Why Las Vegas?
Quote: klimate10When I first started going to Vegas in the 90s, the philosophy of most casinos was to make money on gambling, and most everything else was a loss leader.
Rooms were cheap, food was truly cheap, and alcohol was free.
Then casinos realized that everything could be used to extract a profit, including parking.
People say Vegas has great food. I respectfully disagree. Vegas foods masks as good food, but it’s mostly gimmicks and celebrity chefs exploiting their name recognition with mediocre but overpriced food. Instead of just chocolate cake, the exact same cake is now Midnight Gonache Butter Creme Mudslide Indulgence Cake by World renown chef Ramone at $25 a slice for a limited offering, please order in advance (so we can microwave the center to make it warm and faux fresh and then spread icing on it).
That's pretty much not true. I understand how you believe Golden Corral is equally as good as most Vegas buffets. The Golden Corral Buffet is $12. Regular Las Vegas buffets run about $28. And there are some excellent dining options on the strip in Vegas, and yes, most are overpriced.
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And then the gambling has all gone downhill, with 6:5 BJ, low odds craps, etc. Casinos no longer compete on gambling promotions. Many casinos, like the Strat used to advertise 100x odds and 100% return slots. Double deck BJ with stand on 17 rules were normal. Nowadays, not even the Casino Royale has 100x odds.
I really see no reason to go to Vegas nowadays.
Fair enough.
Quote: VegasriderI understand the entertainment and dining aspect of Vegas. It's A+, no better place in my opinion, and I understand it's an attraction for the tourist.
But I'm asking the members on this forum who are primarily gamblers, not tourist, many who are AP's, who are expecting to receive free food and lodging, and trying to win. Why Vegas? Again, unless you like to play live poker, or you are really a high roller who has a host who will take care of you, , I think you may have better success gambling in Reno and certainly stretch your dollar farther with the casinos.
Since I have no experience in Reno except one short stay, it's still a mystery to me where the money comes from for an AP VP player. One can look at vpfree2 and see what most Vegas casinos give in terms of free play and comps. By trial and error, I have spent enough time there and know enough people to share info with so that I know how the Vegas joints are with mailers. Not so with Reno, I'm in the dark about mailers. And if you look at Reno casinos on vpfree2, most of them are vague, saying that so and so depends on theo, the weather, and pretty much try to guess. I can't imagine that a place like Peppermill or Atlantis would let you keep hammering them as a local when playing their excellent paytables and give you any kind of good mailer, not for long anyway. Of course, the same can be said for Vegas. It's well known that Stations will get tired of winners eventually and de-mail you, and a place like South Point will even de-card you. lol That's one reason I like progressives, go ahead and take my card, I don't care, just don't 86 me.
Quote: bobbartopMickey had some good stories about Laughlin.
Some, I'll assume, were even true.
It's as if they thought/knew, at least at the time, if they gouged you too bad you wouldn't come back. Nowadays, it seems as if they think it doesn't matter how fast they rape you. They just want the money as fast as possible from as many people as they can get NOW, and worry about getting you back in the door later, if not, they probably think there are enough people to replace you.
Who knows if their strategy will work? In the short term, it seems as if people will pay anything. Only time will tell. When will they just make gambling the official pass time?
What does everyone think casino business will look like 20 years from now?
Quote: AxelWolfBack in the day, I think they had the idea to make it seem as if you got value from your playing and your money by allowing people to last longer. Simple, you play longer, keep coming back, and they can grind you down for even more money.
It's as if they thought/knew, at least at the time, if they gouged you too bad you wouldn't come back. Nowadays, it seems as if they think it doesn't matter how fast they rape you. They just want the money as fast as possible from as many people as they can get NOW, and worry about getting you back in the door later, if not, they probably think there are enough people to replace you.
Who knows if their strategy will work? In the short term, it seems as if people will pay anything. Only time will tell. When will they just make gambling the official pass time?
What does everyone think casino business will look like 20 years from now?
Once the boomers die off casinos are dead.
Its a question of Abstraction. We say "Vegas" but that can be Big Strip, Little Strip or Downtown. (NLV too but if any casino there sneezes, the stats change).
We say Geritol Country as a euphemism for Laughlin but the traffic is miniscule and what motorists there are tend to be sober. Darn few crazies anywhere in sight.
We say 'food' or 'dining experience' but that embraces a wide range of options. Buffets are at times lavishly displayed but just how many of those 72 pieces of strawberry shortcake do you intend to eat? If presented with 44 desert options or 144 desert options... well, you get the idea. In my youth I preferred the small downtown buffets because of the unlimited milk that was not available on the Strip. A weird and trivial item but for me it was relevant.
Gambling? Sams Town is overall pretty good, has carts, standby oxygen, craps (particularly that All Tall Small stuff) but many wives want The Venetian for opulent style even if its slots are lowest in town. Instead of a bargain in every casino, its a bargain here and there depending on what is important to you. This means shuttles, time, etc. but its all available. Heck, even for those who want to do darn fool things like exercise can go to Red Rock and climb walls or ride horses. Probably a better chance of getting a bargain at random in Reno but in Vegas you can seek out a bargain.
Vegas casinos feature "the buzz" and Vegas as a town has a buzz all its own. Behavior changes when people enter a casino and it changes when people enter Vegas.
Quote: AxelWolfBack in the day, I think they had the idea to make it seem as if you got value from your playing and your money by allowing people to last longer. Simple, you play longer, keep coming back, and they can grind you down for even more money.
This reminds me of an old TV commercial. I can't remember what they were selling but I always remembered this
HUSBAND: Come on Honey , I only have 3 days to win a bundle.
WIFE: But Dear, even if you win a bundle, you will still be down 6 bundles!
Good hotels: Nope. Only 3 of them even have hotels and two of the three only have one floor,
Good betting limits: Nope. CO mandates that the max bet is $100.
World class chefs: No way.
Shows and entertainment: Not one casino has anything or anyone.
That should be answer enough.
The only upside of CO vs. Vegas is that you can win consistently at poker because you're playing against a bunch of local yokels and not in the big leagues with people who collude against the tourists for a living.
