Hard Rock & Seminole Hollywood...

Quote: DeMango

Don't know how it is for you on the east coast, but here on the west coast ...

For the benefit of anyone who might be confused, the poster means the west coast of Florida. As to mailers? Hah. Harrah's mailers about those free/discounted flights to Biloxi are a joke. Before you have even received your mailer the flight is half sold, its fully sold within the very first day of the word going out. They track everyone who calls them in response to the mailing, but the seats sell out by the first day.

Seminole mailers are not much better. I've had monthly specials touted in the mailer at mid-month.

Roulette and craps?? Fort Myers Beach possibly. Otherwise, go to Biloxi. (Note on Craps: Thursday evening cruise, Friday, Saturday and Sunday: craps on both cruises from Fort Myers Beach) .

Quote: teddys

Did they say the offer was subject to availability? ...

Of course the offer was subject to availability. If the hotel were actually sold out, I would have no beef at all. But they do have rooms available -- their standard rooms that they are willing to rent to me for an average $100+/night instead of for free as advertised. Their claim is that the "offer" is sold out. They will not address the topic of whether this offer is still available to other people who received it. It was just not available to me from day 1. My complaint is that I shouldn't have been led on by an offer, via snail mail and the web site, which it is clear (at least to me) that they were never willing to honor for me.

It would be far better for them either to honor such offers or never extend them in the first place. I am confident that there are outstanding offers being made all the time but which I never hear about, because I don't provide them the business to warrant my receiving such offers.

Quote: FleaStiff

For the benefit of anyone who might be confused, the poster means the west coast of Florida. ...

Ooops! I was indeed one of the folks who misunderstood. I thought that the Tampa/St. Pete area was promoted as the "Sun Coast" not the "West Coast".

You're correct. It's promoted as the Sun Coast of Florida

Locals think of it more as an East Coast/West Coast thing. Having lived in Tampa for 16 years it was always East Coast/West Coast. I think I only heard it referred to in that way in tourism bureau commercials or brochures.

BTW, there is also a Hard Rock Seminole Casino in Tampa off of I-4 by the State Fair Grounds. They used to have Bingo and sell cigarettes until about 10 years ago when they built the New "Hard Rock" Casino and Hotel. The last time I was there, about 5 years ago, they had a Poker room and slots in addition to Bingo. Have they added more table games since then?

Quote: ten2win

You're correct. It's promoted as the Sun Coast of Florida

Locals think of it more as an East Coast/West Coast thing. Having lived in Tampa for 16 years it was always East Coast/West Coast. I think I only heard it referred to in that way in tourism bureau commercials or brochures.

BTW, there is also a Hard Rock Seminole Casino in Tampa off of I-4 by the State Fair Grounds. They used to have Bingo and sell cigarettes until about 10 years ago when they built the New "Hard Rock" Casino and Hotel. The last time I was there, about 5 years ago, they had a Poker room and slots in addition to Bingo. Have they added more table games since then?

wow, quite a fan of DJ!

I did a blog post on my visit there.

PS: Pai Gow Poker experience there

It was a VERY profound Comment made by DJ on another thread about Side Bet House Edges?

Quote: DJTeddyBear

Actually, it's the other way around.

Because they've got a high house edge, the casino allows you to bet below the table minimum, to encourage the side bet action.

I've said it before: Anytime the casino offers a bet for less than the table minimum, ask yourself why.

FWIW: Although not really 'side bets', the junk in the middle of a craps table falls right in line with this reasoning.

I especially like the last part relating it to the middle of the craps table!

Quote: Doc

Of course the offer was subject to availability. If the hotel were actually sold out, I would have no beef at all. But they do have rooms available -- their standard rooms that they are willing to rent to me for an average $100+/night instead of for free as advertised. Their claim is that the "offer" is sold out. They will not address the topic of whether this offer is still available to other people who received it. It was just not available to me from day 1. My complaint is that I shouldn't have been led on by an offer, via snail mail and the web site, which it is clear (at least to me) that they were never willing to honor for me.

It would be far better for them either to honor such offers or never extend them in the first place. I am confident that there are outstanding offers being made all the time but which I never hear about, because I don't provide them the business to warrant my receiving such offers.

To be honest, that is shady and a little creepy. I've usually never had a problem with Harrah's TR system. Sometimes offers appear in my mailbox, sometimes they appear on my "My TR" page, and sometimes I just use the reservation calendar and look for the "COMP" symbol. They have been pretty straightforward about what I do and do not have available. However, if I got an offer (either electronically or by mail) and then was told "Sorry, we're SOLD OUT for that offer" the very next day, I would be pissed, as you were.

I have gotten offers from other companies that were competely sold out when I tried to call. One was for weekend rooms at a casino near a large metropolitan area. I called a week later and was told every weekend was sold out under the offer. That was bush league. Marketing should NOT underestimate the demand. If they know they are going to go that fast, send less people the offer. As it was, it probably pissed a lot of people off that they weren't able to get it in time.

Quote: Doc

At the moment, I am a bit peeved at Caesars for the way they ....

After grumping extensively about how Caesars Entertainment would not honor the free-nights offer at Grand Biloxi that they had sent to me (claiming it was sold out on day 1), I thought I should post a follow-up. Now that we are approaching the date of my planned visit, they are indeed honoring the offer (almost), and I have booked three free nights for next week.

Originally the offer said that the free nights were available Sunday through Friday nights. Then they weren't available at all. This weekend, they started offering Mon - Wed nights for free. Today, the allowed a free night on Thursday, but they still are not offering Friday night for free. Perhaps they would if I waited a few more days. I chose to book Tue-Thu rather than waiting.

Summary: Delete or at least temper my earlier rant. I don't like the way they handled it, but in the end I am getting pretty much what I wanted.

It's slow over there, that was last week. This week, Spring Break, may not have been as busy as hoped for. At any case enjoy the new crapless table! Place bets at $5-$15. Buy bets at $20. Vig unfortunately paid up front for the extreme numbers only. Normal buy rules (vig on win) for the 4,5,9,10.

Oh yes, they've added Blackjack, MiniBacc and some miscellaneous stuff. The Seminoles are making a fortune on their more major casinos, but even the tiny ones such as Immokalee, FL are raking in the dough. State law prevents the Seminole casinos from offering either Craps or Roulette but I expect that will change within two years, particularly if the Mega-Casino-Laws go thru. The first Mega Casino would be in Miami but would probably be a decade-long project.

Presently, Craps can be offered on a day boat out of Fort Myers Beach about two hours south of the Tampa Hard Rock casino but that day boat only offers craps from Thursday Evening through Sunday Evening. Roulette is available on all sailings but I don't believe I've ever seen much action there. The nautical BJ is dealt fast. The nautical craps is at a fast pace too. The boat is largely slot machines and I've no idea if the Moss Marine's Big M Casino boat out of Fort Myers Beach is any sort of bargain when compared to the Seminole casino offerings for slot machines and blackjack.