Las Vegas Blog November 2006

November 2006 Blog Archive

November 18, 2006

Over the past 2 weeks, Harrah's has completely decimated the inventory of good Video Poker games at the casino. There was probably close to 100 machines with returns from 99.2 - 99.8% that were reduced to crap paying back 96%! While it didn't come as a huge surprise since this has been Harrah's MO at every property it has bought, the speed and depth at which they hacked was a bit of a shocker. Rio at one time was a great casino then Harrah's bought and it went to hell in months. Recently, they butchered the inventory at Bally's and Paris which they acquired along with Caesars and Flamingo a year ago. Now the entire middle section of the strip is a waste land of bad VP and 3:2 Blackjack.

While the Nevada Gaming Commission has no say in the pay rates that casinos offer on their machines as long as it is above 80%, they should be somewhat concerned with these developments. Between Harrah's and MGM/Mirage, these 2 companies control 90% of the strip. If gamblers begin to realize that they can get a better game at the Indian joint a few miles away, why the hell should they go to Vegas? Nevada lives and dies off of gaming taxes and if those should start to dry up, they are in trouble. In the meantime it is up to us, their customers, to tell Harrah's that they can not screw us with crappy games.

I have a trip planned for next month at Caesars on a discount room. This will be the first time I have accepted an offer then stiffed a casino with no play. I am the guy they should be courting, 5 trips a year and serious hours at the machines during each trip. Instead, they want nothing to do with me and rather steal from the old ladies who come once a year and play a few hours of slots. I guarantee that this philosophy will come back and bite them in the ass. Caesars had legions of loyal guests, many of whom are knowledgeable gamblers who will now abandon them for places like Venetian, Green Valley Ranch and Red Rock. The Golden Nugget recently gutted their inventory of good games and within weeks many of them were back once their customers started cancelling their reservations! We can have an impact if we try. Say no to bad games!

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November 10, 2006

This week Nevada passed Question 5, which will ban smoking in "all places of employment in Nevada with the exception of gaming areas of casinos and bars that don't serve food." There seems to be many questions still not hashed out in the law such as whether it applies to restaurants attached to casinos and even in hotel rooms.

While it isn't as draconian as some of the laws in other places such as here in California where you can't even smoking outside in some places, it still is a big departure from Nevada's current laws which basically allowed smoking everywhere except elevators and day care centers. I have no problem with reasonable restrictions on smoking but I firmly believe this is just the beginning for the anti-smoking zealots. They now have their foot in the door and they will now pursue their ultimate goal of criminalizing smoking under the guise of "protecting people from second hand smoke." If that were the case, why is it illegal to smoke on the beach but bonfires are perfectly ok? If you don't think this is the case, here is a quote directly from Beverly May, director of regional advocacy for the National Center for Tobacco-Free Kids, "Sometimes you have to move incrementally to get some of these laws passed because there are certain things that are deal-breakers" referring to the lack of a huge tax increase on smokes in this current law. You know they will back soon looking for even more places to protect people from themselves.

For everyone who voted to pass this law, remember it when the nanny state gang decides it knows what best for you when something you enjoy becomes the next target to "protect the children" from.

November 1, 2006

Today was finally the end for the beloved Stardust as it closed today. I have loved staying there the past few years and I will miss it dearly. The loss of the Stardust and the inevitable demise of the remaining old school casino, the strip with be nothing more than a sea of bad paying slot machines to cover the cost of multi-billion dollar meta-resorts. The days of a great value and a good gamble will be forever done. These are very sad times for average Joe in Vegas. I the next day or 2, I will put up my tribute to the Stardust with a bunch of pictures of the old gal.

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