I fell off of Golden Gate's Radar....

[WHITEJACKET73]

I need some help from you guys to resolve my dilemma. I have been playing (low roller) and receiving the basic 3 nights free room offers from the Gate for the past couple of years. I come to Vegas at least four times a year and have always played/stayed at the Gate during part my trips. As of the beginning of this year, my offers suddenly ceased even though my amount of play has remained the same. I talked to the people at the players club desk, two pit bosses and someone in marketing during my January trip and could not get an answer as to why I wasn't getting any offers...They said that they would look into it. Nothing. I talked to the head of their marketing department in March and he said he would get back to me. A couple of days later he phoned me and said that he had everything straightened out... spring and summer came and went and no offers were forthcoming. I again talked to someone at the players club desk in September and lo and behold I received a e-mail offer in October for a downgraded BOGO room offer for November and December...wtf? I checked their new website at the beginning of the month and there was not any offers posted for January on my account. I talked to two people at the players club during my trip last week....they said that they would definitely talk to marketing about my problem.....so far.....crickets. During this recent trip I played three sessions of blackjack, lasting 3 to 4 hours each session, betting $10 a hand, and frequently made bets for the dealer. Every session I bought in for $200. The 1st session I re-bought for an additional $200 and the 2nd session re-bought for $100. Not high stakes by any means, but this amount of play has always been enough for their basic room comp offers. I know several other people who gamble less frequently, for less money at the Gate and they receive offers from them on a regular basis.

At this point I am at a loss as to why I have fallen into a virtual "black hole" at the Gate. I have another Vegas trip planned for the end of January; maybe I will e-mail the guy from marketing (he gave me his card) and make another attempt. All I want to know at this point, is the reason why my offers have stopped, and what does the people at the Gate expect as far as a level of play for my offers to resume. Any suggestions/comments on this matter would be appreciated. The CET properties give me amble free room offers all the time, but I would like to have a place to stay downtown now and then. I could stay at other DT properties, but I like staying at the Golden Gate; I know a couple of the dealers and bartenders, one of the pit boss was from my hometown(he retired earlier this year), and the crew at the craps tables are always fun.

 

[Golfer]

Call them and basicallly tell them you want to stay from X to X, can you cmp my rooms for these days. If they say no, spell out your average gambling, and tell them you'll find a place that vaues your play.

 

[eaglejohn]

10 hours of $10 BJ, won't get much. Looks to me you were over comped and it has caught up to you. 10 hours at $10 X 60 hands per hour is $6000 over stay. BJ gets on average, depending where playing about 1% ADT. So $60 . 30-35% back is around $20 comp value. About enough for 1 night at GG at most. If it was on slots it would be around $200 and plenty for decent comps.

 

[Jejas]

Agree with the above.
Casinos routinely drop the "unprofitable" players.

 

[bubbakitty]

Yes. I would bounce this idea off the pit critter from your hometown. It seems probable with the number of times no one got back to you with information.

 

[makikiboy]

I would recommend calling a host to see if he feels that your play warrants comps or what kind of comps you can get based on your "low roller" play.

But the problem nowadays is that they are more in tune with your gambling habits and aren't as likely to send you offers unless you play enough to qualify for comps. And yes they are getting tighter with comps, more because they aren't as lenient and generous in giving out comps unless you are playing enough to warrant them.

Not sure about the GG but at other downtown casinos the pit bosses tell me that you need to gamble at least $25 a hand over a 3 to 4 hour period to even qualify for a comp meal. Great that you are tipping the dealer but that doesn't count that much to the pit boss or the suits up on top, it's how much you gamble. Same thing with buy in, it isn't how much you buy in with but how much you are gambling. I hate to say but even for downtown $10 bets barely gets you much more than a comp meal. That's why I don't even bother about comps anymore. You have been lucky to get comped nights with your $10 play but guess the business people are starting to realize that your play doesn't qualify for room offers.

 

[merlin]

Do you flat bet $10 every hand, or is that the min and you avg more?

 

[WHITEJACKET73]

I realize that my $10 flat bets are small potatoes, but I know several people who bet $5 a hand, play shorter sessions, less frequently and still are receiving and staying on the comped room offers. I also play craps regularly at the Gate; $5-10 on the pass line, double odds, place bets on the inside numbers and bet $5 on the hardways if I am a little ahead. I play quarter level VP at the bar and routinely run $60-100 through the machine. You're saying that I might/probably have been over comped...that very well may be, but why can't they just tell me that instead of ignoring me? I can't agree that I am an unprofitable player from the casino's perspective; I dropped at least $700 there this past trip and the only winning trip at the Gate this year was in September and I might have won a couple hundred. The rest of the trips: Jan, March and May--I lost $300-500 each time. I am requesting a win/loss statement from them for last year and this year; maybe I can use those figures when I talk to them again next month. Again, if it is a matter of being over-comped...fine, I get it...just tell me so. Harrahs gave me 5 free nights for my upcoming trip in January; they gave me 4 comped nights earlier this month and 5 comped nights in September. I always have a standing offer from Gold Coast for two free nights, so it's not as if I lack comped room offers. I appreciate everyone's insight and I'll keep you posted if I can wrangle and answer from the Gate people one way or the other.

 

[Cubs]

I was just looking at the casino mailers I got this year in my stack and I noticed that I too did not get any offers from Golden Gate. Must be a pattern

 

[LilyJDragonfly]

Even when I wouldn't get an offer from one of my regular casinos up in Reno, I'd call and they'd often find a way to comp my rooms, even on a weekend. We were low-rollers but we showed up a lot.

So figure out your dates, make a call or send an email with a direct ask if your room can be comped for those days. If they say no, then slide on over to the next casino. Bite the bullet and pay for a room via their website. We did that with Fremont a few years ago and have been getting offers ever since. We haven't even been to Vegas in more than two years and yet, I still have free rooms available! (we're finally going to use them next week!!)

 

[makikiboy]

As I mentioned previously, maybe best to speak with a host and find out what kind of room/comp offers they will give you.

As we also mentioned previously, most of the time it isn't how much you lost but how much they rate you for playing. I mostly play craps and I usually lose between $1k to $2k on my trips, yet because I am a red chip player I don't get any room comp offers at all. In fact I have a hard time getting a comped meal with my play.

Yes, it would be best if they were straightforward and tell you if you aren't playing enough for comps but some times I will ask the pit boss for a comp meal and whether I qualify for any better comps (like a comped room). At MSS, Fremont and the Cal they tell me up front whether I qualify for a comped meal and if I ask whether my play would warrant a free night (which I never get).

Where do your red chip friends play to get comped rooms? I play red chips and seldom get free night offers. Once and a while I will get some free night offers but not on a regular basis. I regard the free night offers as "teasers" to see if my play will increase if I get the free nights but after they see my red chip play I don't hear from them again for a few years. Also remember that there are ways to get a higher rating at the tables. Some people throw out more money when they buy in and when the pit boss isn't watching they cut back their bets, hoping they will still be rated higher. Sometimes it works, other times not.

If you get comped nights at other properties I don't know why you just don't stay with them instead. If GG doesn't feel you are playing enough to get free nights then screw them and stay and play elsewhere.