Downtown Grand weasel bullshit

They periodically send me promos, and the latest was a 30% off rack rate for three nights (big whoop). What was different, though, was that they said that bookings were subject to a $39 "Grand Experience Fee." Turns out, that's just a resort fee called something else. What's misleading is that the text implied that it's $39 per BOOKING, when it's really $39 per NIGHT, just like any resort fee.

The LVA coupons are still a good deal there (not as much as they were), but lordy lordy, has that place gone down the toilet. We were all pleased to see good deals, good gambling, good food, and good promos. LVA went all in on helping them attract attention. Then they decided to slam the door in everyone's faces.

But this latest bullshit is something new. Grand Experience Fee, my ass.

Agreed. What a shame. They were really starting to hum along and then they canned the guy running the place and all the good stuff(BJ tournaments, decent video poker etc) went away. We've only been back once since then and don't plan on returning until they come around(if).

 The DGT has been a disappointment, to say the least. No matter who they bring in to manage the place, they have one big problem - the location. Foot traffic needs a reason to visit and gamble there. Without good gaming and good offers they will continue to suffer. I have stayed there 3 times and I like the rooms. The gambling has been hit and miss, sometimes good vp - other times bad vp. Last time I stayed there, I went to eat on site and sat there 15 minutes without service. I got up and went across the street to eat. Their latest brainchild - "Grand Experience Fee" is just a cheesy play on words from some bean counter that may fool some, but the word will get out as patrons realize it is just their new moniker for a rip off, worthless resort fee. They remind me of the saying - " Doing the same thing while expecting different results is just a sign of insanity". 

Let them die and someone else come in and make it profitable and attractive to walk from Fremont St.

I'm sure they've joined the chorus, saying that their location, a two+minute walk from Fremont Street, is the problem. That's lame. They got plenty of people in there when they were providing reasons for people to visit-:just like Lady Luck before them. The El Cortez, in a similar location (a few minutes' walk away from the FSE), had a similar approach--until Stations strangled it.

Yeah I think they have been referring to their resort fee that way for a while. I want to say I remember it two or three  years ago when I was pricing rooms. 

Resort fee, no resort fee, it doesn't really matter to me. I just compare "out the door prices". I don't really care how they break it down. 

Yeah, it's just false advertising to scream "FIFTEEN CENTS A NIGHT!!!!" and then much later in the process whisper, "(plus $139 nightly resort fee)." Also, resort fees often aren't included in room comps, so that free room you're being offered often comes with a horrible surprise at the end. Bring presented with a bill for several hundred bucks when you check out of your free room is so common, it's a Vegas trope. 

It was obnoxious when they hid the resort fee behind a bunch of clicks and you almost had to check out before seeing a total. But that's no longer the case. 

Now pretty much every site uses the room rate + resort fee total as the forward facing number you see on the initial page. 

I have never been surprised by a resort fee at check out. It has always been disclosed to me during the booking process. 

The El Cortez is an independent casino and is not part of Stations. They use Stations to run the race and sports book but that's it. The main casino is independent. 

True. They fucked it up in an extremely Stationesque way, though. They gradually tightened the screws on everything.