Some of these casino promos may be hurting rather than helping the casinos.
Today we did the Palms scratch and saw a lot of people getting nothing - this
can't be creating goodwill.
Of 4 people including us
1 - nothing but entry
2 - nothing but entry
3 - 1 free megabucks pull (= $3 if you take $)
4 - 1 free lunch buffet
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Gold Coast's various policies also might be hurting rather than helping.
Previously you got a discretionary food comp for $20,000 played through a
machine in between each time you asked for comps. When you needed $30,000 in
3 months for mailers, I would sometimes play $30,000 in 1 or 2 days (think
about $5 reel slot play and $1/$2 VP on triple plays or single lines). So
would get a comp. Then I might not play there for a month, while my husband
would play the next month or two to ring up his $30,000 (playing quarter
dueces).
After $20,000 on 1 card we could get a comp, then $20,000 on the other's card
and get a comp, and so on.
Now they want $10,000 play per month, so we are making sure each of us has
$10,000 play on each card first. Result is $20,000 in play now split on 2
cards - and woops - no comp. Sure next month we will have another $10,000
and $10,000 and finally get the comp, but in the meanwhile, no Gold Coast
comp.
We are too cheap to actually pay real money. The result was that today after
playing $10,000 on my card, and no comp at GC, we went across the street to
the Palms and ate a free meal. And we just stayed at Palms. Result for GC
was less play for them.
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If one of these casinos would just give us .25 cashback plus a little extra
in mailers and plenty of unrestricted comps, we would play there all the
time, and forget going to any other casino.
Instead these various promotions have me (and other people) zipping around
town.
Here's me this week:
Dec. 31 - Stayed at Bally's - free dinner and show for New Years, played at
Bally's
Jan. 1 - Free Rio buffet brunch after New Year's invite. Played at Gold
Coast
Jan. 2 - Stopped at Palace Station to pick up $4 from mailer and sign up
husband for card (he got $5 in free play). Ate at Palms (coffee shop on
points) and played at Palms.
Jan. 3 - Palms free $ envelope (Ron got $10, I got $5). Played at Palms.
Ate at Palms (Little Buddah on Points)
Jan. 4 - Palms free scratch, played at Gold Coast, ate at Palms (Coffee shop
on Points)
Jan. 5 - Visit Caesar's for gift valued at $300 due to previous play;
(May play a little at Caesars) will play at Harrahs because I have a play
100 points get $50 coupon. Will eat at Harrahs Total Gold club for lunch.
Should eat dinner at home for a change.
Jan. 6 - Stop in at Palms for Slot tournament and Free Play; Pick up $ from
Gold Coast mailer; Go to Orleans and play at Orleans, may see movie there
too. Lunch at Palms for free due to scratch card free lunch buffet and $15
food coupon for husband; May eat dinner at Orleans if still hungry.
So in 7 days I'll end up playing at Palms, Gold Coast, Orleans, Harrahs,
Ballys. I may also play a little at Caesar's during my travels.
I'd rather just go to 1 place, but by spreading play around we end up with
more $ and food comps. Note that we live closest to Palms, so it tends to
get a bit more action.
A lot of people are now taking advantage of Stations 500 points = $5
promotion, but there again, it makes sense to play just 500 points, not more.
Once again the promotion isn't really helping pull people in.
Does Palms think it is really making people happy giving out a lot of scratch
cards that pay nothing? Does that make people want to play more and get more
scratch cards?
Does Coast really think that limiting comps and telling people the highest
mailings are for $10,000 coin in per month (and higher play doesn't increase
things)?
Does Stations really think that 500 points for a $5 bonus will get people to
stay and play a lot after 500 points?
And for that matter, regarding my previously posted complaints about
Bally's/Caesars -- Do they really think that by telling me I can't double
book stays or promotions at these two properties is going to make me love
Park Place? And if I only can use 1 promotion - why am I going to keep
playing at both of their properties? Aren't I going to just drop one and
play somewhere else instead?
I know I'm ranting a bit here folks - but really it can be exasperating - why
are casino promotional managers so stupid!?? If they want us to stay and
play, there has got to be a better way!
Personally I think having a special lounge area with food is one way that a
lot of casinos in Vegas could be improved. I loved the Taj Mahal and Resorts
and Sands in Atlantic City because once I had enough play for their higher
slot club levels, I could go into their player lounges, pretty much day or
night, and get food, without ever having to worry about a comp. Harrahs
Diamond Lounge is about the only place similar in Las Vegas, but it fails in
that it only opens after 4pm on weekdays, and usually has no hot food (not to
mention that there is not much decent VP there and truly awful cashback).
If one of these local places were to come up with a nice lounge with a nice
small buffet, and say allow you in once you had say $50,000 in play for 3
month period (you would then get in for the next 3 months) or something like
that, they probably would find themselves saving $ on comps and having people
play there a lot. (All this assuming they still gave about .25 on cashback).
It's just my suggestion, folks.
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