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Great Blue Heron took comps away

Discussion in 'Non-Vegas Casino Hotels' started by may24, Feb 26, 2019.

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  1. may24

    may24 Low-Roller

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    i have been going to Great Blue Heron casino in Port Perry Ontario for years. I use the players card and play roulette at about $500 per spin. There is no hotel on site so basically any comps are for the resteraunt.
    I only go there about once a month, I was there a few months ago and got a cheap meal for about $25 and asked at the desk how much I had in comps and they told me about $250. The next time I go is about a month and a half later, I decide I want to eat before I start playing and go to the players desk and ask for a $25 meal voucher to which I'm told, you don't have anything available. They changed over to a new players card program and everyone went to zero. I complained And askEd to speak with someone. An executive host came out and basically told me they don't care about my $500 a spin play but if I were a premium player we would be having this conversation in the managers office. I fligured I wasn't going to get my $250 in comps back... If I had known I would have used them all up beforehand. So i said that's fine just give me a meal now and I'll build enough comps up quick enough. I was told no comp for me. I emailed the casino with my complaint to which they offered a $50 match play.The next time I showed up, the players desk had about a half hour wait. I'm not standing in line for a half hour for a $50 match play. So then I go over to the table and buy in for $600, pit boss asks if I have a players card, I said no I don't have the new one yet but offered him my drivers license to which he replied no they can't take that, you need to go to the desk to get a players card. During a break in my play I notice no line up at the desk so walk over and the woman tells me, oh I can't give out new cards here you have to walk over to the old casino and go to that desk.... I begrudgingly Walk over but notice that line is about a half hour wait... No thanks. So go back over and continue playing at about $500 per spin... Not rated no comps, plus lost my previous comps. The change over in management at Great Blue Heron has made the customer service experience atrocious.
    Anyone else go to this casino and notice the downturn in customer service there?
    Anyone ever experience something similar at your home casino?
    In Vegas $500 a spin at roulette for 4 hours each day would have you full room comped and all Im asking for is a f*!$ing BLT and fries....
    So frustrating because I really used to enjoy that casino but I think I'm done with it.
     
    • Wow! Wow! x 2
  2. vegasdev

    vegasdev VIP Whale

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    it happens a lot with casino M&A's.
    I lost all of my built up free play at my local when they changed hands.
    I used to go 1 or 2 times a month. since the change, I have been 1 time in 5 months. good for me I suppose in the long run.
     
  3. may24

    may24 Low-Roller

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    I didn't even mind losing the $250 I had built up as I'm only getting a $25 meal each time I go and at the level I play I earn at least $25 in comps each time if not more. It was just off putting that they wouldn't give me one meal even after seeing $500 a spin, they wouldn't rate me by just taking my drivers license.. Just an overall lack of customer service.
    And when's it's been my favorite casino for 20 years it's sad that it's all gone now.
     
  4. nostresshere

    nostresshere Mr. Anti Debit Card

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    Play one less spin and buy all the meals you want.

    They apparently are not on the same page as you.
     
  5. may24

    may24 Low-Roller

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    Or I just find a different casino that gives a better customer service experience.
    I don't chase comps and could care less about the $25.
    Your right they are not on the same page, I'm going to have to go elsewhere, but as I said it's sad to have to go after 20 years.
    I was just posting to ask if taking comps away is normal practice and if people have experienced such a downturn in customer service at a casino when new management takes over.
     
    • Agree Agree x 1
  6. Kisby

    Kisby High-Roller

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    $500 per spin on roulette. Not the best gambling odds. They must figure you can afford to buy your own meals!
     
  7. Film-Noir

    Film-Noir High-Roller

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    This happens all of the time with mergers, in the casino industry.
    To be frank -Your a blank slate, no card no comps.

    Also 2nd thing, don't let comps sit, grab a bottle of wine at restaurant,
    or something from the gift shop, comps are not a savings account, that grow with interest.
     
  8. may24

    may24 Low-Roller

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    Obviously lesson learned. Smoke em if you got em....
    In hindsight I was stupid. A few months ago I asked a pit boss for a meal, they said sure no problem how much do you want Like $30? and I actually said no $20 should be enough.
     
  9. NotFromConcentrate

    NotFromConcentrate It’s a Cassowary :)

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    What clowns. I'm sorry you had to go through this. If they wiped out everyone's balance, that could well be grounds for a class action lawsuit.
     
    [TENTATIVE Late Jul/Early Aug] Vegas by way of Chicago/Elko/Reno!
  10. may24

    may24 Low-Roller

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    I was told they wiped out everyone's comp balance except for Platinum level players.
    I'm not sure about comp points but I know ther have been lawsuits surrounding some rewards programs when they wiped out balances. It seems to me that it's just bad form all around.
    I found it weird that to make it up to me they gave me a $50 match play... I hate match plays... How does that make anything up to me? I put the $50 match play on red and it comes up black, I'm back exactly where is started. With nothing. I would have thought they would have gave me a free meal since that's what I was complaining about to begin with.
     
  11. NotFromConcentrate

    NotFromConcentrate It’s a Cassowary :)

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    That, right there, would have me going in guns blazing.

    Ontario got new laws for protecting loyalty program members at the beginning of 2018. This included the fact that points cannot expire based on time alone, unless they outright close accounts on a basis of account inactivity and provide for this in the membership agreement. I actually think you could argue that what they did counted as making the points "expire"... since they were sitting in your account unredeemed, and then ceased to exist on a basis of time. That is, you didn't redeem them before the merger... that's time. And they can't argue it wasn't possible, because the comp balance of some players DID get transitioned. I am not a lawyer, but I think you can see why it's very likely what they did is illegal.

    I'd show them this, and politely ask that they give you your comp balance back... and seriously consider suing them if they refuse. https://www.ontario.ca/page/reward-points
     
    [TENTATIVE Late Jul/Early Aug] Vegas by way of Chicago/Elko/Reno!
  12. Maybee86

    Maybee86 Tourist

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    Not sure where your from, but Rama isn’t far... we’ve never liked blue heron.
     
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  13. sinnerman

    sinnerman VIP Whale

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    Wow, this is truly poor customer service. Most casinos, including AC and Vegas would definitely consider a $500 a spin roulette player to be valuable player.That is between $500 to $1000 in theo per hour, depending on if it is a single or double zero wheel. I am amazed they treated you so poorly @may24, especially considering all you were asking for was a free meal. You would think that the new management would want to cement the loyalty of older players, not drive them away like this. I say let your legs do the talking and find a different local or save up your $$$ for more Vegas visits.

    I have always made it a point to use up all my Rewards points on every visit with every casino, just in case something like this happens.
     
  14. may24

    may24 Low-Roller

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    I agree. After 20 years Great Blue Heron has lost my business. They can take their $50 match play coupon they provided me as "good will" and shove it.
    The problem with going to another casino is they might all be run by the same company. I'll have to do some research to make sure im not going to a different casino but supporting the same company.
    Rama is further but might start going there. At my level of play at least my comps would get me free hotel rooms and concert tickets instead of a cheap meal now and then.
     
  15. Maybee86

    Maybee86 Tourist

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    @may24 casino Rama was recently bought by Gateway I think so a few things changed. I am able to make platinum up there and am not playing the stakes you are. There’s a lounge with decent food for platinum members, and events and parties sometimes. Every month there’s a mailer for free show tickets free play rooms etc. Downside to Rama is the drive up there in winter months can be terrible. And of course weekend traffic on hwy 400 during summer months is brutal
     
  16. Glenn357M

    Glenn357M High-Roller

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    I would not go there anymore
     
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  17. may24

    may24 Low-Roller

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    Yes I used to go to Rama about 20 years ago and was Platinum. The lounge with the free food and drink was a nice quiet place to get away to if you wanted to relax from gambling.
    Now that i'm thinking about it, i've lost out on a ton of great hotel rooms, concerts, food etc by not going to Rama. The wife would appreciate a nice hotel room and concert getaway.
    I've probably lost thousands in comps over the years by going to Blue Heron instead of Rama.
     
  18. Mitkraft

    Mitkraft VIP Whale

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    Good grief, if a casino will piss on a $500/spin roulette player then there is no hope for me!
     
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  19. casky

    casky Tourist

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    If you play 500 a spin why did you only buy in for 600? That is only one spin. I would think your buy in would be closer to 3-4 thousand.
     
  20. may24

    may24 Low-Roller

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    Because I spread so much on the table I will hit at least something as opposed to nothing. If I hit nothing I buy back in, it takes about 20 seconds. But that's besides the point of this post.
     
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