As usual, I learn more promotion and players club information after the first of each month.
GOLDEN ENTERTAINMENT
Golden Entertainment has been gradually introducing their new property-wide players club – True Rewards – into their many properties, taking the place of previous club names and structures. This is – or has been – taking place in the Strat Hotel and Casino and both Arizona Charlie’s in Vegas, and at their casinos in Pahrump, Laughlin, and in the Rocky Gap Casino in Maryland. It has also been rolled out to the 60 neighborhood pubs and taverns in the PT’s Entertainment Group and in the gaming sections in CVS and the Albertsons and Smiths grocery stores. This is what the company said about their new club:
It’s a hub-and-spoke model. Golden Entertainment is the hub, and our casinos, taverns, and gaming operations make up the spokes. True Rewards is what connects them all, allowing members to earn and use rewards at almost all Golden Entertainment properties.
I give them an A+ for originality in naming their tiers: True, Loyal, Solid, Legit, and Epic. No overused jewel or precious metal names!
I don’t play at any of these properties so I don’t have any personal details to add. But I read that there is different earning requirement details for the casinos and the bars. And I read this report from a player online: “We can redeem our True Rewards points from the Strat, Arizona Charlie’s, Aquarius, etc. for grocery gift cards to Smith’s and Albertson’s. But the rules I got from the players club say that the redemption rate is 1000 points =$1 with a $5 minimum. I’m going to keep redeeming points for free play since it has the better rate of 500 points = $1.”
So even though this is a company-wide program, like so many other umbrella companies, you need to check carefully specific details for each property. Programs like Senior Days may not be the same. The two Arizona Charlie’s have launched a new “50+ Perks Senior Day” on Mondays. Some sketchy details are given on their websites, but I would suggest an in-person visit to get more details. It seems that perhaps it is a slowly-evolving program.
BOYD GAMING
Today’s newspaper has 3 inserts for Boyd casinos. One is exclusively for the Eastside Cannery, including a promotions calendar and a couple food coupons. One is a full sheet for 2-4-1 buffet coupons good for various July dates at the Orleans and Gold Coast. The largest one – 2 ½ pages – prominently features details of the property-wide “Freedom to Roam” all-month promotion, the gift giveaway details, and the Monday “ALL-YOU-CAN-EAT BBQ dinner buffet.” (Isn’t a buffet always all-you-can-eat?) There is also a coupon for a Monday “All-You-Can-Bowl” special for those casinos that have bowling alleys.
This big section also has a ½ page description of July Point Multipliers. Notably absent is any mention of any for the Orleans or Gold Coast. Guess you have to get the local mailer to score point multipliers in those 2 casinos. And one detail to remember: Wherever multiple points are mentioned for July – in the newspaper or in our local mailers, for some unknown reason – at least to me – there will be no multiple points anywhere on Tuesday, July 23, even if there are on other Tuesdays. And one more note: Cannery and East Cannery have not yet been folded into the B Connected players club, so their multiple points are still at the value of their original C.A.N. Club. Watch for the * in all promotional announcements!
Many former and present Boyd players received an e-mail recently asking them to fill out a survey, specifically asking about their opinions of the new players club. I wonder how many gave it a big thumbs-up!! 🙂 But most of all I wonder what they will do with all the negative comments, especially with so many saying they are looking for greener casino pastures. Will it lead to customer improvements? I’m not feeling optimistic here!
A COUPON WATCH-IT
A good trend: I notice many 2-4-1 food coupons these days state that they can be used as a 50%-off for a single diner. But not all do. Many state they are not valid on holidays. And most say that they cannot be used with other offers. Read the details carefully.
I certainly don’t know how someone gets “ONE-FORTIETH OF ONE PERCENT on their better VP games” at AZ Charlies Decatur. VPfree2 gives a totally different set of numbers. The term “full pay” means games at or over 100% payback. The regular 8/5 BP is $2 a point. He also failed to mention the multiple point days on Thursday and Sunday at 7x for every player. At the end of June they had 8x on Friday and Saturday and 10x on Sunday. I play there because I’m not considered a local even though I live 1 1/2 hrs from there. That gives me 6 more months to retain my legit level. That six months is needed since we still play at GVR and Palace Station. Also, I get great free play and food offers to go with the free rooms including parking and resort fee. My host brings in the beer I prefer as a bonus. My wife likes the Aquarius so we play there also (we’re considered locals there). I still get the legit offers for Duet and The Cove food items and drinks along with the Saturday and Sunday brunch for two every week. On our way to Palace Station next week we’re going to stop at AZ Charlies Boulder and The Strat to see what freebies are offered at those properties. You don’t need to play in order to get the freebies. We’re not expecting much as AZ Charlies Decatur only has a $3.00 credit to their gift shop. May the royals be with you….Rich
Another reason to LEAVE Boyd gaming: Some out of town/AZ friend was inquiring and I just checked FAQ: Now (Comp/slot play or cash back pts) Expire within 6 Months of Inactivity (Used to be 12 or 13 months, I think). It’s in the FAQ on B-Connected Online website. Just another insult Boyd has added to their ‘loyal’ players. Hard if you are not local to maintain if visit only once/year, and even for me in SoCal, only plan infrequent visits 2-3x/year. not always within 6 months. Well- for me the ‘other shoe’ has fallen off. time to cash out/use up what I have left and move on…Martin (Sadly disappointed with Boyd, ever since they demolished the Star Dust)…
I got the Boyd survey and GLADLY filled it out. I travel from Ohio to Main Street Station 4-6 times a year. I used to earn 25,000 – 30,000 tier credits per trip. Now? About 1500 per trip. I don’t mind quite as much, as they still give me free rooms and free food the entire time I’m there each trip – but the change has been ridiculous. My free play available at the end of each trip has also plummeted. I’m curious to see if I have received any bump in tier credits like some have mentioned here, but tier credits aren’t showing up right now for “site maintenance.”
Rita,
I have seen a flood of reports on the VMB message boards from VP players who have gotten unexpected jumps in BCON Tier Credits. If you are one of those with minimum Sapphire and only play good pay table games on 11x days, you may be a lot closer to Emerald than you expected for this year. I am quite optimistic about the change, and look forward to any announcement of what they are doing. But I am still strangely interested in what people are reporting and trying to figure out what they did… So far it sounds good for VP players.
Thank goodness there isn’t going to be another ‘cake and champagne’ thing….
Yes,Boyd survey has been sent in, Do you think that locals comments will influence them more than someone who is only there once or twice a year??
MO
Regarding Boyd’s Player Club: I received a 5,000 to 5,204 (not sure of exact number) upward adjustment on my tier points in early July. Wondering if anyone else received adjustments after the surveys.
The former Strat/AZ Chuckie’s/etc. player’s club was ACE or something like that–was the owner the Icahn Group? Anyway, I don’t go near their three Las Vegas properties, because the VP there is crud and the player’s club pays ONE-FORTIETH OF ONE PERCENT on their better VP games. But the real crusher was that ACE HATED promotions. Given that they were firmly in the Vegas locals’ market, I was continually surprised by the fact that they never even tried to compete with Stations, Boyd, etc. For the last 10-15 years, the only reason to go inside Arizona Charlie’s has been to have the (very good) cheap steak and eggs. And there’s never been any reason to visit the Strat.
I should mention the Aquarius, though. They have exactly ONE bank of five machines that is worth playing, and you get that abysmal 0.025% player’s club return. But what I did get for a few hours’ play was a series of really good room offers–unusual in that they could be used on a weekend. I’ve used Laughlin as an escape hatch in the past when Vegas weekend room rates hit the ridiculous level. Last winter (when you don’t run the risk of death by walking outside in Laughlin), I used several of those vouchers rather than paying $399 plus resort fee to stay at the Golden Commode or Geezer’s Palace. So that narrowly focused play–play the 9/6/90 JOB at Aquarius to generate room offers–may be the one remaining worthwhile play in all of the True Rewards pantheon.
No particular schedule one could depend on.
Far too early to predict anything!!!! 🙁
Jean: I was fortunate enough on a recent Orleans visit, due to an unprecedented two-day run of luck on 9:6 Double Double Bonus, to earn enough Boyd tier points to retain B Connected Sapphire status through the end of 2020. I was also fortunate enough to get to Sam’s Town and take advantage of an 11x points Monday. I live close enough to Boyd’s Valley Forge PA property to play there and it is very frustrating that the casino has not yet been converted to the B Connected system. Employees and hosts had no estimate on when that conversion might happen. I don’t want to play at Valley Forge and rack up points that won’t be transferred to my B Connected account. It would also be nice to play there with points already on my card that I can use in Las Vegas. I enjoy Boyd properties but policies can be frustrating!!
What are your feelings by the buyout of Caesars property’s. How will effect the many loyal members? Thank you always looking for you and Brad.
Hi Jean, what newspaper is likely to have coupons?