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Stations no longer giving out Free Rooms?

Discussion in 'Comps' started by mojojim, Mar 6, 2013.

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  1. mojojim

    mojojim Tourist

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    Looks like for the most part Stations room offers are just reduced rate offers, where in the past they would be comped. My home casino is Red Rock and the April through June is $59/night and thats it. I am also no longer getting Freeplay, Point Multipiers, or the Free Buffet.
    This is the only casino group I know of that decided to just stop giving out free rooms. I put in pretty decent play there, I am at President level. Looks like I need to find a new home.
     
  2. NandJfrmNJ

    NandJfrmNJ VIP Whale

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    We're still getting free rooms but only during the week-no free buffets or point multipliers. I guess they don't want us out-of-towners anymore and that's too bad b/c we love both RR and GVR. I'd like an insiders viewpoint as to what's going on there. We've been going there for years with comped rooms anytime. What's changed???
     
  3. Viva Las Vegas

    Viva Las Vegas Elvis has left the building

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    Thanks for posting. I thought it was my lack of play since my stay in June. I'll only be coming in 1-2 a year, but I had any time I wanted offers at RR and GVR (and anywhere else) with FP and free tournaments for the rest of 2012.

    I logged in last week for the first time this year and all I have are $29 room offers at RR and GVR and nothing else. Wasn't sure if was due to lack of consistent, year round play or just a new strategy by Stations.

    I may try a stay in August for a few nights, hope they become a bit looser down the line, but I am not banking on it.
     
  4. domeboy

    domeboy VIP Whale

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    Would everyone feel better if the room was comped, and you got to pay the resort fee you have been demanding.......Just saying.....
     
  5. captainron62

    captainron62 VIP Whale

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    I was getting offers for two free nights at GVR or RR, those dried up a few months ago. Now I just have Palace Station.
     
  6. mojojim

    mojojim Tourist

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    Who the heck has been demanding a resort fee?
     
  7. Nevyn

    Nevyn VIP Whale

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    New strategy? Possible.

    But just as or more likely its just higher demand. If they can charge higher room rates to the general public than they could last year, then a free room is a "bigger" comp to them even if it feels like the same net value to you.
     
  8. DonD

    DonD VIP Whale

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    When Caesars decided to charge the fee, they claimed that their customers demanded it.
     
  9. amjacob

    amjacob Tourist

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    My offers dried up as well. My home base was RR. The best I could do now is get a couple of nights free through a host and that is at Sunset Station.
     
  10. JDinTN

    JDinTN MIA

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    Its not about higher demand its about struggling balance sheets. It sounds like Station casinos always gave comped rooms in the past even before the recession. Occupancy rates in Vegas are up a little from a couple of years ago but still way below where they used to be. 2012 occupancy rate was 87%, the last time it was less than that before the recession was 1991. Total visitor volume just finally reached its high point it had in 2007 but since than there's been a 20% increase in room count.
     
  11. atom

    atom High-Roller

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    Those must be the same customers that demanded 6/5 blackjack.
     
  12. Kcitsme

    Kcitsme Low-Roller

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    I am among the many tourist who enjoy the Red Rock and am disappointed with the changes to comps and roll over points they have made recently. I find it odd. Although it is a great place, it is way off the strip, so cab fare is extremely expensive. No free shuttles, except for registered guests. Many tourist are not going to take the time to learn bus routes and schedules to go out and see it. While the hotel has bingo, a bowling alley, movies, and a host of restaurants etc. it is not like the strip or downtown, no place to really walk around with the crowds sight seeing. It is more like a cruise ship, a self contained oaisis. Because it is so far off the beaten path, I find it surprising that they would change things. From what I have read here and on other message boards they are going to loose guests because of these changes. Locals don't really need the rooms, except when they want to put their guests in a hotel or they want a mini vacation. Players from low end to Chairman, tourists, have compalined and it appears to have fallen on deaf ears. I don't get it. I would think that the tourists make up the bulk of rooms at the hotel. Did I miss something?
    I too was planning a stay at Red Rock this April but my free room comps dried up as well. I would rather use my $59 plus for gambling. The hotel I choose to stay in is the one where I do most of my gambling. I may visit and gamble in others but as we all know, where you stay is where you play most.
    Times they are a changing!
    This article:
    Station Casinos eliminates many of its highest-paying video poker machines
    http://www.vegasinc.com/news/2013/mar/01/station-casinos-eliminates-many-its-highest-paying/
    and now the cut backs on comps and roll over points
     
  13. Nevyn

    Nevyn VIP Whale

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    Someone will have to explain to me the math on how you fix struggling balance sheets by charging more for rooms you're already allegedly struggling to fill.

    If that approach worked rates would have spiked during the recession instead of cratering.

    As a follow up, explain why, if not giving comps is better for the balance sheet, they were ever giving them at all.

    I'm sure they did, but they haven't stopped giving comps to everybody. At least two posters above have indicated that they are still getting comps, but that their comps have been reduced.

    So comps rooms aren't gone, just tighter.

    Also worth noting that station casinos was reporting a net income of $25 million in the first 3 quarters of 2012.
     
  14. JDinTN

    JDinTN MIA

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    Net income isn't the same as free cash flow -- which is what they need to deleverage their balance sheet. That's what the numbers plainly indicate. They don't indicate it has anything to do with increasing demand when demand is still at historically weak levels. Same for CET charging resort fees -- believe CET's spin that its due to customer demand all you want but the plain reality to anyone who looks at their financials is they need to increase free cash flow to service debt. I'm sure the Red Rock PR people will tell you its all due to strong demand because that's their job as marketers -- the numbers paint a different story.
     
  15. Kcitsme

    Kcitsme Low-Roller

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    Update: I just spoke with the executive casino host at the Red Rock. We talked about some of the Las Vegas message boards and the reaction of the players to the recent changes coming out of Corporate. We, who love to stay and play at the Red Rock, are distressed by the cut backs in free room comps. Many have expressed concerns about Stations changes to the video poker inventory and the cancellation of the roll over points. It would be foolish to think that Corporate would rescind all their new policies but it would be nice to know they have listened and have considered our concerns. He said he would bring all the things that were discussed up at the next meeting and I believe him. As he said, it is his job and that of other hosts, to get the players into the casino. He stated he was aware of the message boards but would also remind management of their existance. This board and others like it are free advertising. The ads can be good or bad. Honest opinions are always helpful.
     
  16. GVR

    GVR Tourist

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    Green Valley Ranch was my home casino when I lived about a mile away from it. We played there ALL the time and after I moved to the Dallas area, GVR was the casino we came back to first.

    MGM started offering better comps and when my GVR host never called back when I was coming for a visit, it was pretty easy to just keep going to Mandalay Bay instead. Would I go back to GVR? Yes, but there's no chance I am going to pay for a room there when I get get free ones for my play at MB, the Cosmo or CP.
     
  17. mojojim

    mojojim Tourist

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    Thanks Kcitsme, let us know if you hear back from your host. Its quite something to go from free rooms at GVR/RR on both weekday and wknd. to a $59 room rate. I would have to put $20,000 through a night just to cover the room with points. I am guessing that they are really ramping up their number of conventions at these properties and hoping that they fill their rooms that way.
     
  18. donovanrs28

    donovanrs28 Low-Roller

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    No deals at all, but wait here's one! April 19 to April 22 in a Deluxe Room for only $2100!!
     

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  19. zeuph1998

    zeuph1998 Tourist

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    I've been staying in free rooms at Station properties for the past five years, with Red Rock as my home casino. Like others have reported, my free rooms are gone, replaced by 59.00 rates at Red Rock and 19.00 rates at Boulder Station. I always stayed the majority of my trips at Station properties, but I guess those days have ended. My last trip I split between Boyd properties and the Silverton and it looks like that is what I will be doing in the future. Why would I pay for a room at Boulder Station when I can stay at any of the Boyd places, the Silverton, M Resort, etc for free? I hope their policy changes, but for now the Stations have lost my business.

    Z
    Former fan of Red Rock
     
  20. Kcitsme

    Kcitsme Low-Roller

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    My host and I discussed the recent changes in Stations policies. We talked about how many of us, on the Vegas message boards, felt. After a friendly dialogue, he was gracious enough to offer me two free room nights at the Red Rock. Since I will be there at the end of April, I was excited to accept his offer. We had a very nice conversation and he said he would bring these concerns up with casino management at his next meeting. I can't say what the outcome will be, but I do hope it will be beneficial to all parties. I enjoy staying and playing at Stations casnios, especially, Red Rock. This was another positive experience for me. I hope when I arrive the machines will be as friendly!
     
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