If You Ran a Casino in Las Vegas...

If you ran a casino is Las Vegas... what would you do differently to make your casino both more profitable and more enjoyable for its patrons.

I'll throw out a couple of my ideas:

1. Hire only the most personal and friendly dealers out there. Yes, speed and game protection is important, but players want to have fun.

2. Enforce good customer service across the board. Kind of a follow up to #1.

3. Have special "small time player hosts" walk around the casino and hand out small time comps. One of the most interesting things I have heard about was at a local casino which had a VIP parking lot. The VIP lot was in the same parking structure as the rest of the stalls, but you needed to place your VIP sticker in the window. A host would walk around and would randomly select a couple of slot or table game patrons who looked familiar (local players) and say, "For your valued patronage, I would like to present you a VIP parking sticker for the next month." It cost the casino nothing, but made the gambler return several more times that month.

4. As a follow up to #3, allow these same small time player hosts give away free breakfast buffets randomly to patrons. Or if you want to be cheaper, free hot dogs or drink specials. Find a quarter player plugging along steadily at a machine, and say, "We really appreciate you playing here. I'd like to give you this 2 for 1 drink special coupon at the (over priced) bar when you are done. Enjoy!"

I'm sure I'll come up with a few more, but want to hear what you would do differently if you ran a casino in Las Vegas.

I was thinking about this very topic last night.

I'd do two things - both of which are from the Vegas heyday, both attributed to the Rat Pack.


1 - Get performers to drop in, on stage, unannounced. While this may be impossible today, particularly with some performer's overinflated egos, it was a regular thing back then.

Admin note: removed image www.djteddybear.com/images/sands_dean_1.JPG


Admin note: removed image www.djteddybear.com/images/sands_dean_2.JPG
Check Dean's audience. Back in the day, even the STARS went to see the stars. In the audience you'll see Jack Benny, Lucille Ball and Debbie Reynolds!



2 - Let the perfomers run a game briefly. I don't know if it really happened, or how often, but the stories are that after a performance, the Rat Pack members used to take over a BJ table, and help the players cheat. Sure it cost the casinos. But how much? A couple bucks? It created an incredible buzz!

It shouldn't be hard to get today's performers to do the same thing. Heck, most would probably jump at the chance.


These two things helped make Vegas what it was. Do it again!


FYI: Both of those photos are from http://www.sheilaomalley.com/archives/006969.html

I would run my place a lot like the Wynn. Good gambling rules, friendly service, and competitive prices. I would not do gimmicks to get people through the door. Here are just two things I would do differently than Wynn does:

1. I wouldn't give locals the cold shoulder. For the same level of play, non-locals get much better mailers and invitations.

2. I would have an highly exclusive Asian gaming room, with a Macau style promotional chip program. I hear there is such a room high up in the Encore, but I doubt they do the promotional chips.

Alas, times have indeed changed.
While at the height of his career Frank Sinatra entered the room through the same doors his audience had used and walked through the audience to take his place on the stage. At the end of his show he announced "I'm Frank Sinatra" in the same manner as a young hopeful starting out in his career would try to impress his name upon the collective memory of his audience.
Try getting today's over inflated egos to do that! The over inflated egos of the stars ... or the over inflated egos of the audience!

And as for helping the players cheat?
When the stars of The Sopranos visited the Golden Nugget and one of the owners took over the dealing at a snapper table and turned it into what was obviously a media event wherein cards were being dealt whimsically... the Gaming Commission levied a whopping fine!

Times have changed... and not for the better!

On a more serious note: If I did indeed run a casino, I'd make it a pleasant place for the dealers to work. Decent food, decent scheduling on a month=long rotation, massage certificates for dealers at the spa. You think if the dealers are not happy they are going to want to make the players happy? Human Resources departments could all go play 6:5 if they wanted, I'd return ALL casino hiring and firing to the Box, Floor and Pit. And any dealer on the OnCall Board would have six months: after that he is either Full Time Dealer or he is let go. You give your employees a living wage and job security if you want them to work hard.

I'd return to REAL gambling instruction away from the casino floor. And a return to the Mob's number one rule: You have to let your customers be gamblers rather than sheep to be shorn. And I'd take some of those MindPlay blackjack tables that indicate to the dealer what the deck's current count is and then I'd tell the dealer: if there are two or more tips for you on that five dollar table, to announce the current count to the players! I'd have a profitable five dollar table overnight!

Quote: Wizard

1. I wouldn't give locals the cold shoulder. For the same level of play, non-locals get much better mailers and invitations.

this is why i use my parents address back in indiana for strip casinos and my vegas address for local casinos.

Quote: rudeboyoi

this is why i use my parents address back in indiana for strip casinos and my vegas address for local casinos.

Do you have identification with that Indiana address? If I could go back in time I would have moved here with a spare Maryland drivers license. The DMV asks you to surrender your out of state license upon asking for a Nevada one.

Quote: Wizard

Do you have identification with that Indiana address? If I could go back in time I would have moved here with a spare Maryland drivers license. The DMV asks you to surrender your out of state license upon asking for a Nevada one.

yes i still have identification from that address that doesnt expire for several years but im pretty sure im already in the system for all the properties on the strip with that address. downtown is a mix of here and there. not sure it really makes a difference because the only real difference in the mailers i get are for free hotel stays so i might switch all downtown properties to my nevada address just to not go through the hassle of having to get them mailed out to me. the only property i might consider keeping my indiana address for downtown is the golden nugget.

If I ran my own casino....wow!

The AsswhooperMcdaddy Casino & Resort features state of the art gaming combined with a relaxed easy on the eyes atmosphere. Check out some of the must haves below:

1.) Dining - A high-end steakhouse, a decent buffet (crab legs+mussels intraweek instead of on the weekend to drive profitability), starbucks on one end and dunkin donuts on the other, a good italian restaurant cause the smell of garlic makes people go wild, a spice market/deli, and sushi joint.

2.) Entertainment - Jazz club, which doubles as a small concert venue, and a high end bar/lounge and one medium-end bar in the center of the casino gaming floor. Hotties all around please.

3.) Gaming Comps - Gotta take care of our clients/patrons. If we have extra occupancy, I'd like to see some rooms allocated to a wandering host and some of the pit managers to comp medium rollers, big winners, and frequent patrons. Considering that most casinos are running 85% of below occupancy, I think allocating 5-10% of rooms as part of a comp program would be nice. Imagine having a good night and being up $2-300, and a pit manager coming over to thank you for being such a frequent loyal patron and getting comped a room on the spot. I've heard of many hotels where the occupancy rate is 50% and they still won't give players a break. I also want all players rated regardless of bet size. It's good to know if you have a frequent low roller thats not being picked up by a comp system. I also want the wandering host or pit boss to be able to offer comp tickets to the jazz/concert shows. Use a run-rate to estimate how many seats on average are not filled, take a haircut of that number and give it to the patrons. Also, I want pitbosses to be able to offer a food comp to low-to-mid players that drop some money on the table. Not an obligation, but something nice to offer. "Excuse me sir, our resort values your patronage. I see that you're having a rough night. Gee, guess the cards/dice weren't in your favor. Can I offer you a complementary $5/$10 coupon at the our local spice market/deli? Maybe your luck will improve after a break?" You ever get blown out with 10 consecutive losses at Blackjack or Craps?

4.)Friendly Staff - no hustling allowed. You want dealers to provide a great gambling experience. Not leave them with a bitter after taste. It's bad enough if they're losing money, no need to make people feel like crap.

5.)If the hotel is located in vegas, I want both an indoor and outdoor pool area. Afterall, it gets cold in the winter and sometimes people want to take a dip. Definitely need a good spa too, multiple showers, multiple jacuzzis of differing temps, fresh fruit and drinks, the works.

6.)I would like to have modern hotel rooms with a good looking marble bathroom. Once again, easy on the eyes. 24hr kitchen/room service too. I get the munchies.

7.) What about the kids? - casinos need either an arcade or some kind of play area for kids ie basketball, tennis, daycare, or miniature golf course. You could price this into a family package or ala carte.

8.) Shopping - Have you guys ever been to the high end stores in vegas and noticed no one is buying anything? Because its too damn expensive. You need middle America middle income retail stores combined with only a few smaller private higher end stores. I'll trade you Neiman Marcus for an Eddie Bauer, Cartier for a Tiffany's that specializes in trinkets with a handful of lower priced bling, Rolex for Omega or Tourneau, Toysrus for KBToys, you need a souvenir shop, and you need a booth that specializes in tours and site seeing. A pawn shop in the casino I think would be a great idea. A low-roller having a big night might be more inclined to spend on a lower markup retail item.

9.) Gaming - Need a sports book, all the table games, plenty of slot machines, poker lounge, and a high rollers lounge.

Am I missing anything??? How can I make your stay at the AsswhooperMcDaddy Casino & Resort better?

Quote: Asswhoopermcdaddy

8.) Shopping - Have you guys ever been to the high end stores in vegas and noticed no one is buying anything? Because its too damn expensive. You need middle America middle income retail stores combined with only a few smaller private higher end stores. I'll trade you Neiman Marcus for an Eddie Bauer, Cartier for a Tiffany's that specializes in trinkets with a handful of lower priced bling, Rolex for Omega or Tourneau, Toysrus for KBToys, you need a souvenir shop, and you need a booth that specializes in tours and site seeing. A pawn shop in the casino I think would be a great idea. A low-roller having a big night might be more inclined to spend on a lower markup retail item.

having a pawnshop in your casino will probably be bad for you image not to mention some potential frivolous lawsuits.

Quote: Asswhoopermcdaddy

(crab legs+mussels intraweek instead of on the weekend to drive profitability)

Personally, it irritates me that I have to pay at lot extra because the buffet puts one or two expensive items out there.

Quote: Asswhoopermcdaddy

starbucks on one end and dunkin donuts on the other,

Nice idea, but neither would agree to allow their competition in the same location. And, yeah, half a mile away, but under the same roof, is still the same location.

Quote: Asswhoopermcdaddy

How can I make your stay at the AsswhooperMcDaddy Casino & Resort better?

First, change the name. I don't need another casino to give me an ass whooping!

If I ran a Vegas casino I'd have the absolute worst games out there. Blackjack would be all 6:5, H17, double only on 10/11, NO odds allowed at all on craps, and triple-zero roulette. I'd rake in a fortune because none of these idiots who patronize us know what they're doing, right? I'd have a small and overpriced buffet, and comps for it only go to anyone betting purple for 5 hours on Caribbean Stud. Comp rooms, forget it. I'd hire dealers who never smile or talk to players (even if they wanted to talk to players, they couldn't because they don't speak any English), cocktail waitresses who openly berate players who don't tip them, and menacing-looking security guards (preferably ex-cons) who stare at suspected card counters to intimidate them, or anyone who is winning too much. Then I'd take all the money I rake in and blow it on gambling at a decent casino.

I'd be the first casino to post all the odds on ALL the games and I'd advertise it.

"The only place that tells you the odds"

But I'd try to give incentives to make people want to play games where they are losing money. Popular games would have slightly worse odds. Possibly the same games with different odds would have Better service and amenities, more comfortable seating and lighting where you're ready to waste more money. Possibly, just the way it is now, but you'd be aware of it.

I'd have full pay video poker, but for instance, you'd have to go to a bar and get your own drink. And easy VP games would play slow, while complex strategies would be fast machines.

I'd do things in the "poor odds" section like someone could win free show tickets and other promotions.

Interesting about that "Full Video Poker, but get up and go get your own drinks". Is this to force abandonment of the machine so as to eliminate hoggers or is it to simply not waste booze on someone who is at a 100.19 percent machine?

Its still more efficient to have a drink specified from the machine itself so that the CW makes one trip and the timing is exact, not estimated or influenced by the CW's tips.

I do like the "odds disclosed" ... I'd have each and every slot machine indicated also.

The more comfortable chairs at the least beneficial machines perhaps but I'd not make a big deal about it.

It seems we would all either like to own Harrahs and loot the money for ourselves or we would all like to run a real gambling joint and accept a bottom line that was not maximized.

Which would you prefer as a stockholder? Frankly, I'd go for the real gambling joint rather than Harrahs, even as a stock holder.

Quote: rxwine

I'd be the first casino to post all the odds on ALL the games and I'd advertise it.
"The only place that tells you the odds"

You might be able to collect a lot of dollar machines that the casinos are giving up in exchange for penny machines. I think with all dollar machines you could use the setting with the lowest HA and advertise it and get away with it.

I don't get the "get up and get your own drinks". The more alcohol consumed, the much greater chance that a player wouldn't be able to play perfect strategy, and would therefore never get the 100%+ return.

Quote: ruascott

I don't get the "get up and get your own drinks".

Probably a lawsuit waiting to happen. The old timers would tell you that high touch is the most important aspect of a profitable casino. They think that table minimums should be reduced again so that there is wild free for all aspect to the casinos. That's how you create memorable experiences and new generations of customers. Too much self serve and automation and people will just play on their computers.

I guess that's another way to look at it, ruascott, though feeding drinks to people playing in the high return areas (to the casino that is) would be where I'd expect to reap most of the benefits anyway.

I don't know if the whole posting odds thing would work and stay profitable, but hey, stores can get away with selling products side by side with different prices, and some people will buy something more expensive over every bargain for different reasons (quality, percieved quality, works better, , or they think it works better, reputation), so i figure maybe you could sell the the same idea "openly" instead of hiding it.

Supposedly big spenders get the most luxury, contribute most to the bottom line -- just be open about it instead of hiding it. Show em a better time, or give more back for that -- just like they do now but post the odds too.

If there was only a half percentage point between a noisy rowdy crowded table game vs, a laid back one you're probably going to get some patrons who are going to pay for a more pleasant atomosphere without considering that 1/2 percent.

That's my theory anyway.

Are there online places that offer greater than 100% return, no catches? I will play there myself.

I would try to promote table games more. Get slot players to start playing on table games as well. Friendly dealers ect.

I would also add to the player tracking how good the player plays. I.E. on a BJ table when the player leaves the dealer/pit boss should choose either good average or bad as far as how the player is playing. Players that make lots of mistakes and play 6/5 would get lots of offers to come back. For craps players that bet alot of prop bets it would be noted. Those players would be targeted for more comps/offers to get them coming back more.

I would offer a good gamble, but to do that, you would have to promote that somehow. And promoting it would mean educating the public, and we know how hard THAT is.

An improvement that I think would be easy to do would be to make the table game area by itself. I mean NOT surrounded by slot machines dinging away. That is why I like Monte Carlo, because a lot of the table pits don't have slots right next to them.

Quote: gambler

If you ran a casino is Las Vegas... what would you do differently to make your casino both more profitable and more enjoyable for its patrons.


I'm sure I'll come up with a few more, but want to hear what you would do differently if you ran a casino in Las Vegas.

Why limit it to Las Vegas, but here is what I would do (assume things like the sports book idea would have to be NV Only)

1. Limit the size of the place to allow some genuine one-to-one service. Maybe 1,000 rooms is plenty? Know why I hate the MGM Grand? Because I want to go to a casino, not Disney World. If more rooms are needed to make up for the high real-estate prices I'd set it up as 3-4 "mini hotels" with a tower; desk; and concierage for just that tower. At 1,000 rooms you have a chance you could have some people recognize you.

2. A restaurant for every purse and purpose. There would be a Bininos-style coffee shop and nice buffet for the bottom end; a couple places based on a theme (mexican; asian, etc) then on Cadillac-style place where you get the best but it might cost. And if you order room service you get it before next week.

3. Aggressive limits on table games. An empty or closed $10 table makes less than a full $5 table. Low limits during the day, rise them up at night.

4. Good, friendly dealers. Quit trying to automate every effing game. It is a casino, not an arcade. I can play "electronic" BJ, Craps, and Roulette at home online. I come to the casino to feel and watch the cards, dice, or ball. (OK, I don't personally play roulette, but just saying.)

5. Dealers go for their own tips. Craps would be crew-for-crew and they would stay on the same crews as much as possible. Back to 40 on/20 off for dealers. (Maybe 60/20, but NOT 80/20.) A rested dealer is a friendly dealer, a worn out dealer is a rude dealer.

6. Allow and even require pit bosses to give out some mini-comps. Give out a few free meals, etc. Low cost but word would get out.

7. Fire any pit boss who sweated the money and acted negatively. You have the best of it after all.

8. Good games, good rules, actually let people get some play. A player who loses fast will never come back. Those who get longer play come back. Keep them coming back. The more they play the more they lose. In the end we get it all, but the end doesn't have to happen tonight as we will be here years.

Quote: pacomartin

You might be able to collect a lot of dollar machines that the casinos are giving up in exchange for penny machines. I think with all dollar machines you could use the setting with the lowest HA and advertise it and get away with it.

I don't think the Gaming Commission types allow any one to say "loosest" or "lowest". They can only say "loose" or "low". I can't recall the regulation though. This was just some comment on a Travel Channel program.

"high touch" ??? What exactly would that mean?

Frenzied chaotic action would turn alot of people away. Casinos did very well with Baccarat being in the evenings only and off in a separate alcove ... sort of an emulation of the snobbery of a European Salon. There is value in peace and quiet or atleast closer to peace and quiet than the rock 'n roll blaring nonsense some casinos now pipe in.

Locals vs. Tourists: Even if the place did have an orientation, I'd sure not let it be known to the players. If tourists provide more money to you then you market to them but you don't exclude locals. Many casinos seem to be a blend of High End Locals and Budget Minded Tourists so I'd aim for that market by satisfying both.

Basically if I ran a casino I'd make it a Casino rather than a Harrah's type Shearing Shed. I'd even put the word out to the hookers: no light fingers allowed!

Quote: FleaStiff

I'd even put the word out to the hookers: no light fingers allowed!

I'm not sure if I want to know, but, what did you mean by that?