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binions casino locked down January 11, 2004

Discussion in 'Misc. Vegas Chat' started by FullPay, Oct 27, 2016.

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  1. FullPay

    FullPay When the going gets weird, the weird turn pro

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    I was talking to my father about a Benny Binion's biography movie he watched and recalled this incident. My brothers and I were walking through the casino when a bunch of uniformed officers started appearing at the doors. As we went to exit someone asked us if we had any gaming chips. We said no and were allowed to leave. They then police taped the casino and I assumed they collected and paid all casino chips before they seized the cage to pay outstanding debts. I knew at the time that this was a one of a kind moment in my casino experience. Anybody else have a memory of that day?
     
  2. northerngirl

    northerngirl High-Roller

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    BInion's was my "home away from home" starting around 1990. I loved the history of Benny (in fact, we had a dog that we named Benny Binion). During our yearly stays, my sister and I witnessed firsthand the slow demise of this Vegas icon. Once the ownership went from Jack to Becky, things went downhill so quickly. I remember talking to dealers how they would go to the doctor only to find out that they didn't have health insurance. Becky was financially going downhill fast and wasn't paying employees premiums. Right after that time....to try to appease staff, each dealer was allowed to keep their own tips. I remember cab drivers talking about how when Benny and Jack were in charge they all got a really nice turkey for the holiday season. It was good PR as when a customer asked where a good card game was....they always said go to Binions as they will take care of you. I was told when Becky took over, they were lucky to get a Cornish game hen.

    I was in Vegas about a week after the lock down. It was so sad to see yellow tape all around my "home away from home". I had heard that the reason for the lockdown is that the casino didn't have enough funds put aside to pay off any huge casino wins. I am sure Benny was turning over in his grave.

    I am always thankful of the many awesome memories and folks I met at this iconic casino. They had the best card games in town and treated low rollers like royalty.
     
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  3. FullPay

    FullPay When the going gets weird, the weird turn pro

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    Awful when it happens to your home casino. We got established at Lady Luck around 2001 and were devastated when she closed. Most of the staff knew us by name and had worked there fifteen years or more.
    We stood in the back of Binion's a few years before and actually watched the first rounds of the World Series of Poker before it became the televised grand event. Last three times I've walked through there it's just a big carpeted area with a cheesy gift shop. So sad.
     
  4. 93 Octane

    93 Octane Chief Bottle Washer

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    They need to clean up the sportsbook badly, stinky bums take a lot of the seats and vulgarities are literally screamed after most plays. Place is now a dump and it's damned sad as no one in management cares, I'm done with Binions
     
  5. C0usineddie

    C0usineddie VIP Whale

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    I love Binions. Stayed there right before the closed the hotel. i like their selection of machines and i also like to use vulgarities while playing!!
     
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  6. Breeze147

    Breeze147 Button Man

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    It is what it is. I would play at Binion's any day over the pretentious Cosmo or Wynn.
     
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  7. Hogman

    Hogman VIP Whale

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    If my memory is correct, we were in the Horseshoe the night that they closed it down. But we were in before it was closed down and we saw it on the local news in the morning.
     
  8. Joe Strummer

    Joe Strummer VIP Whale

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    I can remember on one of my first trips - hoppin'
    into a cab at 3 am - and I told the cabbie -
    " Take me to a hot crap game ! "
    He took me to Binion's.
    *
    Binion's late night steak + egg special.
    Eating in the downstairs restaurant at 4 am - and watching all the drunk vacationers.
    One young guy had a 3 cornered pirate hat on,
    Kid was drunk......and talking aloud to his friends + waitress..........not annoyingly....but.....
    He tipped back on his chair......and WHAM !!!!.........fell over backwards !!
    His friends were roaring with laughter....and so was I.
    *
    Some hooker + street urchin were mouth to mouth at the Binion bar -
    another 4 am story ---
    the bartenders ( and myself ) were completely disgusted -
    the bartenders started chanting "Piece of pizza ! Piece of pizza !"
    I have NO IDEA ? what that meant ?.......but we were LAUGHIN' OUR ASSES OFF !
    and disgusted at the same time.
     
  9. crapsguy5000

    crapsguy5000 Low-Roller

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    Binons is still one of my favourite places to play Craps.
     
  10. marcianofan

    marcianofan High-Roller

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    Can't remember the year, but I was playing BJ one afternoon when over the loudspeaker came an announcement that Michael Jackson was acquitted in his child molestation case and they played his song Beat It , it was pretty funny. I didn't get to Binions till the mid 90's but it was great for awhile, then it just slowly went to hell. I only walk thru it now just to look at the dealers in their cowboy outfits, the blackjack is terrible there, 6/5 at most tables and the higher limit tables rules suck also....
     
  11. nhanna45

    nhanna45 Low-Roller

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    I never knew Binions until 2014 and I feel sad I never got to see it in its glory. The empty space with the cheapo depot Vegas merch is a real eye sore. They need to put a restaurant or something there. Also a place that can't afford to repair their own hotel so guests can stay there is a warning sign. The casino could use new carpet and a cleaner look. Idk about the gambling but the appearance has kind of scared me off and I am not known to be hard to please. I also cannot understand why the players card is black and not coordinated with Binion's color scheme at all. What does the future hold for this place? Are they really making that much money with gambling? The 4 Queens doesn't look to bad to me, not sure why TLC is letting Binions rot.
     
  12. vegasdev

    vegasdev VIP Whale

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    it is now a shell of it's former self. a lot of wide open empty space and or space filled with crap.
     
  13. elaine.mcgrew

    elaine.mcgrew Low-Roller

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    Loved Binions in the old days before Becky Binion took over 100 x odds at craps, 60 single deck blackjack that paid 3-2 for BJ from $2 tables up. Good times, used to be my luckiest place to play. And VP used to be playable and if you weren't gambling, drinks were $1. Oh the good old days, Benny, Jack, you should never have handed over the reins to a sister with a horrible husband
     
  14. Mrs. K.

    Mrs. K. Low-Roller

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    Binions makes me sad. I wish I had known it in better times.
     
  15. jrinct1

    jrinct1 VIP Whale

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    Agree with all the above posters. Used to love that place( esp. for craps).. Once the sister got she ran it into the ground
     
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