiboy VIP Whale

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    I visited the place in January and also the beginning of June. The tables and machines weren't busy at all. Craps tables still $10 minimums during the mornings, pit crew still standing around with folded arms. VP machines not as good as the rest of downtown. I did not stop and play there (I'm a craps player, won't play higher than $5 tables downtown).

    The problem is that they need something to bring in the crowd. Even though they are a block away it could be on the moon if they don't bring in the crowd. But then that's part of the problem, IMHO current management was trying to "stripify" the DTG, trying to get the crowd in with something other than gambling (restaurants, pool parties, etc.) that seems to be a major fail, esp when you see the reduced hours at restaurants and other venues.

    They desperately need something to bring in the $$. Maybe having a band that faces the DTG (not facing the FSE) or some activities in that walkway from the FSE to the DTG, they need something to pull in the customers. Yes the DTG is a nice hotel but that isn't enough to bring in the crowd, for downtown usually good gaming helps.
     
  9. gregluvsvegas

    gregluvsvegas Roller

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    Giving away free rooms and a few dollars in FP is not going to woo anyone. If anything, those things are just going to make the inevitable occur faster. They need a gimmick. As an example, The D has several....The Long Bar, Dancing Dealers, Vintage Floor, American Coney, the list goes on....

    Downtown Grand has??? Bueller...Bueller... There is no draw. They need a reason for people to spend time at their property. Better gaming options would be a start. Also, if you want to save money, drop that shuttle that takes your customers AWAY from your venue.

    If I ran the place the first thing I would do is sign on with the Fremont Street Experience group and work with their folks to come up with some promotions to drive some foot traffic down 3rd Street.

    The next thing they need to do is stop marketing to a non-existant demographic. You need to make your property appealing to EVERYONE, not just some narrow gen x, y or z subset.

    I noticed that their newest promotion is giving a Tesla car away. Really? You can't keep your deli open but you can give a car like that away? Something is seriously not right here.

    If they do go under, I won't feel that bad about it. I think they seriously misjudged the downtown clientèle and did not react to their errors quickly enough to right a sinking ship.
     
  10. 44inarow

    44inarow VIP Whale

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    $10 craps downtown (other than maybe the Golden Nugget) is ridiculous. Hell, you can find $10 craps during the day pretty much anywhere on the strip, including Bellagio and Aria.
     
  11. Big Tip

    Big Tip VIP Whale

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    The one thing they have is gambling out on the street. Black jack tables and Street Craps. Or so I just read in an article for the first time a couple of days ago. That's a start. Anything to make yourself different from the other casinos.
    It does not look good for them though.
     
  12. fossefritz

    fossefritz Low-Roller

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    That really sounds like a plan


    Guess will give the homeless people some entertainment

    Visited over my Bday in May will never go back no vibe no fun feeling
     
  13. Royal Flusher

    Royal Flusher Savvy Gambler

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    The bad gambling part was the VP.
     
  14. topcard

    topcard Here's to $10 3:2 two-deck, $5 Craps, and $5 UTH!

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    I'll go in again on my upcoming trip, but if the blackjack is all shoes, I won't stay around long. Every casino downtown offers two-deck BJ...except Binion's & DTG (last time I was there).
    I will play a shoe, but only if it offers DAS & LS....RSA is an extra incentive.
    Oh, and $10 craps? Really? Sure, on Friday & Saturday nights you can do that, but not 24/7.
    Make $5 2-deck blackjack available 24/7 as well as $5 min craps, and they'd see more traffic.

    Oh, and making the casino entrance noticable & bright & loud & open might help too.
    Just sayin'...
     
    Annual Spring Trip!
  15. zamboni

    zamboni VIP Whale

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    I think they shut those tables down. This was on five hundy by midnights FB page:

    BYE BYE Outside BJ

    [​IMG]
     
  16. Funkhouser

    Funkhouser In Charge of the Big Door

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  17. MGinCO

    MGinCO VIP Whale

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    I've been getting all kinds of 2-day offers from DTG, in cluding tourneys.
    However, with their bad pay tables, I'm better off at MSS.
     
  18. makikiboy

    makikiboy VIP Whale

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    I totally agree with you. That's why I didn't even bother to play there. Too bad, nice hotel, bad management decisions. But it seems they are sticking to their guns so it's doubtful that I will play there.
     
  19. Electroguy563

    Electroguy563 Vegas Joker

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    Not sure what demographic group the DTG was targeting, but they should have opened up with competitive VP pay tables, Blackjack games, craps, all with 5 dollar minimums.

    Downtown is changing, but gambling is still the fuel that runs the engine. And the majority of patrons there are experienced and serious gamblers (albeit mostly low rollers). I'm not a business expert, but when all the casinos downtown offer favorable VP and table games, nobody is going to visit a casino that offers higher minimums and bad odds.

    It seems like the DTG is trying to lure the younger club and lounge type of patrons, which is fine. Keep tweaking the club and lounge attractions and the gambling foundation built on favorable odds and pay tables will take care of itself.
     
  20. merlin

    merlin MIA

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    They really think they can tweak their way to success, instead of just offering what they already know people want, isn't that crazy? One would think they would learn from the failures of the Plaza and gold spike.
     
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