Cosmopolitan: Trying to Pull a Fast One?

I recently inquired with a host at Cosmopolitan about coming in and checking it out. I do this on occasion just to see what other casinos will offer me based on my play from MGM.

Every casino I contacted offered at the very least a comped suite, some even throwing in RFB and other incentives.

The response I got from this host was 'I can comp you upfront but all comps will be based on the play...'

HUH? I asked him what exactly he meant by that and he wrote this back: 'I will comp it all up front, but if you don't play or there isn't enough play we would have to charge you...'

Uhhh... that's not comping anything up front. In fact that's not even an offer, more of a slap in the face if you ask me. I can walk into Cosmo and be comped based on my play. I don't know if this host thought he was being sly. Wouldn't a more honest and upfront response be something to the affect of 'I can't do anything up front, but we can review your play at the end of the stay to see what you qualify for.'

Needless to say I won't be giving Cosmo a try.

 

I wouldn't take that as a slap in the face!

They probably hear your story all of the time and have gotten burnt. These Host's are accountable for comps.

I have two examples. We had an aquaintance who went to Bellagio, talked to a Host, had his room comped and had no intention of playing, he's not a gambler but has lots of money, very good talker.

Another aquaintance, she was always booking rooms all over town for her friends and not playing. We were quite close to this Host, went to his daughter's wedding, well he was tracking her and he told us she hadn't even played. He charged her for her room! I know this for a fact because she mentioned it to me but I acted like I was surprised.

 

Obviously people will abuse the system, and casinos have to be vigilant about that. But they might as well put a gambler in a room/suite one time at an attempt at getting him to play. If he doesn't, ok no harm no foul, no more offers for him. The hotel room is a fixed cost. They don't lose anything by comping a room that would have remained vacant anyway.

Like I said, no other casino I contacted responded the way Cosmo did.

All that being said, my real complaint was the attempt at misrepresentation. Using the words 'comping everything up front' when in fact there is no real comp here at all.

 

I don't know how this is "trying to pull a fast one". Do you really think that any casino isn't going to charge you if you tell them you play $2500/hand - and get commensurate upfront comps - and then only play $25/hand?

 

Wow - so if I tell a casino I am a big player, they will just give me a suite upfront?

Cool.

So, with that logic, the casino could have a thousand suites, and still be full with all the big players just calling in.

(all said tongue in cheek)

 

He verified my play, as all hosts who want to help players switch properties do, so He isn't taking my word for it. But that's not really the point.

The point is Cosmo, through this host, attempting to act like they are going out of their way and giving me a comp. Using the words, and I quote, 'comping everything up front' when in fact nothing is actually being comped up front, and in fact nothing is being comped here at all.

As I said above, a more honest approach is just saying we can't do anything for you but after you establish some play we will be happy to take a look.

Don't piss on my leg and tell me it's raining...

 

I know you're being sarcastic, but actually the answer to your question is yes.

If you contact a host at any major casino they will verify your play at competing properties. They will be happy to comp you a suite if they feel your level of play at said competing property warrants it.

 

If your play is what you say just take the "offer" and give it
A shot. Despite what you may have read, they are actually very
Generous once you've establish a playing history. Don't take it
Personally. The hotel is at nearly 100% occupancy every weekend
Putting your suite at around 900/night fri-sat. That's gonna take
Some play, that room will not end up unoccupied as you stated.
If you really want a guaranteed upfront comp ask for weekdays,
I don't think that should be a big deal. Did you try that?

 

I agree with OP. I fully understand you have to play through. But for someone to say 'we'll comp it up front' and then add that if you don't play through, we'll charge you...that's not comping up front. That's evaluating your play at the end of the trip to see if you earned it.

Semantics? Maybe. But to me, comping up front is exactly that...you get your room. If you don't play through, you still get your room...you just might not ever get another one.

I had trips back when I came with a much smaller bankroll and gambled red chip where I got a room up front and didn't play all the way through it, for sure. These were corporate MGM offers back in the day when corporate MGM offers were good. Never got charged.

 

Yes this was for a weekday, not weekend.

 

Very few places will give anyone more than the room upfront anymore unless you're a known whale.

My experience recently has been they'll give you the suite upfront, but first trip, everything else is end of trip based on your actual play - example early this year I switched to Aria after several years at Wynn - opened a $60K LOC and my host was a host that had moved over from Wynn & knew me - she still was only able to guarantee me the 5 nights in the suite [1-bedroom "panoramic" penthouse Sky Suite] upfront - everything else was end of trip - though I actually wound up playing well over what I quoted her, and had several thousand in F&B & spa taken off plus "airfare" reimbursement by end of trip. Next trip a few months later I bumped my LOC to $80K, RFBI was upfront plus again got "airfare" at the end ["airfare" is almost always determined EOT & not upfront nowadays ]. Over the two trips I also accumulated nearly $12K in express comps.

At Palazzo, I had stopped in for a few hours of play in January, got a card from a host, before our May trip to Aria he persuaded me to open a LOC there as well & come over for a day to visit so he could try & sell me on staying there in the future. I totally killed it [won $95K, see my TR for May for the details] & he did a great job of schmoozing me so this trip I'm going out full RFBI upfront - but again, that's after two [non-stay] visits & opening a LOC, playing big for an afternoon & bumping my LOC up to $100K for my trip next month.

 

Exactly! There is no comp offer here, like the host is trying to imply. And I like up front offers because I don't like to feel obligated or forced into playing, or for a certain amount or time.

 

Makes sense to me, sounds like you are trying to pull a fast one.

 

When you inquired, did you also open a LOC or quote the size of FM you would open & not just give them a per hand figure? Most places won't take you seriously unless & until you fill out the credit app - and the first trip, they still need to see that you actually played to your line & didn't just open a big one to get comps upfront & then didn't play anywhere near expectations.

 

Just curious -- How can a host at Cosmo obtain/verify your play, ADT, gain/loss, private records from MGM Mlife?

Fully agree!

 

Yes, I was being sarcastic. And, yes, I know they will do a bit more if they VERIFY your play elsewhere. I did not see in the original post that this took place. Only that "John Doe" called and said I am a big player, take care of me.

 

the people in this thread that think this host is being fair don't know how it works. hosting and playing is a give and take relationship. they throw something at you to get you to stay there and you provide play. you can almost always get at least a suite comped upfront with a good sized CL/FM. and comped upfront means fully comped not we may charge you at the end if you don't play enough. sure they can get burned, but rooms cost very little, so it's a small gesture for them to throw at you to get you to stay there and hopefully play and lose a bunch. F&B is always later unless you have a previous relationship with the host or have played at the property before.

this host is doing nothing for you basically saying he'll evaluate at the end, which you could get anyway without even talking to him.

 

+1
Couldn't have said it better myself.

 

This host is acting like all of the other hosts i have encountered at Cosmo at this point (3 if you ask). The place has their nose in the air when i truth, its bleeding money. They think their shit doesn't stink.

If the host cared and wanted to earn his paycheck, he could have easily called an acquaintence at MGM and verified this guy's play and then made a commiserate offer to get his action. Instead, he didn't do shit, which again, is common for the place. Hosts call each other with these questions all the time.

 

I wonder what their pay structure for hosts is over there. Maybe they're all paid a flat salary & therefore completely de-incentivized? [wouldn't surprise me since they're run by a company with little to no experience in the casino biz].

I'm actually a bit surprised that I always hear such bad things about the hosts there, because the one host who was my host at Wynn for several years before jumping to MGM/Aria and then to Cosmo was a great guy. Although, now that I think about it, he kept in touch & kept trying to get me to go over when he was with MGM, but after moving to Cosmo, he only sent me one card & that was it, no offers & haven't heard from him since.

Personally, I have no desire to stay there - I wasn't at all impressed with what I've seen of the property, I don't think the suites look all that impressive [ooh, balconies :Þ LOL], and other than having a few good restaurants, basically everything else I've heard about the place has been overwhelmingly negative. Makes you wonder what they think they have to be so cocky about...