vpFREE2 Forums

over a nickel

#1

Bill,

I agree that $875,000 is a pretty big award for what happened. All I read is what was published in the local papers.

There was another case at Greektown casino in Detroit. A woman was betting $25 a hand and the pit boss came over and said that she had been over paid on a hand 2 hours ago and she needed to give back the $25. She asked for some proof. The pitboss said give back the money or we will kick you out and never let you return. No video tape, no proof, no nothing.

I don't know if she sued or not. I understand that casinos are businesses but it sure seems like they have a one sided view of disputes. It's our way or we kick you out. I don't think a huge award for bad decision by a security guard is the answer but there needs to be a little more balance. I'm sure the casinos have a different opinion and probably deal with a hundred scam artists a day. Maybe they think the strong arm tactics make a statement.

When I was booted out of Greektown, 4 security guards surrounded me and walked me out. Now, I knew the vp of player development and all the executive hosts by name and had dinner with the vp of slots, so it's not like I was a stranger to the casino. Why the big show? All they had to do was ask me to leave. It almost seems like some casinos enjoy belittling their customers.

John Zaroff
Delphi Electronics and Safety
313-996-3682 (w)
313-378-2987 ( Cell)
3133782987@vtext.com ( text page)

···

****************************************************************************************

Note: The information contained in this message may be privileged and confidential and thus protected from disclosure. If the reader of this message is not the intended recipient, or an employee or agent responsible for delivering this message to the intended recipient, you are hereby notified that any dissemination, distribution or copying of this communication is strictly prohibited. If you have received this communication in error, please notify us immediately by replying to the message and deleting it from your computer. Thank you.

****************************************************************************************

#2

I worked at Harvey's in Lake Tahoe as a dealer. Part of our initial training was with the head of security regarding cheating tactics (they taught us and showed us how blackjack players cheat), how to spot card counters, and how to catch fake IDs. They told us that when they caught someone cheating the casino, they always handcuffed the person and paraded them around the casino in handcuffs with a dozen security guards surrounding as a show of power. Sure enough, four or five times in two years I saw this happen. It was a fellow employee once, and it sure made us all think a second time about cheating.

However, I have also worked with security guards in other businesses and often, they can be over-zealous. The actions of a security guard are sometimes non-representative of the company's interests. It always seemed to me to be a power trip of sorts.

--DB in SD

···

"John.G.Zaroff" <John.G.Zaroff@delphi.com> wrote:
I don't know if she sued or not. I understand that casinos are businesses but it sure seems like they have a one sided view of disputes. It's our way or we kick you out. I don't think a huge award for bad decision by a security guard is the answer but there needs to be a little more balance. I'm sure the casinos have a different opinion and probably deal with a hundred scam artists a day. Maybe they think the strong arm tactics make a statement.

I may be good at math, but 2 and 2 have always given me problems.

»...dort wo man Bücher verbrennt, verbrennt man auch am Ende Menschen«
--Heinrich Heine

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

#3

John.G.Zaroff wrote:

Bill,

I agree that $875,000 is a pretty big award for what happened. All I read is what was published in the local papers.

By the way, according to what I read, a mediation panel had recommended a much more reasonable figure before the suit was filed -- $17,009.05 -- $9 for her charter ticket, a nickel for the confiscated token and $17,000 for humiliation and aggravation. I'd have no problem with that, and she would still have done well.

Bill

#4

Bill;
Do you mean a mediation panel or an arbitration panel. In Texas mediation
there would be no recommended amount, but an arbitration panel would make a
recommendation. If it was a non-binding arbitration, then I wonder whether
Plaintiff, Defendant or both rejected it.

···

By the way, according to what I read, a mediation panel had recommended
a much more reasonable figure before the suit was filed -- $17,009.05 --

---
Outgoing mail is certified Virus Free.
Checked by AVG anti-virus system (http://www.grisoft.com).
Version: 6.0.717 / Virus Database: 473 - Release Date: 7/8/2004

#5

Gene Frohbieter wrote:

Bill;
Do you mean a mediation panel or an arbitration panel. In Texas mediation
there would be no recommended amount, but an arbitration panel would make a
recommendation. If it was a non-binding arbitration, then I wonder whether
Plaintiff, Defendant or both rejected it.

_Mediation_ panel, and both sides rejected it. Here's part of the article:

"Romanski sued the casino in November in Wayne County Circuit Court. A mediation panel recommended that the casino pay Romanski $17,009.05 -- $9 for her charter ticket, a nickel for the confiscated token and $17,000 for humiliation and aggravation. Romanski's lawyers had requested $100,000."

"Both sides rejected the recommendation. The casino had the case moved to federal court because of the civil rights issues."

Here's a link to the full article:
http://www.sfgate.com/cgi-bin/article.cgi?file=/news/archive/2002/09/26/state0905EDT0051.DTL

And here's a tinyurl to the same article: http://tinyurl.com/4prv9

Cheers.

Bill Velek