Cleveland JACK casino??

Anyone have any recent comments? Might be spending some time in immediate vicinity for the next few days and I just thought I'd check in with you degenerates. For reference, I play blackjack, poker, a few carny-style table games and will occasionally have food & drinks.

Or just people-watch.

Obligatory shot of bankroll , in case this turns into a Trip Report:

 

I stopped in about two weeks ago very briefly to get a chip for my collection (we stopped in Cleveland at the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame on the ride back from Syracuse for a bowling tournament).

Interesting set-up, as it looks to be in an old, repurposed department store in the middle of downtown. There is a parking structure attached with (gasp) paid parking, though there are advertisements that with X-amount of play, parking is complementary.

I didn't spend much time there at all so I didn't note the games, but it reminds me of the Golden Gate in downtown Vegas, but with a lot lower volume on the music and without the go-go dealers.

 

You are correct, it is a repurposed Higbee's department store which was also rebranded to Dillard's for a while. The Higbee's store and building was a highlighted in the movie "A Christmas Story" which was shot in Cleveland in the 80's. Locals wanted the building preserved and not torn down.

I haven't been there since it was CET Horseshoe casino so can't provide insight on changes once it became Jack.

 

I live in Columbus and stop there when I'm in town. Poker room on top level with good action every time I have been. Typical BJ rules with 6/5 at lower limits. Parking is free with minimal play.

 

It’s my home casino. I’ve all but stopped going completely. Poker room has decent action but table rules are generally poor and slots/VP are abysmal. The players club is quite possibly the worst I’ve ever come across. If you’re looking to stop in and kill some time it’s fine, but overall anytime I get the itch to go I try to just move some cash over to my Vegas bankroll account.

 

I spent the last 48 hours in Cleveland, and have a few comments about my trip. Which I will get posted in a day or two.

I have a new respect and appreciation for those who do live Trip Reports.

At least 17 times, I'd stop on the street and whack myself in the head, exclaiming, "Hey, I was supposed to take a picture of what I was looking at/eating/playing an hour ago". My dismal picture-taking, soon to be posted, will attest to that.

On the plus side, everyone thought I was a beggar/street performer, so they kept taking off my hat and putting coins in it. I wish I'd known they'd do that before they put the hat back on me though ... all the coins rolled into the nearest sewer grate. Typing with no arms is proving to be a challenge:

 

Mucho thanks to those who responded with a little info about the JACK.

 

My home casino too, although all I really ever play there is poker (on the 3rd/top floor next to the High Roller lounge). The poker room gets some decent action. A buddy of mine is a pit dealer and floor (mostly craps) and has commented that the amount of table play has dropped steeply since switching over to the new brand "Jack".

For the first few years it was open, it was Horseshoe and part of Total Rewards, which was cool because you could play locally then get free rooms in LV. Now that it's Jack, it isn't really affiliated with anything in Vegas, and as someone else pointed out their players club is terrible. For example, if you get an upgraded status (their 4 status levels are J, A, C, and K... creative) you only keep it 6 months til it resets.

Hope you had a good stop in town and had fun playing or people watching... probably could have recommended a couple other places to visit if I would have caught the thread in time.

 

I live in Cleveland and rarely go
To the Jack. Poor VP payoffs
And sorry Blackjack!
Bleh! I would rather save my
Money for Vegas!

And kind of Silly and Stupid
Name is JACK casino?

What does it mean or stand for?

Bah!

At least Horseshoe was cool,
But there was only really one
True Horseshoe, Binions in
Downtown Vegas!

But that died years ago, killed
By family members and greed.

R.I.P Binions Horseshoe

 

I am an Ohio resident, about 70 miles from the casino. It was a good place to lose money when CET ran the operation. Intentions were to use the old department store and build a new casino in the Flats area which never happened. the name JACK is really as dumb. The Racino at Thistledown Racetrack is also called the JACK but is only slots, no table games. The slots at both locations are super tight, which seems to be from what the "cut" the State of Ohio takes.
The 4 casinos in Ohio were created by voters in Ohio whereas the Racinos were created by the state legistures. At one time CET "operated" day to day the downtown Casino and the
Thistledown Racino
Thistledown Racetrack(slots only). The JACK owners got rid of CET management.It appears The state of Ohio Lottery takes a much larger "cut" than what West Virginia takes from its casinos. Ohio slots pay out 88%-89% where as Mountaineer in WV has consistently paid out 91.9%.
I do read the stockholders annual reports.

Bottom line, I never drive up to Cleveland.