If you read my last blog, you know I mentioned that sometimes it is hard for out-of-towners and anyone who doesn’t get a local monthly mailer to find out about Vegas casino promos. And I promised to help out if I could.
This is what I have found out for the Gold Coast, first by actually being in the casino and seeing promo signage and then reading a big ad section in today’s Sunday R-J newspaper. It is now also on their website – not sure how long it has appeared there. They are offering 11x for both reels and video poker EVERY Sunday through Thursday in May. I verified that this was available for players whether they got monthly mailers or not.
However, there is one huge group of players who can not take advantage of this promotion – or ANY OTHER bonus multiplier promo – and this goes for ANY Boyd property. Many places put this little detail in a fine-print warning: “For Sapphire Tier and above.” But some do not; I did not see this on the large signage in the Gold Coast, just a generic “See B Connected for details.” In this Sunday paper ad for all Boyd Vegas properties, that fine-print tier restriction for Ruby players is also included in the details for the Young at Heart promo.
Speaking of that YAH senior program, there are new benefits that began May 1. Check the new and changed details for the 3 downtown properties here. For the other 6 properties, go here.
One note for those looking online for information about Boyd properties. Here is one link that might be helpful. However, you need to check each property website, and not depend just on the one for your home base where you go to check your individual account. For example, I thought the royal bonus that runs every day, mentioned in my Gold Coast mailer and on the Gold Coast website where I check our accounts, was only offered at the Gold Coast. But when I googled “Orleans casino promotions,” I found it was also going on at the Orleans. I also found that googling each casino like I just described, adding the word “promotions,” seemed to take me to a better promotional page than just putting in the casino name and trying to search all over that website.
JUST MY OPINION
I’ve talked to a lot of Boyd property players since the company radically changed their players club last year to one that caters more to the “upscale” gambler – and received tons of e-mail expressing their dismay. Hordes of base-level Ruby players, many who have been loyal Boyd visitors for many years, are feeling betrayed and many are moving their business to other casinos. I am still in amazement that casino executives would set up a system that gave nothing to a large segment of their customer base. (I know of no casino that has that type of tier system.) And at the same time Boyd has dropped benefits for the lowest tier, they have alienated many of those in the higher tiers by making benefits many times harder to earn.
They trumpeted the new luxury benefits of the newly-add higher tiers, those that the majority of their player base did not even want. Those few gamblers that played enough to reach those lofty tiers could have – perhaps would have – come to the conclusion that they could go to the Vegas Strip casinos and for that same amount of play could score much better luxury benefits that most mid-level Boyd properties could provide.
I found this recent Forbes article that interviewed 87-year-old Bill Boyd, the company’s cofounder and executive chairman, who talked about how his casinos were different than those fancy resorts on the Strip. After his company’s entrance into more luxurious plans – the Borgato and the Echelon – and their failure – this article summed it up by saying “Boyd returned to what had made his company successful in the first place: cheap casinos serving low-stakes gamblers.”
I wonder, “Did the casino executives that thought up that new players club that I have never heard a Boyd player say a good word about – did they talk to Bill Boyd about it and he thought that was a good idea?”
I just got an email survey from Boyd seeking feedback on my Vegas tourism preferences, but also with several questions on my feelings about the changes to the point system.
I answered it frankly and sincerely.
Anybody else get one?
I play now just like I always have at Boyd Casinos on my trips to Las Vegas and have still maintaimed my low Sapphire status and here is what I have found.
I was given 750 points at the beginning of the year probably because I already had made enough points in the prior year to be Sapphire again. I’m actually earning more food comps this year since I play a lot on the 11x days which I use for food on my trips.
Due to the 11x points I haven’t paid for any meals at Boyd all year, but I’m pretty frugal on the food anyways and I’m happy with buffets a majority of the time.
I can usually get comp rooms when I need them, I just book directly online, I rarely use a host at any casino, I’ve always been like that.
On the other hand, I have no clue how long it takes to earn a tier credit and can’t figure it out. I’m on track to earn my Sapphire status this year and I should have this done by June 1st since I have a 10 day trip coming up. All the rooms are comped and all at Boyd properties. Overall happy, but fustrated the tier points aren’t clearly defined.
While I wouldn’t say I’m a loyal Boyd customer, info like this will definitely make me think twice about how much play I give them…thanks, great article and info.
I’ve been an Emerald player for years, playing primarily at The Suncoast. The new tier structure, coupled with their deteriorating monthly comps made me switch casinos. I now never lay at a Boyd property. Instead, I’ve been playing at The Rampart, which is next door to The Suncoast, and enjoying it much more. The problem is: Boyd management doesn’t care. You would think hey would correspond to get me back, but not a single word from them. Boyd and I are completely done. No way would I ever go back, even if they went back to their former B-Connected program.
Having earned points in the past I now plan to use them up in future and such earn one to two every 3 or 4 months to keep past points live. Boyd just isn’t that important to me.
Thanks for all your research, Jean. I am a senior Ruby player and have 2 trips booked
to the Gold Coast for June and July to try and reach Sapphire. They finally offered me
2 free nights again for the summer months. I am an out-of-towner who has visited for many years
and was so disappointed when my points went to zero and I lost all my benefits. Always loved
the YAH perks at the Gold Coast and the Orleans.
I guess we’re wrong. Boyd’s earnings appear to be up after the change. I guess there are enough people out there who aren’t bother by the changes that they are making an excellent profit.
I used to be a high sapphire, low emerald player at Boyd casinos but since the first of the year have been to Gold Coast once for my LVA coupons. I left a review on Google and got a response that I should come back and “give them another chance”. At my money I assume.
I and my family will not play there and I am a stockholder.
I’ve been a loyal Boyd Gaming customer for over 40 years. I agree wholeheartedly with Jean when she mentions that Boyd is screwing their customers and pissing everyone off. I am an Emerald player who averages over $1M in “at risk” bets per year. When my late wife was alive, between the two of us, we averaged about $1.7M per year. While Boyd hasn’t yet reduced my room and R&B comps, their rewards program and luxury gifts are worse. One of them is an annual trip, for 4 days, to the Bahama’s, staying at a Bahamian casino and hotel. While the “4 day stay” is free, you still have to pay the taxes, fees, and resort charges. You have to pay your own way to get there. And you have no allowance for F&B or anything else. So in reality, this luxury vacations is sort of sucky. The same holds true for their luxury cruises.
I wonder when the Boyd Group will wise up and figure out that what made them popular and profitable, has disappeared and they will soon go down the tubes if they don’t figure it out soon. This is what happens when you let the bean counters run the business instead of the casino gaming managers.
Oh well, what do I know?
Thanks Jean for your great insights. I finally made Sapphire last year. My wife and have been coming to Las Vegas a couple times a year from upstate NY. We have stayed almost exclusively at The Orleans. You would think they would offer incentives to out of town travelers to visit more often, especially with new casinos in our area. Airfare gift cards might be an idea. The added benefit of the Bahamas comp is not something most people will use in my opinion, especially since there are travel advisories for the region.
I’m sure I’ll be losing my status along with my wife who was nearing Sapphire. Too bad, retirement is upon us along with many people in our demographic, they should crunch those numbers.
Thanks again for your knowledge and expertise say Hi to Brad and stay well.
Bob
We are through with Boyd. For several years my wife and I spent up to two months at Sam’s Town in our motor home, hitting Emerald status each visit. Now we would have to play many thousands $ before getting any benefits at all, not even a cheap buffet. Not worth it. We will go where our business is appreciated.
I agree with Jean’s comments here. I have been a loyal Emerald level player at Boyd properties for over 40 years. My average play “bets at risk” per year is over $1M. When my later wife was still alive, we together were over $1.7M per year players. While Boyd has not cut back my room and F&B comps, they have certainly made it harder to earn any luxury promo awards. I looked into their “Free Annual Trip to the Bahamas”. It is really not that good — they give you 4 free nights at a Bahamian hotel/casino, but that does not include taxes, service fees, and resort charges. You also have to pay your own way to get there and all your meals and everything else. So in the end, this promo is really not much at all. Yes, I wonder when Boyd will wake up and realize that what made them profitable and great is now gone and they are on the road to doom. This is what happens when you let the Bean Counters run the business instead of the gaming managers. This is such a shame, since I have seen the Boyd Group go from the single small downtown California Hotel, to a multi-casino, multi-state public company. I wonder if any of the stock holders are asking the right questions at the annual stockholders meeting?
You can thank Annette Dearing for the B-Connected evisceration. I’ve had some rather unpleasant dealings with her not related to the B Connected system. I believe she should be replaced. I have talked to her superiors and they seem to support her so I have little reason to believe things will improve in the near term. Vote with your feet.
G’luck all,
Gamb00ler
I will be visiting Las Vegas in June and always liked going to Boyd Casinos. From past trips last year. I have not been able to see how much slot play equals one tier credit. Does someone know? Also, while playing slots, there was no counter on the screen that showed your point progress. Has this changed? Any help is appreciated. Thank you!!
Boyd is a meat and potatoes casino, not lobster and cavier. They made that mistake 14 years when they closed the Stardust for the Echelon and they are doing it again. Did you see the fence they put in the Orleans VIP check in to keep you away from the coffee and water? Clearly the bean counters are running the place. At least with CET and Stations I know what points I get as I play.
William B would not be happy these days.
I was just at Orleans today, primarily to play poker–their room is still the best in town. I used my LVA play 10 get 10 coupon while I was there. I decided to ask the boothling:
“How much play would I need to get back to Sapphire?” (I was bounced back to Ruby at the beginning of the year).
“You’d have to earn 750 points on slots.” (so far, a simple answer)
“OK, but I’m a video poker player. How much play would I need?”
“Well, you’d need much more.”
“How MUCH more?”
“It depends.”
“On WHAT?”
“Different games have different tier points.”
“So how would I know when I’ve earned a tier point?”
“You’d have to come back here and check.”
At this point, I wanted to strangle the boothling. I was thinking, how many people have come in to play with all these 11x pseudo-promos and then found out that those promos don’t apply to them? And how many people have said, okay, I’ll play enough to get Sapphire, so how much…and never got a straight answer. Anecdotally, I’ve heard people say that it can be as much as $1,000 coin-in to earn ONE tier point on the best video poker machines. I used to play 50-100K a year at Boyd properties. Now, I’m not going to play at all. And I’m not exactly alone in that resolve. Idiots!!