PS, 4Q and SP, February 2026

For me, the final nail in the coffin was when I specifically asked a host what the amount of play was that I would need to get a room comp and was told that amount and instructed to contact that same host on the morning of checkout. I did so, the host found that I had won $110 overall, so he told me he "couldn't do anything for me." "Couldn't," of course, being Weasel for "Don't want to."

I would have been OK if he had just been honest and said, "No comps if you win." It took a good 25+ hours to satisfy the coin-in requirement, playing quarters (24K for a three-night comp), and I remember missing a football game I wanted to watch because I wanted to get in my required play. I also was down $900 when I hit a royal during my final session on Sunday, and that was actually deeper in than I usually go. So I gave them more action than I would have if not for the comp promise. Lying bastard!

Oh, and the host was a 50-ish guy (I think) with a first name that began with a "J." Jamie? Jerry? Jerkass?

Jamie and Pam (now part-time) seem to be the two less generous hosts at SP; I got lucky, found someone else, but everyone else got stuck with one of them.  Kevin, it seems to be common knowledge that SP factors win/loss heavily into comp decisions, and they're kind of old-school in that hosts have more discretion than in many places (like CET).  And like most casinos, they're pretty secretive about their comp criteria.  All I can say is that they've been reasonably generous with us, although Vegas ain't what it used to be.  Not sure how tight things will be in another ten years.

We've never rented a car in Vegas, been thinking about it, though.  Given how much we get out and about, Uber is still cheaper for us, and plenty convenient.  I think we may have spent a total of $300 over the seven nights.

Not a huge Steak and Shake fan, they used to be a bit better than most fast-food chains, but haven't been anything special in recent decades.  If I want a fast-food hamburger, Five Guys seems better than most, although I try to avoid things that I can get at home when I travel.

Wait till week before departure.Costco car rentals go way down.With cost of parking I almost don't want a car.I have free parking Caesar's..Free parking downtown.Have to pay other properties.Problem for us we like to travel around Las Vegas.Go for day trips,and Boulder Highway.

The answer, Patsy, is to never, never, never give your business to the greedy bastard casinos that charge you for parking. Don't stay there; don't gamble there; don't eat there; don't set foot there. 

While most joints do charge for parking, there are still many that don't (whether you belong to their Sucker Club or not). If more people stayed away from the ripoff joints, those joints would be forced to offer free parking. Anyone who goes there and pays is an enabler.

Odd hack: I've found that some of the joints that charge for self-parking don't charge for valet parking.