F1 Hates You. (Yes, you.)

 'Las Vegas Biggest Event in Years was a Disaster'

And while I think "Disaster" is a bit of a reach it certainly was not the grand slam that organizers were hoping for.

Yes, the actual race was, by F1 standards, pretty good.  There were actual lead-changes and some overtaking for a change. Typically F1 races are decided by qualifying and the cars, too big for the older tracks they run on, pretty much just go around with the leader (previously Lewis Hamilton but now Max Verstappen) pulling away and winning by several seconds. While it might be among the most glamorous, and most expensive, of the racing circuits, in terms of actual racing it is the absolute worst. F1 is terrible.

But the television broadcast was a pretty thing. (Full disclosure, I wanted none to do with actually being in Las Vegas for this event). The dynamic of the cars going full-chat down the Strip and the really cool Sphere in the background was awesome. Martin Brundle's grid-walk had plenty of rich, famous and other cool stuff, just like they wanted.

I even hear that the high-rollers showed up on race night, and casino employees in the tip pool did quite well. So the very rich Euro-trash showed up on their private jets as well.  Good deal for all.

In the end, that's all that F1 really cares about. That they had stars and the wealthy at the race and on TV providing the whole shoddy mess with an air of faux-sophistication. In some ways, that's VERY modern Las Vegas Strip.

Because, and this is important, just like the employees and owners of the Las Vegas Strip casinos, F1 hates you (and me) the common folk. 

Oh sure, they NEED us, but they hate us. They want our attention and our money and (important for F1) our eyes on televisions but, if they had their druthers, they would really prefer if you'd just take the table scraps that they give you, fork over your money for little return and then politely STFU.

Already there are social media chatter from Las Vegas Strip employees that they would really prefer if just Strip employees were allowed to comment on things and the visitors just be silent. The idea that the Strip employee is the center of Las Vegas, and not the paying customer, is an issue that some cruise ships are dealing with and it's not something good to get a toehold in an area that relies on customer service.

Mrs. TPM and I have been to Las Vegas hundreds of times. We've been on the Strip for many of those. we abandoned the Strip a few years back because we noticed these conditions creeping in but we went back on our last trip to check out a VGK game.

The service that we received at NYNY Center bar was amongst the rudest we've ever experienced. It was very cleat that were were imposing on the bartender's time rather than being the reason for it.

And that's exactly how F1 views the general public. A problem that has to be tolerated, not an opportunity to make new fans. You're a nuisance to them, something they have to put up with in order to take your money from you. They kicked the public out of the viewing areas ahead of Free Practice 2 (after FP1 was cancelled after 8 minutes and everything thrown into a mess by Carlos Sainz' car getting chopped up like scallions in a Gordon Ramsey restaurant by a loose drain cover.) simply because the race organizers did not want to pay overtime to the employees they hired to cater the event.

They did their level best to block the view of any location where people might be able to glimpse a second of race action without paying for a ticket, and (by many accounts) their private security service was screaming at people walking around the Strip during the race. If you weren't walking fast enough, you got screamed at.

Here's the thing though.  The race seemed to do OK. Probably nowhere near the (*snickers*) $1.3B economic impact that was predicted, but well enough to ensure that, next year, all of this happens again, and again and again for the next nine years. On race night, the grand stands were full, Shaq and Brad Pitt were on Pit Lane telling everyone how marvelous things were, Max Verstappen (the race winner and the most unlikable champion of this generation) even put on an Elvis inspired racing suit after weeks of saying the whole thing was a sham, that he hated Las Vegas, and would just skip the whole mess were it up to him.

Now, the checkered flag has been waved, the teams have moved on to their next, meaningless, race (the driver's and all-important constructor's title having long been decided) and the Las Vegas Convention and Visitor's Bureau is warning people that it will take "at least" 8 weeks to tear everything down.

Looking at my calendar that means somewhere around mid-January. Which means that F1 could cock-up the New Year's Strip fireworks as well.

From that sense F1 Las Vegas is peak Corporate Vegas.  Enjoy.

It's the end of the Comp as we Know it. (And I'm not Fine)

 In October this year Mrs. TPM and I visited Las Vegas for our "Birthday" trip.  It was technically the week before both of our birthdays (She, Oct 30th. Me Halloween) but we always time it like this because it's easier for me to take off of work during that week.

And, for the first time in about 5 years, we actually set foot on the Las Vegas Strip.

The occasion was a Vegas Golden Knights game. Our birthday gift to each other.  We were staying at Silverton (more on that in a later post) so we took an Uber down to Mandalay Bay, and walked down to NY/NY Casino where we sat at the center bar to allow me to play a little VP prior to the pre-game.

Shock #1:  Even when playing video Poker, you cannot get a Tito's and Soda comped.

Some context here:  I was playing Triple Play, Double Super Times Pay at the Quarter level. That's $5.25 per bet.  As I was reminded, on my last moments on Twitter (X, whatever) that's still a "low roller bet". Yes, it is. I've never stated that I was a high-roller, nor am I making that case here. What I was saying was that I had never had "that" particular alcohol denied at "that" particular bet level. Hell, I've never been denied Tito's and Soda at $1.25/hand.

There's a reason that the Strip has been a no-fly zone for me for quite a while now. Going back to it I was reminded why I did not miss it at all.

Shock #2: $16 bucks for said Tito's and Soda

The second argument made to me was that Tito's was a "premium liquor".

Uh, no. It's most certainly not. If you think it is then you know remarkably little about actual, premium liquor. Tito's is a GOOD vodka at a relatively low price point. A "Premium" Vodka would be Chopin, or Belevedere. (Grey Goose (I guess) which is more marketing and hype than actual quality. Tito's is a much better vodka to be perfectly honest.)

And $16 for a Tito's and Soda is close enough to price gouging as makes no difference.  You can almost buy an entire bottle (750ml) for that amount. Go ahead, look it up.  I'll wait.

Shock #3: Given the prices they charge, the Strip casinos are remarkably shabby.

Dirty, in disrepair in places. Whatever they're using the money for in those now it's not maintenance folks.

When you add this to the news, from these folks that MGM is no longer allowing for redemption of MyVegas (Konami) free play when staying in a comped room, it all adds up to the realization that gambling comps, are the first on the firing line for Strip casinos.

Free play and free drinks are what made gambling in Vegas a greater value proposition than gambling at a locals casino for some. You can debate the pros/cons/worthiness of Comp (or VooDoo) match to your hearts content, at the end of the day saving $100-$200 on food, around $1,000 on a room and receiving $200-$300 in free play, is money that I would not otherwise be able to dedicate to gaming, shows, entertainment or other expenditures.

Yes, you can still receive comped rooms fairly easily through MGM and Caesars, provided you're willing to pay their resort fee, and a pittance in "resort credit" but if you're looking for free play or other gaming related comps the value is no longer there. And it's going to get worse.

The issue with a LOT of the Vegas vloggers and bloggers and Twitter (X, whatever) experts these days is that, despite calling themselves degenerates, none of them are actually GAMBLERS. "What's the difference?" you ask. Well, I'll tell you.  Degenerates hop up on a penny slot and press the heck out of that button, often blowing through money, going to the ATM and then blowing through that.

Gamblers have worked on gaming in an effort to try and get better. There is a strategy to Video Poker that you can learn, there is advanced strategy (above and beyond the basic strategy cards the casinos will sell you) in blackjack. And I'm not referring to card counting. There are people who have played Baccarat for years and can cut up a shoe no matter what the trend is. There is even some, limited, strategy and technique to dice throwing (setting, proper bounce off the wall) that can slightly improve your odds at Craps*. There is no strategy that can help you win at slots.

Even as someone who considers themselves a gambler (not a professional, but a gambler, I admit to just sitting down at a slot and hitting the button on occasion. I'm a sucker for Dancing Drums, I'm a sucker for Piggy Bankin' etc. Some times it's just fun to sit down at a machine, press a button, and laugh at the music and graphics for a bit. To root hard when you get a bonus, or when you tip the lid of the pot, that you're timing was right and you got something good. This is usually after a frustrating session of video poker where you were on a machine with a good pay-table (none of those on the Strip either FWIW) had played perfect strategy for an hour or so, and drew absolutely the cards you didn't need every time. For me, the slots are a sometimes much needed mental break.

Look, I'm not saying that you should not go to the Las Vegas Strip. If you want the fancy bars, the celebrity restaurants, the night-clubs, the party-pools and the illusion of luxury, and aren't worried about paying for it, then the Las Vegas Strip is going to be your place. If you want to party and party and spend money and gain card status off of that spend then the Strip is still probably OK for you.

But if you want to GAMBLE. I mean really GAMBLE to the level that you have a host at several places, are getting decent comps, resort credits and free-play based off of that gamble then the Strip is certainly no longer for you.

Las Vegas is the Entertainment Capitol of the World. What it is no longer is the Gambling Capitol of the World and I don't think they have much of a prayer of regaining that title.

*Note: There is a LOT of disagreement as to whether dice setting or throwing the dice properly to where they barely bounce off the wall works, there are proponents on both sides.

We Blew Up the Town (really: Our Livers)

  It's Hell getting old.

Last week Mrs. TPM and I celebrated 25 years of Marriage in Las Vegas. We hadn't been there since our October '22 trip.  We're going to be back in October '23.

We will NOT be imbibing in as much alcohol on this upcoming trip as we did the last.

My liver physically hurt. I swear.  When you hit 50 you cannot drink like you could in your 30s. The metabolism isn't the same. I also, for probably the first trip ever, got really tired of sitting at a bar and playing Video Poker. This despite the fact that we actually had a winning trip.

Oh sure, we did things. We walked over to Downtown Summerlin, we went to The Arsenal for VGK gear at City National Arena, we walked through the District by Green Valley Ranch. We ate good food, enjoyed the sunset package at Legacy Club in Circa, we stood out and listened to bands on Fremont Street. But, when in a casino we usually found a bar and a VP machine and just did.

So, I'm not going to do that anymore. Am I still going to play video poker? Yup. Because I'm halfway decent at it and have been known to make some money on the game. But it's not all going to be bartop, because there the drinks come too fast. We were actually in the room going to sleep before 10PM some evenings. That's unheard of us for Las Vegas.  As a matter of fact, we only stayed up "early" 3AM, once the entire trip.

We did win though. I hit a Royal Flush on our Anniversary and got 4 Aces times 10 on Super Times Pay another night. ($2000 at the quarter level). Throw in a bunch of 4OAKS (some with kickers) and 2 $500 Video Keno trips and you have a profit.

Other than that?  Some thoughts.

1. Regardless of your thoughts on Circa, I know some hate it and some love it (I'm in the latter group) their King beds are the best that I've slept on in Vegas. The A/C could be better (make sure to turn the fan up to high or the room gets stuffy) but it works. We slept great there no matter what.

2. GVR used to be my favorite off-Strip casino but it's fallen apart of late. The Service, and staff, are still good, but management is getting stingy with the offers. We had no welcome note from our host, and no acknowledgement of our 25th wedding anniversary,  At Circa we got a card and a coupon and a bottle of bubbly.

3. Best Meals of the Trip?  1. Botigglia 2. Borracho 3. Andiamos?  To be honest, after the first two the gap to #3 is pretty big. I was disappointed in Andiamos this time around. The service was good but the food was.....lacking.  A LOT of it came off as reheated, or par cooked and fired. While some things, like the Veal Osso Bucco were excellent, the meatball was just OK, and Mrs. TPM's veal chop was good, but I've had better. But the Tuscan wine by the glass was good, as was the complimentary Crème Brulee they provided us as an anniversary gift.

4. Status: I'm Platinum at Stations and Maverick at the Stephen's casinos. Not sure where I am at 4Queens but I played a TON there trying to knock over one of their very high Dollar progressives on the Suited Royal Jacks or Better games. (almost $12K for Clubs, hovering around $9K for Diamonds)

5. Mrs. TPM put $10 bucks on the Jaguars to win it all at +3100. No, I don't think they are going to win it either but I'm sure rooting for them now.

6. I updated fairly regularly on Twitter. (X, whatever), You can follow me there if you like. I'm @coryWcrow My account is private so you have to request to follow and I have to approve it. Don't worry, if you're not a bot I probably will approve.

7. I did not record one video.  I thought about it but I just did not want to pull that trigger.

8. After leaving Kaptyn limo service (formerly Presidential) we had good rides, clean cars and nice drivers with Bell Limousine. Might try them again in October.

9. United first class on the old 737s is more comfortable than United first on the 737/Max planes. The old seats are better.  The food was fair and the crew makes too many damn announcements.

10. Lastly. Thank you Mrs. TPM, for 25 years of putting up with my shit.  Love you.

So, good luck, good eats and good drinks.

Post-COVID Gambling: Why I'm Done with Las Vegas

Honestly, at this point, you can keep it.

Las Vegas has changed, almost entirely for the worse. I've spent a lot of time on here in recent months bemoaning bad odds, tightened (or non-existent) comps, increasing fees, declining properties, rising prices and a general loss of focus on customer service in Las Vegas that has all added up to what amounts to a large middle-finger to the traditional Las Vegas Visitor.

Enough with the gamblers, Huzzah! to the Day Club patrons, the pool partiers, the people who want to pay rack rate for a 3rd rate room. In short, those with little concern that they're being financially assaulted, willingly in most cases, for the illusion of luxury and 'hip' in a town that no longer possesses any of it.

Las Vegas has always been a magician's trick, an illusion that you were having something you are not, a high roller experience that was decidedly tacky. The odds always favored the house and Las Vegas has no time, or patience, for people who understand that fact. They don't want the person who wishes to come in, have a good time, gamble, and maybe enjoy a nice meal or three. What they are focusing on now is three-fold.

1. As stated prior: They want the party people, the people who have no issue (until it comes time to pay the credit card bill) slapping down $3500 for bottle service on an alcohol they can get for $40 (or less) at home. they want the girls in bikinis to awkwardly dance down the aisle to their overpriced cabana acting like they are excited (when they're really not, and it shows) to be drooled over by a group of 20 and 30-something men. They want people who are willing to over pay for "exclusive" access to Day Clubs, where DJs pump out music and women dance and kiss each other in hopes of getting in on the liquor bottle gravy train. (Trust me, if you get bottle service in Las Vegas there will be enough women coming by and flirting with you for free drinks you will not get a sip yourself.  They'll take the drink and you'll never see them again, but at least they pay attention to you I guess?) Don't get me wrong, men try this as well, but from what I've seen they usually get told no and are encouraged by security to move on. Las Vegas pools and day clubs have morphed into a giant faux-dating game where the Bros think they have a chance.

2. The bone idiot: People who will gladly play 000 Roulette or 6:5 Blackjack with horrible odds or continually plunk money into slots set at the State minimum all while thinking they are James Bond instead not realizing they are the sucker at the table. Yes, people occasionally win, and when they do the casinos broadcast it far and wide, but almost everyone else loses, and never has a chance. Even Las Vegas sports books have joined the trend of kicking out, or severely limiting, punters who do even minimal research and try to win. They want people in their casinos who want to give them their money. Period end of story.

3. The violent: Yes, it's true. Vegas has become an unsafe mess since reopening from the pandemic. Almost daily tales of shootings, stabbings, fights on the strip. Endless videos of large groups getting into fisticuffs and, eventually, shots fired. This is not limited to the Strip, but to almost every tourist area. The fact is that Las Vegas is incapable of policing itself and is now an unsafe town.

Because of all of this Mrs. TPM and I will be going to Las Vegas for our Birthday trip in October, in part because it's already booked, and we'll stay one night on the Strip, two nights Downtown, and two nights off-strip, and then we're going to say goodbye for a while. Possibly a long while.

Until Las Vegas reverses course I can no longer recommend it as a travel destination. In fact, I would urge you to stay away. ONLY when the casinos start to lose significant business will they even consider changing course.

We may just be a small raindrop in the Las Vegas ocean, but that's one less raindrop they're going to see.

Good Bye Las Vegas. It's not me, it's you.

Post-COVID Gambling: Whither the Las Vegas Strip.

 The following is a post that I wrote on Vegas Fanatics.com in response to the thread: Why I broke up with MGM  

The entire thread is a good read on how people are currently feeling about the Las Vegas Strip and why I believe that the current business model they are pursuing is unsustainable.

As bad as MGM is, Caesars might even be worse. From unkempt properties to poor customer service to throttling comps the Las Vegas Strip is no longer about gambling. It's about conventions and day clubs and night clubs and too-expensive restaurants and the $25 cocktail at the bar. Gambling is just another thing to do on the Strip and, outside of a handful of really, really big players, they really isn't any incentive for them to cater to the gambler any longer.

Why give away a room to a player who might gamble say....$10,000 over a couple of days when you can charge someone a sales rate for a room over a weekend and they and their friends will rent a pool cabana, get bottle service, eat at the nice restaurants, go to a night club and get more bottle service, spend a ton of money on liquor, maybe gamble $1000 over the entire weekend, lose it all because they aren't serious about it, and walk away with a weekend spend of higher than the gambler?

This is why you're seeing the de-theming of Harrah's, why all of the Mardi Gras decorations are gone. Because conventions don't care about themes, they care about meeting space and restaurants and activities.

Once the corporations took over Las Vegas, and realized they could make just as much, if not more, money on other amenities outside of gambling (with no risk BTW) the writing was on the wall. By "no risk" I mean that there's no chance a "hot run" at Ka is going to destroy the quarter's profit. There's no chance someone renting a cabana is going to hit a Wheel of Fortune Jackpot. these revenue streams are easier to trend and trending are things that CEOs who have read a few management books really like to see.

All that said, here's why I think it's not going to get any better.

For all of their faults, and there were many, in the past Las Vegas had visionaries. People like Jay Sarno, Steve Wynn and, to a lesser extent, Sheldon Alderson. Casino owners who had a vision for what they wanted Vegas to be and they weren't afraid to take risks to get it, and most times, lose it. What you have now are management-school bred MBAs who are running things and making decisions not on some vision, but on trends, projections, budgets and financial reports. People like to say the "bean-counters" are running things. That's not true, but the people who are running things are solely looking at the numbers the "bean-counters" provide and are using that solely to make business decisions. There's not one casino owner in the C-Suite on the Strip who's thinking "I wonder what comes next?"

The closest you have to that in Las Vegas right now are the Stephens brothers and Circa, which really was a visionary property in the downtown area. Yes, it's just like having the best house in a bad neighborhood but people seem to be flocking to that best house and their 21+ rules really don't seem to be hurting them. In fact, it seems to be helping them. They built a monster Sports book (truly one of the best places to watch a game in Las Vegas) and a pool that is also built around sports. They've turned The D into a place that's a must-visit and while they need to invest in it (especially the HVAC system) they have an undeniable piece of Vegas history in the Golden Gate. While they say "never say never" when it comes to eventually purchasing a Strip property I would think that's a long way out. What they're probably hoping for is that one of the big two corporations decides to bail on Vegas, which could happen eventually. (again, eventually being a LONG WAY out.

As with anything however, this worm will turn. Prior to the pandemic articles were already being written in the national media about the perceived lack of value on the Strip. Even before the shut-down their were worrying signs that people were starting to look other places as travel destinations. Occupancy rates were starting to dip on the Strip. Gaming was declining on the Strip and increasing downtown. Post pandemic this all changes as people just want to get out of their damn houses and cut loose.

That will change however. And when it does guess who the Strip casino operators are going to look to in order to bail them out?


That $10,000 gambler who they all but jettisoned when times were flush. My hope is most of them have moved on by the time this happens.

Danger Will Robinson!! Danger!!!

Cashless gaming has long been the apple of the casino industry's eye. Linking an app to your bank account to allow them to more efficiently drain you of your funds is the gold-standard for an industry that plays lip-service to "responsible gaming" but really doesn't back that up with any solid action.

And suddenly.....it's here:

Cashless gaming system introduced at downtown Henderson casino. Richard N. Velotta, Las Vegas Review Journal.

Customers can download an app, available to Android and iPhone users, and register with a phone number and an email address. They then link their bank account to the app and, after registration, are told if they’re approved and offered a line of credit. If qualified for the program, the maximum charge is 1 percent, normally less expensive than a traditional ATM fee.

While casino gambling has traditionally been a cash-centric business, the goal has always been to move away from hard currency and into the realm of digital.  Having an app that allows gamblers to link to their bank account and more easily withdraw funds is exactly what they're looking to do. Prior to this when you felted, you had to get up, walk to the ATM and withdraw money, usually with a very high withdrawal fee (from $7.99 to $9.99 in some places). Gamblers referred to this as a "cooling off period" where, ostensibly, the gambler might decide that pulling out more money is a bad idea and just call it a day.

In reality this never really happened, due to a combination of alcohol and dopamine.

I foresee a LOT of issues stemming from these apps, and cashless gaming as a whole. While casinos already are willing to take every last dollar from you, they will find it easier to do now, protestations of being advocates for responsible gaming to the contrary.

Let me tell you a quick story about my last trip to Vegas. I'll leave the casino name out of this.

On Sunday morning Mrs. TPM and I woke up, got ready, and went down to a video poker bar for a round of Bloody Marys as is our custom. While playing VP, an obviously drunk and tired man walked up to the bar, sat down at a machine, and tried to ram his credit card into the cash slot. The bartender yelled at him to STOP! that he was going to lose his card in the machine (they could get it back but would have to open it of course) and that they were "cash only".  He then responded "So, I need a debit card then?"  Bartender: "No, cash only".

At this point it was very clear that this man had been up all night.  He said out loud that he was down $10K and had been playing craps all evening. He was clearly not in a right state of mind and should have been backed off, offered an escort back to his room or pointed toward an Uber to get him to wherever it was he was staying.

What did the casino staff do?

They pointed him to the ATM machine.

Now imagine if he had an app on his phone and had the ability to cheaply, and easily, load even more money onto his card.  Given how much he had lost, he was NOT going to make it up on those machines. It's possible that, had he just taken a time out, he might have woken up after a nap refreshed, and made some kind of come back the next day, OR he could have had a clearer head and just accepted his losses and moved on.

The point is, even without cashless gaming the casinos do little more for patrons than putting those "when the fun stops" flyers by the ATMs. They do absolutely nothing to actually promote responsible gaming. In a world where online sports books are starting to receive much (well deserved) scrutiny about entangling problem gamers, should not the casinos face the same level of scrutiny?

I understand that you might be reading this and are probably thinking "Wait, this guy gambles, why is he so up in arms?"

Fair question.  The reason I am so up in arms is because I work hard to gamble responsibly. I only bring gambling the money I am willing to lose, I never hit up the ATM, and I quit when my daily budget is done. I also have a wife who does not gamble much at all to keep me in check when I've had 4 too many, and I've learned from mistakes I've made in the past. Trust me, these lessons were hard earned and I've seen too many people on the casino floor who have not learned them, or cannot learn them because of addiction.

I view gambling as a form of entertainment. My gambling budget is the cost of being entertained. Too many people view it as a get-rich-quick scheme, and while it may be a LOT of things, a path to financial freedom it is not.

It's a path to financial ruin, and the cashless gaming movement is only going to make it worse if not reigned in early.

Las Vegas March 2022: Falling Behind Early (and Staying there all Trip Long)

I last updated on February 1st that we had a couple of gambling trips lined out for later that month (Lake Charles, LA) and then in early March (Las Vegas).

Those two trips have come (and gone) and the gambling results were.......not good.

In short, I fell behind early, and stayed firmly behind on both excursions. VP life was a mixture of missed draws and bad results. Premium quads are a myth to me right now, and I've missed more dealt trips in a row than I can ever remember.  

Not to mention 4 to a Royal and not being able to draw flies.  Since my last October trip to Las Vegas, I have been cursed. It's to the point that we're considering a live chicken sacrifice to appease the gambling gods. (those bastards)

Not that I'm not getting quads, but they're the baby type. Forced to grind it out on Bonus poker I'm hitting 5s-Kings for 125 credits, which is enough to keep you playing, but not nearly enough to cut into a first night deficit, or to eek out even a tiny profit.  I've tried triple-play quarters, Dollar single play, desperation two-dollar single play and, yes, even quarter single-play as things get really dire.

My quad count in Lake Charles was 4. For the entire weekend. Over 6 days in Vegas I had 49 quads and 3 straight flushes, none of the royal variety.  As I said though most of those were the BP 125 variety, which just brought up a low $100 bullet to less than $100.  In other words, they were great for points and comps but awful for building my actual bank roll.  That's where I am in video poker right now. A ton of missed draws as the machines are doing a great job of giving me exactly the cards I don't need.

Trying to change it up to slots has been even worse. I haven't had a meaningful slot win since my BS $1206 "jackpot" at the Golden Gate in October.  In Lake Charles I did not have a bonus 'win' over $100 and in Vegas nothing over $50. 

In short: A slump.

Such things happen in gambling however and it's not something the various You Tube slot and Vlogger channels typically highlight. You Tube is a land of big wins, hand pays and big bonuses. The land of comped suites, even for those who don't gamble much, which misrepresents what Vegas has become for many.

To be fair: I get comped rooms, meals and (in some cases) suites because I do gamble, a lot. For example, I have hosts at the two casinos in which we stayed. Getting two nights comped at Circa, some free play and around $200 off my dinner at Barry's Prime.  At GVR I got a Jr. Suite with a balcony comped for 3 nights, some free play and a free meal at Bottiglia. Not too bad.

Despite the bad run of gambling we had a LOT of fun on this trip. Circa is a GREAT resort in which to stay, especially if you don't have children, the service there is very good, the staff very friendly and the drink service that I experienced was top notch.  Fremont Street remains one of my favorite places to stay and play.

Green Valley Ranch is still my home away from home. I love that casino, the District adjacent to it, and everything in the area. The comps there are fair and, during the weekend, running away from the madness of the Strip and Downtown is something so much fun that it's hard to say no to. The dining there is varied and relatively cheap and they have one of my favorite pools in Las Vegas.

From that perspective: I still love Las Vegas. I just wish that I could find a way to break this slump I'm in playing VP.

Our next trip is Tulsa, in May.  Maybe some Tribal casino gaming will break this slump?

1 October

 I remember sitting at home in Houston this night, four years prior. 1 October, 2017.

It was a normal night, Mrs. TPM and I were at home watching college football, I was on Twitter when I started seeing the tweets that there were some shootings in Las Vegas.  At first, as is usual in a chaotic situation, there was confusion, misinformation and panic. As cell-phone video and news reports started to filter out we realized that something very bad was happening.

We stayed up until around 4AM that morning, refreshing Twitter and trying to make sense of what was going on.  We knew it was bad, we did not yet know just how bad it was going to be.

When that deranged individual executed his plan, it forever changed the lives of Millions, but especially the ones in the families he left behind. Those that he deprived of fathers, mothers, sons, daughters, family members.

For the rest of us he reminded us that, even in our happy place of Las Vegas, we're never truly safe. As long as there are deranged individuals out there we go forward by the grace of God.

In the aftermath I sort of tuned out the news as the usual political mumbo-jumbo took hold. Those who use these things to forward their political agendas, forwarded their political agendas. Many stories were written, foolishly, about how video poker is the crack cocaine of gambling etc. Guns were, of course, the enemy, as was Las Vegas itself, by the National media that is.

For the rest of us, the normal among us, it was a tragedy, one that still lives with us, even if we weren't there.  The Vegas bubble had been broken, and their was no rebuilding it.

Today, even 4 years later, I cannot walk past the Mandalay Bay hotel without looking up where the window was, and thinking about it just a little. But we need to keep travelling and keep visiting places we love.

While the terrorists certainly won after 9/11 we cannot let the crazy win after 1 October.

We are, always #VegasStrong.

Las Vegas: The Masks are Back on, will Increased Cancellations Follow?

 Last Friday marked the first day of Gov. Sisolak's new mandatory indoor mask order. By all accounts compliance is fairly high. (Which is good) But there are signs that this order could lead to people just not coming. Such is the dance that Governor Pickleball is trying to accomplish, slow the spread of COVID-19 in the State while keeping the life-blood pumping. Results from May and June showed record gambling hauls, which is good for the budget, but rumors and tales of %40+ cancellation rates at some casinos have some worried.

What Vegas does not want, and I'm not sure it can handle, is another lockdown. In fact, I'm not sure that a second wide-spread American lockdown results in the same country coming out as we had coming in. These are perilous times for the City, the State and the Country. How our elected ruling class chooses to handle this is very important.

This is a blog that focuses mainly on gaming, Las Vegas hotel/casinos and sports. But I do realize that there is a political undercurrent to everything and I will address these issues without being partisan. In this case, there are many within the Vegas community that are just starting to regain their financial footing and ripping the floor out beneath of them in the form of a second shutdown would be catastrophic. Couple this with Congress' inability to address the evection issue and a settling of the market seems imminent. For all of those screaming at Biden, I don't see how he's really at fault on this one given that the SCOTUS has all but tied his hands. The bad guys here are the people who made the decisions that lockdowns were the way to go initially, and that shuttering businesses, throttling travel and pretty much decimating the service industry were the way to curb the pandemic, despite these options never being in America's pandemic toolkit before.

In short, we looked at what China did and said "Hey, that might be a good idea" forgetting that America's government works much differently than Chinas and, despite what Professor Doctor Hotez thinks, we cannot deploy the military to enforce a National lockdown where people are being welded into their apartments.

While masks might provide some protection (to be perfectly honest, the jury is still out on that) what we know does work, social distancing and capacity restraints, are something the casinos want to avoid as well. I can guarantee you that the last thing they want to do is shut down 1/2 of the slot machines and be forced to put the Plexiglass dividers back up.

Then there is the problem of the shows. Packed arenas create super-spreader opportunities due to a large amount of contact time and tight spaces. But, as we've seen, the shows are not profitable at 50% capacity and some shows cannot operate with guests wearing masks.

What does all of this mean?

For one, our hopes that the availability of the vaccines meant that this whole mess was over was probably a little over optimistic and naive. There was always going to be a large portion of the population who was vaccine resistant to one degree or another, and it seems that "victory" in this war has been falsely defined by the ruling class as "zero COVID" which was always a bad metric.

The goal here should be to manage COVID-19 to where it becomes a danger on par with seasonal flu. The only way to get there is through a combination of contact immunity and vaccinations. At that point, when herd "immunity*" is reached, then all restrictions should come to an end.

My worry however, is that they won't. COVID has become a political animal and several in the ruling class have realized that they can use their new-found power to advance political goals, move society unwillingly in directions they think it should go and punish unfavored industries. This is a political problem that's not going away, and it might radically alter the future of Las Vegas.

To what extent is the question we're all asking now. 

Las Vegas Downtown Casinos: The Ones I do not Like. (And One that I like, but dislike as well)

On Saturday I made a list of the Downtown casinos that I like. For this list I'm going to offer up the ones that I don't like, and tell you why I do not like them. Again, we all have different criteria for grading casinos/hotels etc. so my list will likely be much, much different than yours.

Nothing in this post is meant to suggest that the casinos below are "bad" in any way, it's just that I've either had sub-par experiences in them, find them lacking for my tastes in one manner or another or that I think they're underperforming.

With that said, let's get to it.

1. Binion's Gambling Hall 

Everything about Binion's today makes me sad. From the general state of the property to walking in the casino at certain times only to find no active craps tables (something that would have Benny Binion rolling in his grave) to the large swaths of the casino floor that are all but bare, or poorly setup, to the fact that the poker room is gone. The only good thing about Binion's currently is the Whiskey Liquor Up and even that's underwhelming in terms of food, service and video poker odds.  The owners, the same folks who own on of my favorites 4Queens fwiw, really need to take a hard look at what's happening here because right now it's just depressingly sad.

2. The Plaza

To say that my March stay at the Plaza was a disappointment would be an understatement. I have never been as underwhelmed by a hyped property as I was there. If you want to see many of the problems that I had you can see my YouTube video here. (apologies for Mrs. TPMs profanity at the Pizza Joint, she was having a good time). from a dirty, decrepit room that had gouge marks on the bathroom door which made it look like someone was trying to break the door down with a screwdriver, to no refrigerator to just a general dirtiness the room was a mess. The service and attitude of the staff were worse. Never have I stayed at a place that just did not seem to want my gambling dollar as much as here. The staff was rude, unhelpful, and left us stranded for hours with no options for checking our bags as we awaited our car transfer so we were forced to lug them around with us. I have never been treated as poorly by a hotel/casino and will not be back.  Since I don't have a large YouTube following I doubt they care. Truth is, if you don't have a large YouTube following they probably won't care either.

3. Gold Spike 

OK, granted, this is not a casino, but it is a place with some of the longest lines downtown and I absolutely despise waiting in line. Also, it's much overrated considering what it is. I've only visited there a couple of times and walked away very underwhelmed. Granted, I'm not their target demographic but it's just not my cup of tea.

4. Fremont Casino

My main problem with the Fremont is that they seem to have given up. The place is just bland and that's a shame because it could be so much more. Maybe my opinion of it will change after they finish their planned room renovations, combining all rooms in a 2 for 1 deal to increase the space and make them all suites. That said, they really need to freshen up the gaming area and my standing problem with Boyd is that they have totally devalued their B Connected loyalty program in a manner that flips the bird to video poker players.

5. Downtown Grand

I really do want to like the Downtown Grand. The casino is smallish, but has potential, and their Center Bar progressives on DDB can be among the best in town. Their problem is that they cannot decide what they want to be. Management there changes direction more times than a glider in a hurricane, from good gambling odds to bad gambling odds and nothing they do seems to be catching on. Their casino has all of the energy of a funeral parlor and their staff has clearly thrown in the towel. I hear the hotel is doing well but staying and playing there is depressing.

The one that I both Like and Dislike:

El Cortez

I've stayed at the El Cortez twice, and both times really enjoyed my stay. The Cabana Suites across the street (although still part of the hotel) are quirky and wonderful and, given the presence of 24 hour security at the door, are probably the safest rooms downtown. The staff there is welcoming, friendly and go out of their way (at times) to really make you feel appreciated. The one exception to this are some of the bartenders who are downright surly or dismissive. That's a problem they need to address. My biggest problem with the El Cortez is that I never really feel comfortable in their casino. It's not a safe environment at times and that's really off-putting. They have a great player's club and good comps and promotions, and fairly decent odds on all games, but I've seen more fights in that casino than I've seen anywhere else and security always seems slow to respond. It's a shame because the place has a crap ton of history and Siegel's is an underrated gem of a restaurant.

Las Vegas Downtown Casinos: The Ones that I Like

Lately, I've been busy whiling away my free hours slamming the Las Vegas Strip for turning itself into a price-gouging, violence ridden, wasteland of a place for tourists looking to have a good time. And, while I admit that I'm akin to King Canute standing on the beach trying to stop the tide, I still AM a fan of Las Vegas and really do enjoy going there.

With that in mind I thought that I'd discuss today a part of Las Vegas that I am fan of, and also provide a listing of where I like to go and why I like to go there. This is not a list of the "best" casinos downtown. For one, coming up with a list is silly, there are criteria that I have for a good casino that you might discount, and really those types of things are only designed to drive page clicks and online outrage.

Instead, these are the places that I like to visit, and stay at, when I'm staying Downtown......

1. The D Casino

I like pretty much everything about this place. Which does not mean that it does not have it's faults. For one, it's too loud at times, and not the best place to wake up in the morning and nurse a hangover. For two, you have to be very careful which video poker game you choose to play and where you play it. The Long Bar, which is still my favorite bar in Las Vegas, has one of the worst Bonus Poker pay tables downtown. However the upstairs Vue Bar, has one of the best. The rooms are smallish but they are well maintained and actually fairly well insulated from outdoor noise. I've never had a poor customer service experience at this place and the food options are top notch. For budget dinging I highly recommend All-American Coneys and Andiamo's is still one of the best steakhouses in town period.

2. 4Queens

This old lady is showing a little age on it's rooms, and it does suffer from the problem that most downtown hotels suffer in that it's rooms are tiny compared to the Strip. But I've always found the beds to be comfortable, the rooms to be clean and the value here to be pretty damn good. Their two VP bars (Mike's and King's Bar) are among the best for VP play and people watching, both the DDB progressives and the Jack's or Better Suited progressive games can be very profitable. The bartenders are among the nicest and best and while they're not "flair" like you find at the Stephen's brother's casinos they do pour a strong drink and keep your cup full. While I really do miss Wana Taco, Magnolia's is a great spot for breakfast and Hugo's Cellar is an underrated throwback dining gem. Chicago Brewing company is an outstanding option for craft beer and bar food. I've never had a bad experience here, even while losing at gambling.

3. Golden Gate

One of the oldest hotels in Vegas and a casino that's really been modernized and made fun by the Stephen's brothers.  The VP bar odds are not great but the vibe is usually pretty solid and if you don't mind a loud casino (a thing for Stephen's casinos) then the place is pretty all around cool. The rooms are tiny, but the "Original 10" experience is something you should try once, and seeing the dividing line on the hallway wall where the original building stops and the new one begins (this is on the 2nd floor) is really cool. No real options for food here, but you can avail yourself of the Circa options (your food credit is good there) right across the street. To me, staying at Golden Gate and having the Circa amenities available to you is the power play on Fremont Street.

4. Golden Nugget

For me, the Golden Nugget is about three things: Some of the best rooms on Fremont (excluding Circa), a great pool, and some very solid dining options. Unfortunately the casino is pretty much a no-gambling zone in Tillman Ferttita's "It's all about the ROI" world but the rest of the resort is above average. Grotto for lunch is an underrated option and the Chart House has excellent seafood. Vic & Anthony's is a solid although not spectacular steak house but it will not disappoint. The rooms however are great, especially if you can grab a Rush Tower room. If you do gamble there the good news is that some of your comps, will also transfer to Landry's restaurants off property. (Subject to certain restrictions). All and all a solid place to stay.

5. Circa

I could be obtuse, and a contrarian, and leave this off of the list, but that would mean that I'm also a liar because I really do like this place. Let's start off with the party pieces, the Sports Book and Stadium Swim. They are spectacular and are the best sports book and pool in the City, and I'm including the Strip. The food options are many and all are good. Some even great. The Legacy Club is a sunset destination. The rooms are new and shiny and well thought out, they have supplanted the Golden Nugget as the best rooms downtown. And while I LOVE the Mega Bar, and the Overlook Bar let's get to the warts.  This place is EXPENSIVE with a capital EXPENSIVE. Food prices are high, the gambling odds are not good, and while the bartenders are great and nice the prices for drinks are out of this world high, think Las Vegas strip levels. The old saying is that you never want to own the nicest house in a poor neighborhood. My long-term worry is that Circa is just that and is going to struggle.

Honorable Mention:

The California

Post renovation the casino here is a very nice place to be. I've never stayed at the Hotel because, as a Video Poker Play Boyd does not value my business, but the Hawaiian food here is solid.

Main Street Station

Currently closed, there are several video poker players/craft beer fans, including myself, that are waiting semi-patiently for the return of the Boar's Head bar and 777 Brewery.

The Las Vegas Strip: Casinos that I like

Lately I've been pretty negative regarding the Las Vegas Strip. I've publically sworn off any Caesars properties and I've made my dislike of MGM properties well known for a while now. That said, there are resorts on the Strip that I really do enjoy visiting and to try and turn around this negativity (because blogging is FUN dammit) I thought I'd list out the Strip casinos that I like and mention why I like them.

1. The Cosmopolitan

Even as a card carrying old guy, I find the Cosmo to be good fun. Yes I'm tragically unhip and probably 20-25 years older than their target demographic but I just really find the Cosmo to be an overall fun place. Like many, I enjoy the Chandelier Bar but my go to is the Sports Book bar where Atilla and Heather are two of the nicest bartenders around. Block 16 is great eats, as is the Pizza shop, and while pricey, the tacos at China y Pablano are go-to food for Mrs. TPM. the restaurant choices there are without equal, and the rooms are spectacular.  Easily my favorite casino resort on the Strip and it's not close. Yes, they are pricey, and the table games are horrid, but for VP they're a notch above Caesars/MGM and that's about the best you can hope for these days (sadly)

2. Treasure Island

Two things I like about TI: Their bartop video poker and their pool. One thing I dislike, their relatively poor dining choices.  Although the seafood place is pretty good outside of that things could be much better. They have a very nice casino with many options for slot players, and fair video poker pay tables. Their table games are Strip normal (which means they suck) but their rooms are nice, can frequently be found at decent prices and their cabana rental rates are reasonable for the Strip. Customer service there is friendly, and the cabana attendants that served us were very personable, prompt and pleasant. All in all I really like TI and it's a go to for me when visiting the Strip.

3. Wynn and Encore

Steve Wynn had his personal demons and, while his legal issues are still in litigation, there's no denying that he has left a lasting legacy on the Las Vegas Strip. "WynnCore" was the beginning of the de-theming movement on the Strip (for better or for worse) and is (honestly) the epitome of customer service. You're going to pay at Wynn properties but you are not going to be disappointed. two of the most luxurious properties on the Strip with great food options, wonderful lounges and bars, and two of the prettiest gaming areas around, there's not a lot to dislike about either place outside of them costing you your first born.

4. Venetian and Palazzo

The main gripe you from people regarding these sister properties is that they are (were) owned by Sheldon Adelson. This is yet another case where people are unable to separate their politics from their enjoyment of life and that's too bad. I, for one, enjoyed nothing more than getting the chance to win Sheldon's money and the two resorts themselves are beautiful. Much like WynnCore, the service is outstanding, the decor is beautiful and the Venetian Shoppes are one of the best places in Las Vegas to spend some time not gambling. The rooms are all suites and are fantastic. Now that Sands has bailed on Vegas there's really no reason to not check them out. Again like WynnCore, you're going to pay, and their pay tables are atrocious. They also win the booby prize for introducing into the world the scourge that is 000 Roulette but other than that they're a great place to visit.

5. Aria

I know, I know, I spend ages cracking on MGM and then list one of their resorts as a casino that I like on the Strip.  Here's the thing: I like staying and dining there, not so much gambling there. the rooms are spectacular as are the food choices. The paella at Julian Serrano's Tapas is world class. When I do play there it's typically at the tiny Gem Bar, where if you can find Manny there might not be a better bartender on the Strip in terms of friendliness. The pool is incredible, albeit pricey, and the pool staff is warm and nice. Yes, it's MGM so the fees are going to be legion and you will be nickel and dimed almost to death, and there are rough edges around customer service that they need to work out (especially at he front desk, which is awful) but overall the casino is beautiful, the front desk area is a spectacle, and the positives here do outweigh the negatives in my opinion.

Non gambling honorable mention.

Vdara

The Vdara is certainly not for everyone. They have no casino but they do have all suites, the City Corner Suite is amazing, and they really don't have any dining options. But, you're close to Aria and Cosmo so eating well is just a short walk away. The pool area, especially if you get a Cabana, is spectacular although not a party pool if that is what you are looking for. The Lobby Bar is a beautiful place to pay a lot for a cocktail.

Incomplete:

Resorts World

I have not yet visited this property so it's not going to be on any list. Of course, it's on YouTube everywhere but the Vlogs so far have only mainly focused on the pool and sheer size of the place. At this point it could go on my "likes" or "dislikes" place I just don't know.

Vegas Golden Knights: "What in the World is Going on Out Here?????"

First, the Golden Knights traded away Marc Andre Fleury and the fans went bonkers.

I was, admittedly, bummed about this but was willing to give the Golden Knights brain-trust the benefit of the doubt and wait and see what they were able to accomplish with this new found cap space. OK, I said to myself, loving Fleury is rough, but I agree that having the Cap space to re-sign Alex Martinez and signing a quality center will make them a better team going forward.

This, is not what happened.

Yes, the Golden Knights re-signed Martinez, which is good, but then they traded for Evginii Dadonov, a declining winger from Ottawa, giving up promising defenseman Nick Holden and a 3rd round draft pick. My guess is with Dadonov that they hope his decline in Ottawa was more to to Ottawa than Dadonov, but they still haven't solved their most glaring problem.

After Dadonov, they announced the signing of a new backup goalie, Laurent Broissoi formerly of Winnipeg, whos was a fine backup for them but who is nowhere close to the quality of Fleury.

All of that cap space is now gone. I saw on Twitter where they have about $186K remaining, but they still have to sign the RFA Patrick to the qualified offer that they made to him.

So, let's recap. They've traded away the face of the franchise and the most beloved, and the best, player during the entire life of the team (Not to mention the locker room leader, community giant, etc.) for a sack of beans and have used that salary cap room to make the team markedly worse.

The thing people keep pointing to is the mythical Eichel trade, which will probably involve moving either (or more likely both) Pacioretty and Tuch.

Think the fans are going to be happy with that one?

And I haven't even gone into the mess of how GM Kelly McKrimmon treats players, and what might, or might not have happened with communication with Fleury regarding the trade.

This is an easy team to root for on the ice, but a helluva difficult franchise to pull for off it.

Right now the BEST CASE scenario for Knight's fans is that Davadov was bad because of Ottawa, that Lehner has a career year and Boissoi can provide enough quality minutes to spell Panda and keep him from being exhausted come playoff time. They also have to hope that their current crop of centers finally produce during playoff time, and that the Power Play miraculously gets fixed, and they they don't go into a scoring funk AGAIN when the post season rolls around.

Also in the equation, would be that Eichel is healthy and Davadov and he could increase goal production from Patches and Tuch.

These are big asks, and if any of them go South it could be that Vegas misses the playoffs for the first time in their history, or flames out in an early round.

Should the latter two scenarios happen then I think a house cleaning will be needed, both on the ice, on the bench and in the front office.

Very important season ahead for everyone methinks.

COVID-19, Vegas and You. Cancelling Trips or Nah?

As we muddle through what was supposed to be our grand, bring America back, Summer a few stumbling blocks have appeared in our road to full recovery.

Vegas, it appears, is NOT as back as we have been led to believe, nor is the hospitality industry as vaccinated as we were led to believe. As cases in Clark County surge, primarily due to the Delta variant, and County leaders have mandated that masks go back on the worker's faces, if not the public who is largely importing this virus.

Post-Vaccine availability it was expected that Vegas was about to enter a new "golden age", for casino profits that is. The expectation being that people who had been cooped up for over a year were beyond ready to hit the pools, the night clubs, the shows, etc. And early numbers showed this to be true. In fact, after things opened up on June 1st Vegas was overflowing. People were coming out of the woodworks to drink booze, pass out on the Strip, lose money and generally spend a ton of money doing Vegas things.

This played out as advertised for a while, but now it appears that rising COVID-19 cases, both in Clark County and as a result of people travelling to Las Vegas, is starting to blunt the demand. Rumors are that airport arrivals are, just recently down, and traffic isn't as bad as usual on the highways. Anecdotal evidence yes, but based on the offers that I'm seeing from the casinos evidence is there that they are suddenly scrambling to fill rooms.

Which, finally, winds around to the point of this post:  Are you still planning your Las Vegas trip or are you postponing it until a later time?

For me, the answer is that I'm still going. Granted, Mrs. TPM and I are a special case in that a. we're both fully vaxxed and b. we have no kids or other family living with us that would be a concern.

For others I'm sure the calculus is not as cut and dried. But it would be interesting to understand just how large the "I'm going no matter what" contingent in relation to the "nope, not at this time" group.

DOES Las Vegas have a COVID-19 perception problem? Are the casino workers 100% vaccinated at certain properties like they claimed?  Or were some playing a little fast and loose with the numbers?

Regardless of any of that one thing is clear: Cases (and more worryingly hospitalizations) are rising, suggesting that Clark County has a vaccination issue that needs to be addressed.

Are you going to allow them to address it?  Or are you going just because dammit you need that Vegas fix and will live with the consequences?

One last coda to this: Despite the fact that we're fully vaxxed there is the possibility that Mrs. TPM and I will be donning masks in casinos in solidarity with the workers who are required to do so, and out of simple politeness to them.

Yes, we expect to get some weird looks for this. Then again, we might not for the simple reason that it sends a bad message about the effectiveness of vaccines. I'm still working through which option is better.

Hail (and Farewell) Caesar

For a long time now I'm devoted a not insignificant amount of time writing, and Tweeting, about why the Strip is no longer for me. The odds are bad, CNF (and other) fees suck, the place is now just a tire-fire of people wandering around losing money on bad games etc.

Now Caesars Entertainment has decided you cannot visit their Sportsbooks without paying for a seat. (h/t Marc Meltzer)

Whatever. 

Caesars is currently leading MGM in the race to the bottom. They offer worse odds, no longer grandfather players in at tables when the minimums are raised, and now they want $80 to sit in a chair and bet on football?

And, let's face facts, it is not as if Caesars properties are the crown jewels of Vegas. The images of dirty rooms, hallways, elevators, parking garages and other common areas are legion. They are rapidly deteriorating properties that offer nothing for those wanting to have a good time. Even Caesars Palace is a shadow of it's former self. Limping along on a past reputation offering up very expensive "experiences" at the cost of actually having a good time.

Not to mention all of the news reports showing the Strip has become a tad bit fighty and shooty of late.

There is still, just, The Cosmopolitan, WynnCore and Venetian/Palazzo that are nice, and I'm still a believer that Treasure Island is somewhat underrated. Resorts World shows promise, but not for gambling, and the jury is still out on whether or not Phil Ruffin and company are going to do anything worthwhile with Circus Circus, or if they can capitalize on being adjacent to the Strip's shiny new toy.

What is somewhat clear is that the former winner of the Strip wars, the South end, and even the middle, is all but a no fly zone. Maybe, in a non-gambling mode, you check out the Linq Promenade from time to time and see the Bellagio Fountains and Conservatory but outside of that?

Any future forays onto Las Vegas most famous tourist trap are going to be limited to the North end, and Cosmo. More frequently however, you're going to find me Downtown and off-Strip, far away from the fees, the overcharging, the short-pouring and the general nastiness that has become the Las Vegas Strip.

You certainly will not see me frequenting any Caesars property. Their customer unfriendly business decisions since the merger have made them unvisitable. I don't care if they offer to pay me to go. (Which, they won't because I'm not an #Influencer.)

It's really too bad, because I used to like visiting Caesars Palace, walking through the Shoppes, eating at Trevi, getting a cigar at Monte Cristo.....No more.

It's not me Caesars, it's you.

The Las Vegas Strip 2021: $9 Bread, 6/5 Blackjack and 000 Roulette.

And we haven't even mentioned all of the fees......

News from Mark Metzer that Giada (the Cromwell based vanity project of the incredibly large-headed Giada DeLaurentis) is Now charging $9 for her bread plate where it used to be free, and it's now sans the dried capers that everyone seemed to like.

$9.  For a bread plate. You can feed two people for that eating fast food, or at a taco truck in Houston. ($1 street tacos are where it's at y'all)

For me, the Strip has been much a no-go for a while now. Sure, I'll drop by the Bellagio to watch the fountains and see the Conservatory, possibly drop into The Cosmopolitan to eat at Lardo and maybe play some VP at their sports book bar, but outside of that?

IF I'm gambling there it's just throwing $40 bucks into a quarter VP machine with some friends, or maybe the same amount of money on a slot or three. I NEVER play table games there because the odds are putrid, and I tend to steer my gambling budget away from days that I'm going to be on the Strip. My daily gambling budget for a day on the Strip is a full quarter of what it would be for a day off Strip, probably not even a fifth of my budget for locals casinos.

All that said, one of the primary reasons that I visit Vegas is to gamble. Although it's becoming less about that as the trips go on. On my upcoming August trip I plan to gamble less in a week than I just gambled over 2.5 days at River Spirit in Tulsa, and about the same as I gamble in 2 days at my local.

Why is this?

Well, for one, the odds are better away from Vegas for the most part. The once "Gambling Capitol of the World" is now the "Shitty Gambling Capitol of the World" putting in things that would not fly at any other casino. So far, due to a lack of give a shit by a drunken public just happy to be back out in the world, they are getting away with it to the tune of a record $1.23 Billion gambling haul in May, the highest single-month win in the State's history.

By all appearances, they are accomplishing this IN SPITE of themselves.

Between some of the worst posted odds in the world, "innovations" that are continually player unfriendly, and an ever-growing laundry list of fees, Las Vegas today is living up to it's new "Only Vegas" marketing line.

Only Las Vegas has shit odds and as many fees as you'll find in the world. And it's coming at the expense of value.

The issue is that the casino resorts really believe that they are something special in this world today, that Vegas as a draw is going to continue no matter how much they gouge the customers. That the demand that they've witnessed post-COVID, which was a perfect storm of people being tired of lock downs and stimulus money, is going to continue unabated.

In short, they are doing this because they think that they CAN. There seems to be no one on the executive floors of these corporations asking if they SHOULD.

And that's going to be a problem.

Already signs are there that the post-lockdown boom is rapidly coming to a close. Not only are COVID-19 cases again on the rise, due in large part to casinos rapidly abandoning the safety protocols that kept them contained in the first place, but people are just starting to find other things to do.

Gambling and losing is expected, sitting down to a blackjack table, after paying for your flight, room, resort fee, parking and some extremely high taxes partly to pay for the Raider's Stadium, waiting an hour for a cab/Uber/Lyft, waiting in long lines for check-in to a room that's shoddy at best, only to find the odds are 2 times worse than you can find at your local casino is downright discouraging.

People come to Vegas hopeful for a good time, they leave bemoaning $2000 bottle service in a night club that's packed beyond capacity and a possible Delta Variant to boot. If they did not go to a night club, they paid way too much for a cabana at a pool that's apparently increasingly under-chlorinated and choked with too many people.

Then your gambling sucks, because the odds are so depleted winning is impossible, and now you're being charged $9 for a few tiny slices of bread.

At some point, people are going to say "enough" and just decide the city is not worth it any more.

That day may be closer in coming than many think.

Las Vegas Vlogs: The Simple Problem of Community.

When Resorts World conducted their soft opening on June 24th to much fanfare and many live Vlogs, the wife and I spent the evening bouncing back and forth between a few of them to check out the new resort, and to get an idea of the opening festivities.

We saw the pool.

And many blurry shots of Paris Hilton in the distance.

We also saw lines and people walking around the mall area, running into other Vloggers doing the same thing. There was the tell-tale fuzzy footage of a wi-fi system being stretched beyond it's maximum band-width and then more shots of the pool. And Paris Hilton again, I think. It was terribly hard to make out.

We also saw footage of many, many Vegas Vloggers walking to the place, and almost all of them getting the "insider" tip that the Conrad entrance was WAY easier to get into than the main entrances, and we witnessed the confusion by almost all regarding where the pool actually was.

Then we saw the pool, and someone who might have possibly been Paris Hilton.

Fast forward to last week and the subject du jour was Posh Burger. I've seen around 15 Vlogs about this place (Did you know it replaced the Burger Bar at Aria? Or that it offers a $100 burger?) and they are all pretty much the same.

The new trend is to cross the streams, vloggers vlogging vloggers vlogging other vloggers virtual group pulls or vlogger meet-ups that are partially vlogged by other vloggers vlogging people who are vlogging them, usually talking to even more vloggers.

To be perfectly honest, I have now limited my viewing to a select few, and pretty much just gloss over the rest. I've unsubscribed to many of late because the content on offer is just not original or new.

Look, I'm not going to name names here. The intention of this is to not "shame" anyone or disparage their product. Some of the ones that I ignore might be among your favorites and that's fine. And, to be perfectly honest, unless you're trying to make a living out of this who and what you vlog should not really be driven by anyone other than you.

I'm sure this is going to anger some who vlog and I can live with that, because the criticism here is meant to be constructive rather than destructive. Many people are working hard on their vlogs almost daily and they should be commended for that.

But, and this is important, from an entertainment, informative perspective things are going a little off the rails.

And this is a problem, because some of the vloggers regurgitating the same things claim to be being made with the intent of educating folks about Vegas. But, by just showing other vloggers and meet-ups and all heading to the same places, you're not.

Now, other vlogs are just put out there as video logs of a person, or couple's, trip through Vegas, and from that scenario vlogging vloggers vlogging is perfectly fine. That WAS your trip after all.

Also, in today's day and age a sense of community is important, and I would argue that there is no stronger community than this one of Vegas Vloggers, of which I am on the periphery (by choice and by circumstance [and the fact that I sucked at vlogging]). So in some aspects vlogs showing groups of vloggers running around looking for Strippers and Cocaine (by "strippers" we mean pizza and by "cocaine", we mean donuts usually) is a GOOD thing because it does show a way Vegas can be, a great place to meet new friends, do fun things and gain a ton of followers doing just that.

But some diversity of content can go a long way.

Perhaps that's the problem with the Las Vegas Strip right now as a whole, and why I pretty much avoid it at all costs. There IS no diversity of content on the Strip. It's all night clubs and bottle service and people walking around to the next big club. EVERYONE is required by law to say that Pizza Rock has the best Pizza in Vegas, that the Plaza is the Bestest downtown hotel. Which it is, IF you've got a sizable vlog following and are catered to by Jonathan Jossell, if not, then it's a pretty crappy experience to be perfectly honest, full of surly, unhelpful staff, dirty, dated rooms and a casino floor on which it's impossible to find an empty VP bartop because the bartenders are talking to their friends, or vloggers, who are not gaming..

When the casino is catering to you and clearing out places to play for free advertising it's the bee's knees. If you're just a schmuck with a camera, 30 something followers and no advertising angle it's really not all that.

But I digress....

When I decided to hang up my pathetic attempt at a vlog it was not because I did not like the other Las Vegas Vloggers. Far from it. I have met a few and like many of them. I quit because I suck at it, I'm boring and people do not want to follow along and look at my pictures with captions because I forgot to record shit. Even when I did remember to record shit the quality was bad and I could not be bothered to purchase decent editing software. Shit, I would not have followed me.

This is not sour grapes. Many of these people are brilliant at editing and creating content and they really put a lot of effort into it, their vlogs are very enjoyable and we like watching them very much.

It's just that I think more diversity in content is going to be needed if the genre is going to survive and thrive.

Of course, what the hell do I know? I only convinced 38 people to follow me.

Be safe, bet smart, win Jackpots. (and vlog them if you do)

Las Vegas News: 07/22/2021

 All the stuff you need to know in one handy link blog.....

Employees, not public, mandated for masks in Clark County (LVRJ) - Will you be donning one just because?  I might in August out of politeness toward the employees. (if the mandate is still on)

RIP Layne Flack (LVRJ) - One of the architects of the "Poker Boom" and one of the all-time greats of poker.

For $60 Million you could own the Aztec Inn (LRVJ) - No word if there is extra charge for the stuff in the carpets.

Circa's Contest is Greatly Impacting the SuperBook's Contest. (LVSun) - Circa seems to be taking the lead on the SuperBook, which has definitely lost it's fastball of late.

Vegas' most prominent eye-sore gets (another) tentative opening date. (LVRJ) - I'll believe it when I see it.

Live Keno is rapidly disappearing (Vital Vegas) - The Griswold's are going to be gutted.

A reminder that light rail advocates NEVER give up. (LV Sun) - There are always hands out for projects such as this. And people who think it's something "world class" rather than just a cute toy.

And finally.....

Are we hitting critical mass for Las Vegas Vloggers? (FeedSpot) - At last count there were over 100 vlogs about the Resorts World opening. After watching several of them they were all the same thing. Ditto for the people who live streamed it. This will be the subject of a future blog series.

Pour one out for the degenerate's diner: Aria Cafe

What we feared was coming for a while has been confirmed.

Aria Cafe is closing to make way for Din Tai Fung a critically, and publicly, acclaimed Thai dumpling shop.

I love Thai food probably more than the next person, in fact, I've warned the groups at work that I manager for years that if they do not select a place for our monthly luncheons, they will be eating Thai food every time, but I cannot help to be just a little disappointed in this news, despite the fact that we have known it's coming for a while now.

In retrospect, the writing was on the wall when they cut back the hours for Aria Cafe.  That was too bad because it had long been the one place that the degenerate gambler could go grab a decent sandwich (or, if you had a Galaxy Brain, a bowl of Chicken Noodle Soup) at 3 AM after a long VP or Blackjack session and before you started your early morning gambling.

The Aria Cafe had a great location, was a good room, and had a spectacular late night/early morning view.  It was simple, relatively inexpensive for the Strip, and just doesn't have a place in the hyper-competitive, faux-luxury wonderland that the Strip is now trying to be.

The reality is that we don't live in a diner and iced-tea world any more. And Aria Cafe was a throwback on a street that doesn't really care all that much for history.  I'm not saying that it's a bad thing, only a thing.  In this case it's a thing that has eliminated one of the better late-night places on the Strip.

In fact, unless you're looking for high-end dining, the Strip is pretty much a wasteland right now outside of the Cosmopolitan (Block 16 and The Pizza Shop) and the Miracle Mile.

What I am sure of is that Din Tai Fung will be more expensive than was the Aria Cafe, and it will be packed. Whether or not it will scratch the degenerate's dining itch is yet to be known, but I doubt it.

This continues a trend of me finding less and less to do on the Strip as my Vegas time goes forward. While I enjoyed my stay at Park MGM, there just wasn't a lot that I wanted to DO there.  I found Eataly to be just "meh" but overly pricey, and the one VP bar that they have remaining was OK, but you still have issues with the pay tables being awful.

Block 16 at the Cosmo, especially Lardo, was exceptional, and I'm sure I'll spend more time there, but outside of that the Strip is just a place to see the Conservatory, the Fountains, V/P and WynnCore and the other high end hotels before moving on to off-strip locations.

I had a better time at Born and Raised Henderson than I did at any place on the Las Vegas Strip.  And I spent way less money, ate just as well, and made a ton of new friends as well.

Just another nail in the Strip coffin for me TBH.

Ban Steve Wynn!! (Then figure out how to address his [very real] Vegas Legacy)

News hit yesterday that Nevada was considering banning former Casino Mogul Steve Wynn from the Casino Industry, for life.

As I understand it, this is NOT the same as putting him in the notorious 'black book' but making it impossible for him to ever receive a gaming license again.  He can walk into a Vegas Casino, he can just never own one, or be in management of one, again.

I'm OK with this.  In fact, I would support doing this.  Even IF things are as Mr. Wynn says and all of the sexual dalliances were "consensual" that doesn't take into account the boss/worker dynamic.  Where a person with whom your future employment lies asks you to do something you don't want to do, even without the implicit threat that you'll be fired, the prospect is always hanging over you like the sword of Damocles.  It's an impossible choice, a choice that's unfair to the salon attendants or the other workers that have come forward.

So yes, ban him for whatever years he has remaining.

Then let us all figure out just how we're going to address the issue of his Vegas legacy.

Because that legacy, as much as many want to deny it now, is real. The Mirage, Treasure Island and the Bellagio were all the result of the vision of Steve Wynn, as are the Wynn and the Encore now.  And it can be argued that the Mirage is the most important casino on the Strip, immediately after the Flamingo.  The Bellagio Fountains are the number one most important attraction on the Strip, and the most iconic.

Those are Steve Wynn's, like it or not. And his turning out to be a bad guy (shocker!) doesn't mean that we can wash that history away and pretend it doesn't exist.  Especially in Las Vegas, where all-around bad guy Bugsy Siegel is worshiped as a visionary, given statues and has restaurants named after him.

Moe Dalitz was named "Man of the Year" by several organizations for Chrissakes.

So, yeah, Sin City is going to have to figure out how to honor the legacy of yet another allegedly "bad guy". They should be used to it by now. The problem is I don't think society is going to romanticize the sexually-assaulting/rapey CEO's in future times like they romanticized the leg-breaking/shoot-em-up/cold blooded killing mobster. Mario Puzo ain't likely to write "The Executive" like he did "The Godfather".

So this is the first time that Las Vegas is going to have to come to terms with its history being written and forged by someone who is going to remain viewed in a negative light by most of the people who visit. People say they yearn for the days "when the mob was in charge" of Vegas, I don't think we'll see such yearning for "when the sexual assaulters were in charge".

That legacy is still there however, still glowing on the strip, volcano erupting, fountains putting on a show, only the pirate show at TI is no longer active.

How do you tell that story separate from the recent events and remain true, but still not leave out the bad stuff?  Las Vegas is going to have to figure that out.

Their track record for doing so is not, to be generous, all that stellar in this regard.