Quick preface -- I see this made it into the Yahoo message base last night,
but for some reason didn't get included in the daily digest. On the chance
that someone wants to continue this thread, I'm happy for the input. So I'm
re-posting to the group. /JJG
From: "Jean Scott" <QueenofComps@frugalgambler.biz>
[...]<<So what does everyone think? (I bet Jean's cringing right now. :)>>
That's one bet you lose!!!
Thanks very much for your comments, Jean.
Someone else asked "Which casinos?" and, though I'd characterized them with
hints, only mentioned them by name in a thread over in Yahoo!/winpoker. The
casinos, in order, are the LV Hilton (2 nights), Rio (2), Sam's Town (2 on the
weekend), 3 at Mirage and the final 2 (Xmas Eve + day) at the Venetian.
Trying to map an itinerary in LV (after being away a couple years) is hard,
and there's a good chance my perceptions of these properties are dated. Last
time we were there, the Palms hadn't opened ... that's the current hotspot but
we haven't had a chance to establish any kind of relationship with the casino,
yet.
First, you are smart to choose a slow time.
My wife and I usually play weekday nights late when we play in AC, rather than
fight to get the machines we want on weekends. (I saw from the Dancer book,
"Million $ VP", that he also plays late -- for the same reason.
The tradeoff of playing on offdays and the graveyard shift is that you forego
the expected dollar value of many promotions -- a subject which is your
bailiwick, I believe. 
If there's 8,000 people standing around waiting to
hear if their name is called for a $56,000 Cadillac Escalade, the "value"
(assuming a fair draw) is $7 a head.
As far as even thinking of going in December, well -- we're not social
iconoclasts, but have gotten to see plenty-enough family already this year.
;-p
Second, you have a plan - but are willing to be flexible and change as you
go along.
A plan, and a budget -- alas!
We expect the Park Place people to make an attempt to steal us back later
in the trip -- we've been receptive to their attentions before. I don't want
to talk Sam's Town down (though it's not in the 'class' of the others), since
I feel comfortable enough I could play in my pajamas there. Venetian, I dunno
-- they're a little out of our league right now, and at the tail end of the
trip means I have to keep an appropriate reserve (or just keep winning
steadily -- but that's a hope, not a plan.
Both sound concepts. And you are mixing in the fun factor - which is very
important. We usually stayed at "budget" casinos before we moved here, but
often in December and January and during the slow times, were able to mix in
some "luxury." We often "paid" for this luxury by playing VP games that
weren't the best in town - although still over 100% with CB, cash equivalents,
and promotions.
Yesterday we did our usual AC round of Ballys / Caesars / Borgata / Trump
Marina ... and on a quiet night, were dismayed at the number of people we saw
playing 7-5 and 6-5 JoB machines. (Even when we didn't know anything, we
still knew enough to avoid some of the worst.)
But you bring up the other part of what we're hoping to refine in the plan
before we get there: promotions. One LVH promotion ends before we arrive --
doesn't re-start until we leave town. Rio is not known for being overly
kind to players; I have to see if it's possible to get over the highway to the
Palms by foot or whether we'll need the car.
The two Strip "luxury" places -- well, we might have the slimmest chance, *if*
Mirage is acting early to counter their revenue loss from S & R, but nobody's
announced anything concrete there yet. It's really sheer speculation, and the
notion that our presence at a bad time for them might be better appreciated
than showing up when everything else is going well. (Just like the Trop's
troubles
in A.C.)
Venetian... hmm. There have been a few instances of players stiffing casinos
that have extended RFB offers to them in good faith, and unlike yesteryear,
there
isn't much chance a pair of goons will drive me out to the desert for a bit of
gentle
persuasion on my kneecaps. Unless I fail to redeem outstanding markers, that
is.
But I don't like the idea of treating a casino less fairly than they treat me,
because
word gets around. [Has anybody ever said anything nice about the Venetian,
other than 'it's beautiful?']
I have no objection to people counting comps in their total return; just be
careful you can afford these "freebies."
So true! -- With movies and music now completely "free" on the Internet, it
gets harder to justify those $200 tickets to see a live performer. And the big
trouble with this agenda is that by playing 2-day stints at each place we're
diluting the overall value of our cash-in among 5 competitors (and not
capitalizing on the best cashback, either.)
John