Mexicomich,
You want to know why I will not gamble at the Trop anymore? Where do I begin??? Since May 2002, we've been to the Trop 7 times (33 days total). I posted trip reports for every trip but maybe I can summarize some of our 'problems' with the Trop.
First, I should mention that since May 2002, we've been assigned 5 different hosts. The first one was great that first trip but started pissing me off after that. She wouldn't return my phone calls in what I consider a timely manner and said some things that finally were the last straw. She was actually our host for those first four trips to the Trop.
After that fourth trip, I finally decided I needed a new host. I wrote a letter to the President and General Manager of the Trop and requested a new host (by name). I received a letter back from one of their VPs granting my request. The next two trips were with who I will call Host #2. This host was great and I was planning to bring a gift during trip #7, which would have been the third trip with this host. When I called my host (Host #2) to book the trip, I found out he was no longer working there. He was fired. The Trop had assigned me another host (Host #3). Since this host had the same last name as my first host, I wanted a different host. I spoke to a few different people at the Trop about getting a different host and was told I would have to write a letter.
Letter #2 sent to the VP who had responded to my first letter and explained my situation and requested a different host (by name) and a week later I get a phone call from another VP. It seems the VP I sent the letter to and the President and General Manager who I had sent the first letter to had both left the Trop. What the heck was going on? In any case, I was granted my change of host. I now have Host #4. Booked trip #7 with my new host.
My game of choice through trip #7 has been blackjack and my Wife plays only video poker (full pay deuces wild). In the past at the Trop, I've ended our trips where I've had an much as $130 average bet in blackjack for over 8 hours per day and for those 7 trips, I was still averaging roughly $90 average bet for over 8 hours per day. During trip #7, I was run off the blackjack tables and dropped $4,000 after about 8.5 hours of blackjack that trip. So for the rest of the trip, I stuck to video poker. That last trip (#7), my Wife and I played a combined 106+ hours of video poker ($1.25 per hand) over 5 nights plus I managed to get 8.5 hours of blackjack in at an average bet of $75 before dropping that $4 grand. We had been comped full RFB upfront for trip #7 as we were for most of our other trips to the Trop. We still had an overall rating of a '2' at the Trop.
As a side note, I forgot to empty the bottom dresser draw in the room we had during trip #7 so I called VIP services when I landed in Austin. I explained that my host (Host# 4) was leaving for his vacation that day but I was assured that the clothes I left behind would be mailed to me. Nope, never received them.
After this trip #7, Wifey wanted me to take a break from the blackjack tables and stick to deuces wild video poker. I agreed and sent my host (Host# 4) an e-mail explaining that we wanted to come back to the Trop for trip #8 and #9 before the end of 2004 but that I would not be playing any blackjack. Rather, we would both stick to video poker, playing max coin ($1.25 per hand for roughly 500 hands per hour) for up to 24 hours a day (combined play). This host proceeded to explain that we were over comped on our last trip and that if I wasn't going to play my usual blackjack, then we would not be comped anything up front. That really pissed us off. I didn't think putting $15K per day through the video poker machines (for our combined play) was chicken feed but I suppose the Trop felt their 'take' just wasn't worth our business.
Well, that was the final nail in the coffin for us with the Trop. Even though we still had a overall rating of '2' for our past 6 trips, this host wasn't willing to comp us anything up front. We were both pissed and Wifey wasn't real happy with the Trop the last few trips anyway.
The air conditioning and ventilation system at the trop is poor. On every one of those 7 trips to the Trop, by the end of the first day, I was putting up with nose bleeds and Wifey always seemed to get sick probably due in part to all the smoke since their ventilation system was terrible. Add to this the fact that there were only four 'full pay deuces wild' video poker machines in the entire casino, and we needed two of them so we could both play. These machines are old and the buttons stick. Wifey was just ready to move on to a better, nicer casino.
Wifey did the research and we decided to try the
Green Valley Ranch (
GVR) Resort, Casino, and Spa. We were there for 5 nights in August and loved it. We both played only video poker (120 hours combined) over those 5 days/nights and put $75K through the machines. We got three of the nights comped and a reduced rate of the other two and we had to pay for our food but to us, it was worth it. This is a much nicer casino and more much upscale then the Trop and they have lots of full pay video poker machines which is what we were looking for.
BTW, a couple months back, I received a letter from the Trop telling me that our host (Host# 4) has left the Trop and that they have asigned us a new host (Host# 5).
Tomorrow morning, we leave for trip #9 since May, 2002 and the second consecutive trip to
GVR. We plan to make
GVR our new home away from home.
