Fiesta Henderson makeover - Wow....

I stopped in tonight at the Fiesta - and it looks fantastic. TOTAL MAKEOVER in the table games pit. It didn’t look a THING like the place I used to deal dice and Pai Gow, only four months ago.

Quite a makeover, but not too many changes were done, and I can’t quite put my finger on exactly WHAT was done, but whatever they were - they worked!
It made a difference. The place was BUSY. More asses in seats than I've ever seen there. Drop and Hold probably went up through the roof.

The new guy there, “Chris,” did an amazing job with the pit. It drew me in for some big $$$ - and I was actually happy and proud to do it and be there! I normally go to the Orleans or the Venetian. Fiesta Henderson looked and felt a lot like those places. From Old School to Red Bull.

The extra space in the pit, the neon lights of the "Bubble Crap" machine, more contemporary music that you can actually hear, - all of it combined to make the place less of the retirement home it formally was, - and more of a really happening place to gamble. I had to buy in on Ultimate Texas Hold 'em just because it was the only available seat - like a game of musical chairs, - but where everyone's buying in when they DO find an open seat.

Anyway, job well done to them. It kind of makes me miss my old Fiesta dealer’s uniform from last year.

This kind of thing makes me proud of my old Stations, it really does.

Quote: Paigowdan

The extra space in the pit, the neon lights of the "Bubble Crap" machine, more contemporary music that you can actually hear, - all of it combined to make the place less of the retirement home it formally was, - and more of a really happening place to gamble.

Well, I guess that is how casinos compete. Visual impressions, audio perceptions, lighting, seating, ... its all important to have an inviting atmosphere. Better speakers, volume adjustment perhaps, certainly a better Muzak channel... it helps to get the customers in the door. After that, all that management stuff about smiles and greetings and the like get to have an effect.

Its still a Locals casino and its still a Stations casino... no one will mistake it for a mega-property on The Strip, but an upgrade in the music and a new speaker system along with some new lights and chairs can always do wonders.

Quote: Paigowdan

It kind of makes me miss my old Fiesta dealer’s uniform from last year.

Whoa! I thought you were happy to be out of that job. Are you starting to regret it?

But it's good to hear. Yesterday I got a room offer from them. It's thru June. If I get another thru September, I may stay there a night or two when I come for G2E..

Quote: DJTeddyBear

Whoa! I thought you were happy to be out of that job. Are you starting to regret it?

Not really, but it looks like a happening place now. It had a charge to it I hadn't seen before.

Quote: DJTeddybear

But it's good to hear. Yesterday I got a room offer from them. It's thru June. If I get another thru September, I may stay there a night or two when I come for G2E..

I recommend it.
A lot of out-of-towners like the place. It's not rushed or touristy, or "Strippy." A very friendly place. Good sports book, a new Cineplex, well-run restaurants (A Fine Steak house there, Fuego's. They also got rid of the Denny's, and they now run a very comfortable cafe there).
Stations invested very well in this property.

Quote: FleaStiff

Well, I guess that is how casinos compete. Visual impressions, audio perceptions, lighting, seating, ... its all important to have an inviting atmosphere. Better speakers, volume adjustment perhaps, certainly a better Muzak channel... it helps to get the customers in the door. After that, all that management stuff about smiles and greetings and the like get to have an effect.

I don't know how they calculate the "formula" for fine-tuning a place's feel and comfort. Some facilities management teams and GM's have a knack for it, others just don't. Spacing out the table games pit the right amount helps; previously, it felt a bit "coagulated," now it breathes better, as one of the things done. The pit is away from the Sports book, registration area, and the cineplex with its fast-food court, giving it a "Table Games" focus. I guess it's more of an art with some principles instead of a science. Only things near the pit are a cozy bar, the cafe, and the Steak house - all in-house run with no brassy signage. A Denny's or a Burger King or signs of the "outside world" wrecks the gambler's focus, and shouldn't be seen when you're squeezing out a flush from the cards in your hands.

Quote: Fleastiff

Its still a Locals casino and its still a Stations casino... no one will mistake it for a mega-property on The Strip, but an upgrade in the music and a new speaker system along with some new lights and chairs can always do wonders.

The upgrade in music was getting rid of Karoke Night in an adjacent bar a while ago. I hated amateur night renditions when trying to deal dice or Pai Gow. A soundtrack of Classic Vinyl or good R&B with no commercials that isn't too loud is fine.

It feels neither like a Strip behemoth with a Mall-like sense, nor a hole in the wall. Green Valley feels bigger but classy, the pit at Boulder feels cavernous and echo-ey, and this feels like an intimate gambling hall with some energy now when busy. The old set-up felt kind of sluggish.

Quote: Paigowdan

The upgrade in music was getting rid of Karoke Night in an adjacent bar a while ago. I hated amateur night renditions when trying to deal dice or Pai Gow. A soundtrack of Classic Vinyl or good R&B with no commercials that isn't too loud is fine.

Ugh, that was one thing I hated about Boulder Station. Hearing yokels screech everything from rap to Sinatra.

If they put it behind a door and wall I wouldn't care.

I remember we talked about this when you were dealing to me at FH. I said GVR was too posh for me; a casino needs to have a little more "average joe" appeal. FH was still a little down at heel; glad to hear they had improved it. Now, they just need more dealers like you and fewer like Rick :)

FWIW, my favorite pit is Sunset Station.

Quote: teddys

FWIW, my favorite pit is Sunset Station.

I heard Sunset Station is doing very poorly (i.e. business is very slow)

Quote: teddys

I remember we talked about this when you were dealing to me at FH. I said GVR was too posh for me; a casino needs to have a little more "average joe" appeal. FH was still a little down at heel; glad to hear they had improved it. Now, they just need more dealers like you and fewer like Rick :)

Aww....shucks.
They have a large portion of new dealers on swing shift, all easy going, as a number of day shift dealers came to swing shift recently. And Rick himself has mellowed out.

Quote: teddys

FWIW, my favorite pit is Sunset Station.

I like all the Henderson properties.

Fiesta H. is my favorite hotel-casino. Some of the changes are more welcome than others. Not sure if "fancification" is always an improvement, but it seems to make happier those who work at an establishment. Most of the "positive" changes are superficial -- new felts, reconfiguration of the pits, etc.

It's been a few weeks since my last visit to Fiesta H. The auxiliary pit was already moved to one side, the cafe hadn't yet opened, and I didn't see a Shoot-To-Win craps machine. That machine should be a huge plus, depending on its minimum. I imagine that part of the reason for its presence is to make up for the removal of the second craps table. Now, the minimum at the craps table is sometimes above $3. The bouncy foam is still under the new felts.

The second roulette wheel was also removed. The roulette minimum seems to have been doubled. Don't know if the Fiesta H. roulette spin display has been fixed, as I can't afford the higher minimum, and one can almost walk to another casino that has ten cent roulette.

The change from Denny's to an in-house cafe has some drawbacks. One can no longer take advantage of the generous Denny's mail-outs, but, more importantly, the Fiesta H. buffet will no longer serve breakfast, as there is an in-house cafe. Very unhappy about this change, as the breakfast buffet is wonderful. Furthermore, one could arrive at the buffet at 10:30am, just before the changeover to lunch, and enjoy both breakfast and lunch items.

Of course, one of the biggest disappointments is that Dan is no longer dealing.

Incidentally, Station properties are pulling back on value promos. The $1 beers are gone at the Fiesta H. sportsbook events, and Station now has a policy of expiring unused table game credits -- I lost all of my accumulated credits in January. By the way, ≧100% return video poker will be discontinued (if it isn't already), and I think the Fiesta H. has eight of such machines.

Not sure if most of these changes are wise for a locals outfit. Some of my Henderson friends have switched from the Fiesta to Club Fortune, Eldorado and Joker's Wild.

Quote: tupp

Most of the "positive" changes are superficial -- new felts, reconfiguration of the pits, etc.

I wonder what that does to doc's infamous cold as hell craps table...

Quote:

Of course, one of the biggest disappointments is that Dan is no longer dealing.

Yes, well, Dan was the number one reason to go there. Number two was his game, of course. That, and Doc's kind offer of a ride all the way from Downtown. Otherwise it's too remote for me (yes, I do remember what bus to take <w>).