Just Back from Downtown/Golden Nugget

Just wanted to post a few observations for anyone planning a trip soon. We experienced a significant lack of services we often depend on when we visit such as Cabs, Valet, Bell hops, Cleaning Staff, shortage of Restaurants and staff with lots of waiting in lines. But mostly there was a drop in Security personal. No one by the entrances, elevators, inside and outside.

On the other hand the people working were kind, helpful and do a good job dealing with the shortage of staff. This is a problem that I would think is temperory as more staff returns to work. However the word was it was very difficult to get staff back to fill the additional openings.

A positive was we were treated to more comps, food money and gifts. Most of the slot machines were open but not paying off. Video poker machines were greatly reduced with not so great pay scales. We did not see anyone hitting anything.

The crowds on Fremont street including the beggars and homeless were in full force and celebrating the warm weather. Again not much security around so we limited our time out on Fremont street.

Circa is an experience. Big and beautiful and loud. It was fun to go over and watch a ballgame or try a restaurant. No fees to sit in the sportsbook. They do not have horse racing which my husband loves and he could not bet the Kentury Derby. We liked that they check everyone's ID and you must be at least 21 to enter. We would have felt very safe in there and would stay there for that reason.

We love the Golden Nugget and like being downtown and we realize that things will get better. Everything went very smooth even without the personal around. It was great to see happy people. 

Things will get better for sure.

No children at Circa would be a plus.   Is that the whole place, no kids?  Or just the sports book.

Loud at Circa would be a negative.  Maybe the CEOs are hard of hearing?  LOL 

Nice to hear the comps and food money went up instead of down.  What sort of gifts?

Thanks for reporting, and glad you had a good time.

Candy

The D, next door (-ish) to the Circa, is so loud that I'm convinced that the D stands for Deafening. I find it extremely unpleasant, but obviously, many people either don't care or even enjoy it. So if Circa is like that, that's another reason to not visit. I don't see anything there that particularly turns me on; the sports book and the pool thingy are the only unusual features. Otherwise, it's just relatively crummy gambling and overpriced rooms and food. Whee.

I've never been thrilled by the Fremont Street experience or The Fremont Street Experience. It's loud, crowded, and frequented by people who, if I shared a lifeboat with them, I would pitch overboard at the first opportunity. The street performers are often quite good. Burned into my brain forever is the image of the 400-pound middle-aged guy playing the ukulele and wearing only a thong.

There's a reason why Vegas service is crappy now and will continue to be so. A LOT of people in the footsoldier jobs just packed up and left after waiting too long for their jobs to come back. (Vegas is a truly awful place to live if you don't have any money.) They have not yet been replaced, in no small part because these are menial, tedious jobs that don't pay very well. Those who remain are shouldering 100% of the burden with about 60% staffing. So be patient, tip well, and lower your expectations--except for your expectations of what everything's gonna cost. Those expectations, you should double.

Thanks for your TR, good jnfo good to hear a balanced TR.

To address some questions:

Circa checks ID's before you walk in. Children and anyone under 21 are not permitted anywhere in the casino including the hotel area, restaurants, the pool, and sports area. 

The whole Cira Casino is loud but more loud during the weekend. 

There was no tournament at the Golden Nugget so they had a gift give away where we can choose a gift like sheets, hats, pans etc. The tournaments were coming.

Also money was deposted in our account. We also had some of our rooms comped and we really like the host there. We like the rooms at the Golden Nugget in the Gold Tower that are extra large, clean and comfortable but have a smaller bathroom that is fine for us.  

I agree about Fremont Street. There used to be police on bicycles but this trip we only saw a few. Except for a beggar here or there no incidents occured that concerned us but we limited the amount of time we spent outdoors. It could use a good cleaning up.

Last time we were in Las Vegas a year and a half ago we saw also some of the same crazy people as we walked up and down the strip and went up and down the cross walks. They are not just on Fremont St.

Thanks for the current report.

I love the idea of Circa being adults only!

Oh, a lot of the people you see there might be 21 or older, but they sure as heck ain't adults!

I think it would be an interesting idea on the strip which is where the kids actually are.    It seems kinda gimmicky downtown.   There's no kids down there anyway.   How many 10 year olds have you seen wandering around 4 queens?   Putting a guard in front of Circa to stop the brats is like having a guard stopping straight men from entering a Britney Spears concert

I think that checking IDs helps keep the undesirables out of which there were many on Fremont St.

They seem to know each other and hang together and try to get you to give them money yelling at you as you walk by.

They go in the Casinos and beg as well. Our last trip to Golen Nugget many months ago one man walked in and grabbed the handbag of a woman playing Video Poker next to me. She started screaming and everyone near her ran after the him including me. He then just droped the bag and kept on running.

The young people at the Circa for the most part were very well behaved. But again, the music was very loud!

 I'll NEVER play craps in the Circa or the D! They cannot hear your bets and calls!  BJ is OK because there is not much talking, anyway. Mostly gestures. Craps is WAY different!

If I need to do the D, I'll use my Downtown Grand ear plugs to avoid that headeache, every time.

 I read lips very well, except the masks! You need to hear things in there.

 Yeah ,the beggars do come into the casinos.

Doesn't the casino have the right to refuse service to anyone?

Get out of here and don't come back, They may say. They bother me for a hand out.

There are also slot vultures hanging out. Watching your machine and waiting for you to leave and see if you left money in your machine. Those types happened most often inside The Fremont.

Some buskers simply are too stupid and dumb and maybe offensive. Some are fine! When I see a really good one and it makes me laugh, I'll go back and hand 'em a fiver!!! "You made my day!".

  All time favorite one is the Pee Wee look alike with his bike!

HA HA!