vpFREE2 Forums

EW Slot Tourneys this week-Theories in Marketing

#1

In a message dated 9/26/07 4:11:33 PM US Mountain Standard Time,
ab6pq@aol.com writes:

···

No doubt this is perhaps the biggest tournament in Lauglin for years,
perhaps ever. I read they expect 3,000 to participate in this one.
Rooms are now sold out for Friday, so it looks like they are
generating some real interest. Good for them, and for Laughlin. I
hope they can pull off the logistics of such a big event for a first
time.

I was also interested in this statemet:
"I think Marnell-Sher knows exactly what they are doing...including
that VP purge June 1st."
What do you think they had in mind in purging good vp plays? As
expected, they threw out the old Sigma and older coin droppers, but
they also lowered the paytables at the machines they did keep. Were
they trying to find out if people in Laughlin would play poorer
paytables?

****
My opinion is that Marnell-Sher wanted to come in slowly and get their
operations in working order. They purged the floor and offered 98.5% VP in both
houses on June 1st. They did open with a 1.2% slot club card, which is unheard of
lately. Their first promo lasted all summer with the Big Bang Finale on
Labor Day weekend.

They got three months study-planning-real operations time doing this. They
certainly pissed-off the RFB types.

Their initial marketing stated special invites to the upper tied players
(Gold/Crystal). Sure they did not state any requirements for the up-graded cards.
They were still, and are figuring this out. I bet any of the old comped
room-Silver/White food card types got the invite for the upcoming weekend.

Sure, I was bitching in June just like everyone else. They shut down alot of
food opportunities. They shut down a favorite VP play in the Mississippi
lounge for the most part.

Just I think and predict these folks are going to be the top outfit on the
river soon.

Bluestreak <BR><BR><BR>**************************************<BR> See what's new at
http://www.aol.com</HTML>

[Non-text portions of this message have been removed]

#2

Thanks for your opinion on the marketing stategy. I think they just
plain made a mistake with the lowering paytables. I am sure they had
gross gambling income figures and net holds for sub-categories such
as vp from the previous owners. They figured with a stronger hold on
slots and vp, they could generate more income to service their debt,
and make more money. The gamblers let the management know they were
not happy with such poor gambling conditions, and they were losing
strong customers. The gross gambling take (my guess) was not what
they had projected, so changes were in order! A win for the gamblers.

Now a soft opening is certainly a tried and good way to ease yourself
into a business, but the EW/CB have been operating for years, and the
worker bees were retainted for the most part. The only ones needed a
primer on the properties were upper management. Running a
hotel/casino is not like running a McDonalds. This is a very complex
business, and what works in a Las Vegas casino will most likely not
work in Laughlin. You got to learn your market.

Well, this is interesting to me, and it is most likely we are both
wrong. However, I hope you are correct about them becoming the top
properties along the river. Stay tuned for updates.

My opinion is that Marnell-Sher wanted to come in slowly and get

their

operations in working order. They purged the floor and offered

98.5% VP in both

houses on June 1st. They did open with a 1.2% slot club card, which

is unheard of

lately. Their first promo lasted all summer with the Big Bang

Finale on

Labor Day weekend.

They got three months study-planning-real operations time doing

this. They

certainly pissed-off the RFB types.

Their initial marketing stated special invites to the upper tied

players

(Gold/Crystal). Sure they did not state any requirements for the

up-graded cards.

They were still, and are figuring this out. I bet any of the old

comped

room-Silver/White food card types got the invite for the upcoming

weekend.

Sure, I was bitching in June just like everyone else. They shut

down alot of

food opportunities. They shut down a favorite VP play in the

Mississippi

lounge for the most part.

Just I think and predict these folks are going to be the top outfit

on the

···

--- In vpFREE_Laughlin@yahoogroups.com, GRAYTLEEGRAY@... wrote:

river soon.

Bluestreak

#3

I hope that somewhere along the line they're kinder to their employees too, because the
report that I heard from the employee I talked to was that e/e's health insurance premiums
increased with less coverage.

···

--- In vpFREE_Laughlin@yahoogroups.com, "hamstockman" <ab6pq@...> wrote:

Thanks for your opinion on the marketing stategy. I think they just
plain made a mistake with the lowering paytables. I am sure they had
gross gambling income figures and net holds for sub-categories such
as vp from the previous owners. They figured with a stronger hold on
slots and vp, they could generate more income to service their debt,
and make more money. The gamblers let the management know they were
not happy with such poor gambling conditions, and they were losing
strong customers. The gross gambling take (my guess) was not what
they had projected, so changes were in order! A win for the gamblers.

Now a soft opening is certainly a tried and good way to ease yourself
into a business, but the EW/CB have been operating for years, and the
worker bees were retainted for the most part. The only ones needed a
primer on the properties were upper management. Running a
hotel/casino is not like running a McDonalds. This is a very complex
business, and what works in a Las Vegas casino will most likely not
work in Laughlin. You got to learn your market.

Well, this is interesting to me, and it is most likely we are both
wrong. However, I hope you are correct about them becoming the top
properties along the river. Stay tuned for updates.

--- In vpFREE_Laughlin@yahoogroups.com, GRAYTLEEGRAY@ wrote:
> My opinion is that Marnell-Sher wanted to come in slowly and get
their
> operations in working order. They purged the floor and offered
98.5% VP in both
> houses on June 1st. They did open with a 1.2% slot club card, which
is unheard of
> lately. Their first promo lasted all summer with the Big Bang
Finale on
> Labor Day weekend.
>
> They got three months study-planning-real operations time doing
this. They
> certainly pissed-off the RFB types.
>
> Their initial marketing stated special invites to the upper tied
players
> (Gold/Crystal). Sure they did not state any requirements for the
up-graded cards.
> They were still, and are figuring this out. I bet any of the old
comped
> room-Silver/White food card types got the invite for the upcoming
weekend.
>
> Sure, I was bitching in June just like everyone else. They shut
down alot of
> food opportunities. They shut down a favorite VP play in the
Mississippi
> lounge for the most part.
>
> Just I think and predict these folks are going to be the top outfit
on the
> river soon.
>
> Bluestreak

#4

Well while everyone is throwing theories out there, FWIW, here is
mine. I'll bet Marnell was hanging around and talking to friends of
his who are executives on the strip. And I'll bet they told him not to
give the rooms away, to charge for them. Which is perfectly good
advice for a strip property. International tourism has gone through
the roof, the demand for rooms on the stip is really really high right
now and they can't rent out any nice rooms there for really good
prices. However the same dynamic does not come into play for
Laughlin. And for customers that were used to getting good room offers
for being good gamblers, for them to start recieving mailers telling
them they can pay a reduced rate can only be considered a mistake.
Especially when typically half the occupancy in the hotel is on that
basis. Although I'm sure they have figured that out already for
themselves.