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Back Blogging Vegas Again

Discussion in 'YouTube, Blog and Social Media Links' started by NickPappageorgio, Feb 28, 2017.

  1. NickPappageorgio

    NickPappageorgio ¿Quién vigila a los vigilantes?
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    Are Comped Drinks on the Strip Going the way of the Dodo?

    Some think MGM 2020, and the reported layoffs at CET of 13% of the cocktail staff, are a sign that they are.

    I discuss why this is a bad idea, and might be the tipping point, for some, to say goodbye to most of the Strip permanently.
     
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  2. CSNY1

    CSNY1 Bronze
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    Would never go to any Vegas casino that has replaced bartenders with robots. Stop the madness
     
  3. ted_nancy

    ted_nancy Platinum
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    Even if the drinks are comped? Either way, I, for one, plan to welcome our new robot bartending overlords... only if they're super creepy rubber skinned animatronic people though, not some glorified keurig machine... obviously. I can't wait for the casino of the future!
     
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  4. CSNY1

    CSNY1 Bronze
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    I have read on this board and others people have said that go to such and such bar and look up this bartender he / she is great to talk to, makes a good drink and is generally a pleasant person and great to hangout with Replace said bartender you loss that experience of human interaction and once its gone in all likelihood it will never return. So yes even if drinks are comped would never go to any Vegas casino that has a robot making drinks. I don't go to bars here at home that pours metered shots dam sure not going to a bar that has a robot making drinks.
     
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  5. Mr2BOBCATS

    Mr2BOBCATS Palladium

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    There is some general over-reaction to this because people think that it's the humans in the main bars getting replaced. Those ones you may or may not know the names to, making the $15+ drinks. Those folks, at least for now, are not the ones being talked about here. It's the back-of-the-house service bars where the CW goes to get the drink you asked for on the floor. Those people you've probably never had an interaction with, and heck probably haven't ever even gotten a glimpse of.

    I don't like to hear about humans losing their jobs to automation, regardless of what the job is. In this particular case it doesn't even sound like the machines will potentially be as productive since they can only make 1 drink at a time whereas a human can do multiples. From what I've read though, this is more about quality control, eliminating waste, and creating a common experience for everyone (on the consumption side). Most people automatically assume that this new "common" consumption is a worse one, but that's not necessarily true (I'm optimistically skeptical about it).

    Again, I don't think this is necessarily good news but I also think that there's some serious over-reaction happening. I've heard arguments that "this damages the local economy". And when I ask those same people if they shop at local retailers or if they shop online, or if they'd pay more for locally-made stuff versus crap made in China, they always try to say that's unrelated (meaning they don't shop local or buy locally produced goods). So yes, eliminating the jobs of the service bartenders hurts the local economy but so does a whole lot of other things that people willfully do in order to save a few pennies. If it's OK for consumers to cut costs by making decisions which don't support the local economy it's tricky to fault MGM for doing do the same thing. MGM is a publicly traded company and it's only obligation to their shareholders is to make money in the short term - being the "good guy" is not on their list.

    The reaction to this might just be that it's the straw that broke the camel's back - an effect of just piling on things which are perceived to be bad. I wonder if this "robot bartender" news would be so negative if something good came with it (like no parking fees / reduced resort fees / etc). MGM is betting that this will have no impact on people deciding to stop by their place. I'm betting that MGM knows this because they know all the other casinos will be doing it too, or, other casinos will be forced into charging for other things or having worse odds - and very few consumers are likely to avoid MGM because they don't have service bartenders if it means spending more money elsewhere.
     
  6. ted_nancy

    ted_nancy Platinum
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    This is super disappointing to hear; I'm boycotting MGM until they make this a reality:

     
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  7. slotmanjack

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    I really enjoyed your responsible gambling blog.

    Great stuff!
     
  8. NickPappageorgio

    NickPappageorgio ¿Quién vigila a los vigilantes?
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  9. MNSlotLover

    MNSlotLover Ainsworth Whisperer
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    Grazie - Gold
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    Good points, all......You know how I feel about TI. It's my home base. I can't stop going there when my FP offers START at $550 and have gone as high as $900 (this upcoming trip in April due to early booking bonus). Free parking, decent rooms, resort fee opt-out, the food and bar options are getting better........and I never feel like their looking for ways to nickel and dime me. I can always go downtown for a day, walk across the bridge to Palazzo for a nice dinner and great martini's at Grand Lux. I'm content with TI as a base. I know what to expect and they take good care of me.
     
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  10. NickPappageorgio

    NickPappageorgio ¿Quién vigila a los vigilantes?
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    One thing that I do like about TI is that they seem to build their offers around comped rooms and free play, the two most important comps to me and Mrs. P.

    Don't know why we didn't decide to make the switch earlier. Stubbornness I guess.
     
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  11. NickPappageorgio

    NickPappageorgio ¿Quién vigila a los vigilantes?
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  12. tringlomane

    tringlomane Theoretical Video Poker Addict
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    Nice review. Thanks.
     
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  13. NickPappageorgio

    NickPappageorgio ¿Quién vigila a los vigilantes?
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    Review of Action Episode II

    Certainly the darkest, might actually have been the most interesting however. Still, this show is falling victim to the same thing so many other gambling shows do.

    Just bad information.
     
  14. golfer

    golfer Gold
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    Are you a slot, or table player? TI has changed their table game comps considerably. There really isn't as much to comp there, so no big deal to me. But it does limit the size that I play there. In other words, if I went back to Golden Nugget, and I was going to bet larger than average, I could still get boxing tickets, or Kobe beef. That takes the sting off of being undercomped due to the property not having a lot to comp as compared to a strip property. Absolutely no sense playing big at TI, becuase it is almost always exclusively rooms, food and free play. Which is better than nothing, but don't really do anything for me. I can pay for rooms and food, and free play is such a small percentage, it doesn't move the needle for me. If TI gives me $1K, in the bigger picture of things, this still wouldn't justify me playing big there.

    The entire direction of comps, and casino's treatment of their customers, seems to drive me personally to play smaller. The only thing that really gets my interest anymore is boxing ticket. Because I probably couldn't get tickets to some sold out fights, and I have gotten tickets to sold out flights on a regular basis as a comp. Although that is over at TI from what I understand. They also used to get my rooms at another nearby property, and my understanding is that is no longer an option either. No matter how large I play, I pretty much have to stay there. To each their own, but I don't like my freedoms encroached on by a casino.

    This said, I really do like TI, as much of it as I know, which is the baccarat tables. One of the few places left that allows me to smoke cigars at the table. Usually because when I'm there, often times I'm the only player, and certainly the only player above their table minimums in their HL room.

    Anyway, maybe I've seen you in TI before. I think last summer when I was at Paris, you were there IIRC.

    As an aside, you had linked someone's article(s) about drug dealers and homeless people living in tunnels. That was an interesting read. Oddly compelling, and at the same time, disturbing.
     
  15. NickPappageorgio

    NickPappageorgio ¿Quién vigila a los vigilantes?
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    I'm about 80% VP 15% slots, and 5% tables.

    I'm also a fairly low-roller (a budget of around $500-$800 per day) so while I don't expect suites to be comped, I do still like free room offers and the occasional bit of free play. (Mrs. P usually uses it as $40 can last her two or three days, she's a micro-roller).

    I agree with you that the comps system is playing itself out. It's much like the airlines and their loyalty programs. For a while, the game was on, you could make two-or-three creative trips per year and wind up with enough points to snag a first class flight pretty much anywhere in the world. That's gone now, and casinos are pretty much copying that system, rewarding less and less as time goes on.

    That said, I'm not averse to self-comping. I can typically afford all but the most expensive rooms and even if I could afford them the value proposition isn't there (I pretty much sleep in my room in Vegas, not much else). I usually self-comp my meals, because I like to eat where I want to eat and not where the casino says I need to for comp purposes. I use any F&B comps at the pool, or on alcohol.

    It's been a minute since we last stayed at TI. I want to say March Madness in '07. Unfortunately on that trip I came down with a wicked case of food poisoning (from airport food we think) and spent all Friday and Saturday in my room shivering cold in two pairs of sweats and under all of the covers. Poor Mrs. P had to spend that entire weekend in the hotel room taking care of me. Not TI's fault obviously, but I would like to have a better experience there.

    I find that their VP odds are comparable with Cosmo, which makes them the best on the Strip if you leave out Casino Royale (which I do) and it will always have a special place in my dark heart because it's the first hotel/casino that Mrs. P and I stayed in back in '04.

    You might have seen us. I'm pretty forgettable (fat, balding, goatee) but Mrs. P is usually the one people remember because of her hair, personality and pony tail. Next time you do be sure to say hi. I quite smoking in 2015 (I vape now) but cigar smoke is preferable to cigarette smoke any day.

    First round would be on me.

    Added: I know the article you are talking about. It was a very interesting, sad and disturbing read. The journalist should have gotten some type of reward for that story.
     
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  16. golfer

    golfer Gold
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    Thanks for your response. FWIW, I've not been to LV since last summer, and at this point, do not have a burning desire to return. If I should return, I am going to pay for everything upfront. Oddly enough, I have been getting inundated with offers. I mean just crushed with offers almost daily. And pretty good offers. For whatever reason, I just don't care.
     
  17. NickPappageorgio

    NickPappageorgio ¿Quién vigila a los vigilantes?
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    Sadly, for Las Vegas, it appears you're not alone in that sentiment.

    Some good news, gambling "hold" on the strip declined 2.3% over the trailing 3-month period, while Nevada stayed relatively flat overall and downtown increased a whopping 8.1%. It appears that "some" Strip casino execs MIGHT be looking at these numbers and realizing that nickle-and-diming the customers MIGHT not be the best way to do business.

    It's a slim hope, because in my experience it's hard for a company to totally reverse course, but it's a glimmer nevertheless.

    Not that the old days will ever fully return, but at least there's a chance some type of balance can be struck. It's either that or the Strip becomes a convention area once and for all. Which is where I think Las Vegas is heading.

    Interesting reinvention if that's the case.
     
  18. Wanker751

    Wanker751 Chairman
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    I dont know the next recession and it may all come back in some form. Ebb and flow I suppose. [Offers and comps wises]
     
  19. golfer

    golfer Gold
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    I've always found economic downturns are the best time to go to Las Vegas.

    I did a hit and run at one casino, and went fairly large, which I seldom do any more. I did this without a player's card. I won. They were not happy. So much so, that under the guise of escorting me out for security reasons due to the cash, they made it perfectly clear they didn't want me back. For no other reason than I won, and won a lot, at a game where they have an advantage, and I immediately quit, and declined their offer of joining their players club. Since that time, I pretty much play at $100 per hand. If I even go. The security guards were fine, the suit, presumably a table game pit boss, or host, was a douche. They forced me to withhold over $40K on a win under $100K. I've heard the exact same thing happened to one other poster on this board, although he doesn't post often, and hasn't posted in a long time. To my knowledge anyway. It was both a profitable 20 minutes, and a learning experience about who and what one certain casino is. Part of the learning was no players card, and I immediately walked after I got up large. I probably should have walked earlier, even though not walking worked out in my favor, but I've turned into a pretty disciplined gambler, when I gamble, and I don't much care if that casino never gives me a "free" room.

    I still like Atlantic CIty a lot, although I haven't been back there recently either.

    This said, I'll probably go back the hottest part of this summer. I usually do for whatever reason. I'm kind of leaning towards giving Palace Station a go. They pretty much leave me alone when I'm there, and I have never not had my entire charges wiped. Surprisingly good restaurants, and the ability to also get Scotch 80 Prime wiped off. I'd also like to go back to Bavettes.

    My love of steak, and stripper fishing Lake Mead will bring me back to Las Vegas more so than gambling.

    eta. Striper fishing, not stripper fishing. Two entirely different things probably. Although, I'm not opposed to stripper fishing. .
     
    #39 golfer, Apr 2, 2019
    Last edited: Apr 2, 2019
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  20. slotmanjack

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    Enjoyed reading the reviews, I am hoping at some point they talk to the employees on the other side of the glass.

    When it’s not busy they usually chat with me, and they are the ones with all the stories.

    They should also talk about how much sportsbooks have changed in the last 5 years. No more free drinks, and paying for seats.

    Artie Lange is needed on that show


     
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