Circa Sportsbook

I have looked on their website and cannot seem to be able to grasp this. I understand you need to make reservations, but does that money go towards any kind of food or drink? Also, are ALL seats in need of a reservation? It's just me and my husband, I don't need a table, just 2 seats

Yep. You gotta pony up just to sit there. It's pretty hard to just stand there and watch without obstructing someone's view, so you have no choice but to buy a seat if you watch to watch the game.

You'll pay a minimum of $8 per seat, and that's only at slack times. During busy times (such as Sunday afternoons), they'll charge you much, much, much more. And no, no food or drink credits.

I strongly recommend that people stay the hell away from Circa--not just the sportsbook but the entire goddamn place. It's a ridiculous ripoff. If you're downtown and want to watch sports, there are half a dozen free alternatives.

The thing that's become amusing about this dynamic is it begs the question:   What's the resort fee for again?

a few years ago hotels invented a new charge they called a "resort fee" which gave one access to resort amenities that were previously included the the base room price.    Now they've reinvented that concept.    The resort fee gives you access to the pool - just nowhere to sit.   There's another invented fee for that now.    

so you purchase a room at the hotel.

then you purchase a resort fee

then you lease a pool chair.

what's the next derivative going to be?    Towel fee?   Pool refill fee?   Lifeguard fee?   

no thanks.   

I predict a pee fee. Toilets in hotel rooms will have a coin slot; slot club points will also be accepted. Public restrooms will have an attendant, armed with a taser to deal with scofflaws.

I was curious as to whether Circa would grant you a precious seat if you made a bet. The answer is "sort of." You have to cough up $100 in action and commit to buying food or drinks as well. Then, you MIGHT be able to snag a seat---and MAYBE the fee will be waived. I don't know the details.

Like resort fees, this is now an outlier, but I fear it will become the "new normal." The other casinos, I'm sure, are watching avidly to see if everyone tells Circa to go screw themselves or they pack the sportsbook anyway. Preliminary indications are that the lemmings are happily ponying up the seat fees.

The funniest 'benefit' advertised with the resort fee: "Free local calls."   

Candy

when i was there, the seats on the sides (stadium style w/ a cup holder!) were free to sit in. i would call to be sure. i really enjoyed my time there, but already had my drink and the basketball game i was most interested in was right in front of me. they also have an area with seats that do dealerless bj, craps, roulette, bacarat with low minimums, but you don't earn any points. still kinda fun to compete with friends at all four from the same seat. 

We walked through Circa last Wednesday at about noon--sports book seats were open for anyone to sit in.  Saw one guy actually sleeping in a stadium seat--doubt that he lasted long, but no official was monitoring seats that we could see.

I'm sure it works like parking.   They charge when they think they can - oherwise its free.

I doubt baseball brings in the kinda fans you get on NFL sundays and the March Madness tournament...so they let the fee fly.      Its definitely a good venue if you can get a free seat.     As for me, I'm just as happy at your neighborhood sports bar.

I'm with PJ............I'm happy with a neighborhood sports bar.  However, a bunch of us will be staying across the street from Circa at the Golden Gate in October.  That stay gets us into the Circa pool and the sports book.  We won't spend more than a quick spin by the pool, but if the Circa book charges us to sit down, I don't believe that they will see our business.  Alcohol contingent.