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Changes that would you suggest to downtown casino bosses?

Discussion in 'Downtown Hotels' started by surf87, Aug 18, 2016.

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  1. surf87

    surf87 MIA

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    After reading the Cal's bed linen changes suggestion in another thread, I thought about starting another thread about what changes to other downtown casino that others might suggest to casino bosses (if they would listen)?

    I would suggest to MSS that the 2nd floor used for the antiques display isn't generating any revenue and to maybe shove the antiques into a small corner of that area, rope it off as a small display and utilize the remaining 2nd floor as a high limit gaming area. Or even turning the 2nd floor into a banquet hall of some sort. However, I don't think keeping the 2nd floor antiques as it is and charging a fee would do any good. Not a lot of people in my opinion would pay a fee to see those antiques on the 2nd floor.

    Another suggestion would be to keep the buffets open 24 hours. I don't know of any place that does this currently. Gold Strike in Jean, NV, used to have a 24 hour buffet but closed it about a year ago. They were the only one that I know of that did this.
     
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  2. mwig

    mwig VIP Whale

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    Not really a suggestion for a specific casino but.... I would get rid of the ridiculous First Friday that happens downtown. No one wants their entry and exit to casinos blocked off and the scene on Fremont is identical to every other night. I will actively avoid that weekend after my last experience.
     
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  3. TomTWI

    TomTWI Custom Title

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    Not enough people would use a late night buffet. Food would get old or wasted. Better idea IMHO would be more 24hr snack bars. Unfortunately that is not the way it's going.

    My suggestion would be to increase free parking/valet where ever possible. I don't want a strip experience when downtown

    TomTWI
     
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  4. Electroguy563

    Electroguy563 Vegas Joker

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    I like the idea of a 24 hr, buffet but the 24 hr. snack bars are a better choice. Would love more of those.

    Another suggestion to those bosses would be don't try to be like the Strip. And niche market the gambling theme. The Strip is not gambling friendly as far as favorable odds and pay tables.
     
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  5. leo21

    leo21 VIP Whale

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    *Be unique. Don't do a free slot pull if most of the rest are doing the same. Find another way to get people in. Pick a game that you are going to offer the best experience over every other casino. I don't mean just the rules but the best dealers and playing environment.

    *Own being old Vegas. One thing about downtown is it's nice to know most of those places aren't going anywhere.

    *Don't be afraid of coupons or play x dollars, get free promos to get people in.

    * Do not chase the trendy restaurant scene. The quality places that offer traditional fare at good prices get love from the trendsetters too.
     
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  6. TFK

    TFK High-Roller

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    Other then not having the typical nickel and dime crap like resort fees and 6\5 blackjack, I'd like to see a really nice sports bar\restaurant with betting windows.


    TFK
     
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  7. TAPPER

    TAPPER Low-Roller

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    MSS/Fremont - remove all those slatted wood blinds and replace with heavy curtains that overlap that actually block out sunlight and probably provide some sound deafening to boot.

    MSS - put the hefe on tap at the Boar's Head bar. God bless (and well tipped are) the bartenders willing to go grab me some from Triple 7, but sometimes they are just too busy. Agree with the original poster that the upstairs space seems to be wasted.

    Fremont - I just can't take all the neon purple and pink in your casino. I suppose others love it, but I can't take more than an hour of it. What exactly is your theme? My Pretty Pony on Paradise Island?

    4 Queens - offer something for 4 of a kind Queens at VP. Scratch card, bonus points, monthly drawing....something. A bathroom near Chicago Brewing bar would be nice too.

    4 Queens - Offer more Chicago Brewing selections on the floor. They have some great staples in the Chicago bar that I can't get on the floor.

    4 Queens/Binions - bring back the NFL game day promo you had a couple years ago - Spend up to $50 at Chicago Brewing/Benny's Bar and get it back in free play. I loved spending hours watching football, eating, and drinking and then heading to the VP machines to try to win back my meal. I played some parlay cards I otherwise wouldn't have played at your properties because of the promo.

    Plaza - I enjoy the live music, it actually draws me in some times, but I would still like to be able to talk to the person next to me, bartender, dealer, etc. Some bands do it right, some make my ears bleed. Find the right level and hold everyone to it. I've left and gambled elsewhere because some of the bands are deafening.

    Golden Gate - boy do I miss the 99 cent shrimp cocktail. I do like what you've done with the place though.

    Agree with the above post about the trendy restaurant scene. I sure miss the joints downtown where you could get $3 steak and eggs, late night specials, etc. Simple restaurants that whipped up basic grub at a great price. I don't need an experience every time I dine, sometimes I just want eggs and toast, burger & fries, etc.

    Everybody (and not just downtown):

    - Free Wi-Fi (if my local "Roach Motel" can do it, why can't you? Or find a way to comp it)

    - Phone charging stations at the machines.

    - More Full Pay VP, particularly bar tops.

    - More low limit craps

    - Non-smoking table games. I understand there will be smoke in a casino. I just don't like the one guy's cigar wafting directly into my eye while I try to determine what the dealer's up card is.

    - Remove all 6:5 BJ

    - More employees at slot club desk. You all want us to join your slot club, yet you make us wait in lines 15 people deep with one employee. And why does it take 15 minutes to redeem a coupon? I fill out more forms to get $5 free play than to buy firearms.

    - More casino hosts at the slot club desk (or some other "host spot") - it's lunch time and I want my $6 buffet......where the hell are the hosts? Let me guess, eating lunch? Maybe that means more "mid-tier" hosts so your "whale" hosts can give whales attention. Plus that one slot club desk employee is making 15 people wait for you to call the desk to give approval on my $5 free play coupon. You know what would be even better? Some kind of kiosk where I can swipe my card and just print the buffet coupon once I've hit the magical slot point number. Now you don't have to hire more hosts, saving you money! Or maybe just move everything to pay with points and be done.

    - Train your slot club desk employees on every coupon your casino has approved. I can't tell you how many times I show the "boothling" a coupon and they stare blankly at me and inspect the thing for 10 minutes, checking if I've created a counterfeit "free pair of dice" coupon, calling in the casino host, calling upper management, etc. Here's an idea, put a copy of EVERY coupon you offer on a board so your employees can quickly compare and realize that the coupon is indeed valid.

    - Less perfumey chemicals pumped into your casino. Just clean the place instead of covering the stench with gagging, eye burning levels of "moonlit spring lavender meadows eve".

    - Replace bad screens - look, I get it, you want to get every last nickel out of your investment in a machine. I'd like to get every last minute out of my eye sight, and your wavy, monochrome, flickering, off center display is sending me to another casino.
     
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  8. reen1962

    reen1962 Low-Roller

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    The Plaza - the last time we were there the "party pit" was in a dinky room right when you enter the casino. Nothing really "party" about it. Needs some jazzing up.
     
    It's Been Too Long 'Ol Friend! :-)
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  9. yooperguy

    yooperguy Low-Roller

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    Someone needs to open a "Plastered Cafe" to replace Mermaids drunk dive for late-night, three sheets to the wind, cheesey, greasy, gooey eats.
     
  10. squidward

    squidward Probationary Member

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    Offer a discount for "no sheets"... we can bring our own sleeping bags... or just use the bath towels... oh wait... my rooms are always comped... forget that! How about real Egyptian Coffee served at the bar... but not Canadian Coffee... Yuck?
     
  11. surf87

    surf87 MIA

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    The hotels and casinos should install metal detectors at all entrances just like how they do at the airports. God forbid they have a shoot-out in a casino.
     
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  12. bull1029

    bull1029 Mr. Vegas

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    Clear out (or lessen) the hobos, bums, street urchins, and buskers. Ten years ago, even five, there weren't nearly as many.

    Some said, MSS should make the hefenweizen available at the bar.

    Four Queens, how about some comp love back? Used to be great, now not so much.
     
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  13. surf87

    surf87 MIA

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    The Cal's main casino cashier cage and other open cage cashiers should install those thick plexiglass partitions just like the banks have.
     
  14. Droyus

    Droyus Low-Roller

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    Everything on my list would make the casino's bean counters lose their minds, so they'll never happen since downtown casinos don't care about providing a good "classic Las Vegas" experience anymore - only the bottom line matters.

    Bring back $5 pai gow. I've seen it at Binion's during weekdays, but that's about it. Casinos completely underestimate the increased traffic they'd get with just one $5 pai gow table.

    Eliminate 6:5 BJ and continuous shufflers.

    $2-$3 BJ tables. The traffic for those tables would be HUGE.

    More bartop full pay VP and video BJ with insurance/surrender/DD/split/DDAS and my favorite, Let It Ride (double your previous winning bet even if it exceeds the machine limit).

    A heavily advertised single zero $5 roulette table would be packed.

    Get rid of old machines with worn-out touchscreens and install modern machines.

    More bubble craps machines!!
     
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  15. shokhead

    shokhead No big spender unless eating drinking having fun!

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    Remodel and update.
     
  16. Royal Flusher

    Royal Flusher Savvy Gambler

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    I saw that.
     
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  17. TJC

    TJC VIP Whale

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    I don't visit to gawk at cheap facades, order food I can't pronounce, or to act like I'm rich. I come to gamble and I come to try to stay, eat, and drink for free. It's the only vacation I can take that gives me a slight chance to come home with more money than I left with.

    Crappy table rules, VP tables, and slots piss me off. They're all games with a house edge (yeah, OK, there are some 100%+ tables w perfect play) so 6:5 blackjack and 8/5 JOB are insulting.

    Fair gambling rules, good VP paytables, decent vittles with decent prices, free parking, clean hotels, and comps that are appropriate for my play will keep me coming to downtown Vegas forever.
     
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  18. xothan

    xothan Low-Roller

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    Definitely remove 6:5 BJ... I'm shocked so many continue to play it everywhere!
     
  19. Wedgefromhere

    Wedgefromhere Low-Roller

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    I somewhat agree with this and have a little different angle. I wish the Plaza would take advantage of football season and move it closer to the sports book. There's not one place downtown that has a good vibe for football and we're forced to go to the strip instead.

    My suggestion is to move the party pit near the sports book (or even a few BJ tables to the sports book) and open up earlier on weekends. Between the party pit, sports book, VP, and sports bar, it would be heads-and-shoulders the best place to spend Saturdays and Sundays downtown during football season and bring in a much larger crowd than they or anyone else currently does.
     
    Last edited: Aug 20, 2016
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  20. jwkick

    jwkick Low-Roller

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    I would also like a bigger and nicer sports book. I wish they would put one in the "las vegas club" when they decide to remodel it. It would be a perfect location.
     
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