Arizona Charlie’s

November News and Promotions

Before I start talking about November promotions, I need to give you a heads-up about an important December note.  You may have heard for years that December is the best time to go to Las Vegas if you are looking for bargain room rates.   That is still true but only if you are talking about the last half of the month.  While the National Finals Rodeo is in town – this year from December 5th through the 14th – room rates skyrocket, at least double and many triple in price.

This is a phenomenon called surge pricing, something you need to consider all year long when you are booking a Las Vegas stay.  Room rates are definitely not static. Some visitors are more familiar with higher rates during holiday periods, but they can also occur during big convention dates.  It pays to check the schedule you can find at the Las Vegas Convention and Visitors Authority.

Now for November news and promotions. But first, a note about all the promotions I mention here in my blog.  I usually give just a summary, with some of the basic details.  But I do not always mention every single limitation or exclusion.  So, to get complete information you must go to the casino websites, where hopefully all the fine-print warnings will be given.  However, sometimes you eventually need to actually show up at the players club desk to check on specifics and see if there are any last-minute changes.

South Point is running one of my favorite promotions this month – with your players club points worth twice their regular value for Amazon gift cards.  You can earn up to a total of ten $50 cards by redeeming $25 in players club points for each card, and this is equivalent to double points during your earning period.

Arizona Charlies Decatur – I am hearing reports – and complaints – about major downgrades in this casino –both in the VP paytables and in the players club and comp benefits.  The only positive thing I hear is that there are some good food specials, especially for breakfast in their coffee shop.

Gold Coast – “Get Your Grub On” buffet special every Tuesday in November.  Earn 10 tier credits and get a free buffet. After you play, print out your voucher at the kiosk; it is good that day or save it and use it the next day.  And by the way, the voucher you get on Wednesday’s Young at Heart for the free breakfast or lunch can also be saved to use the next day.

 El Cortez – Just saw an ad in the R-J about this check-cashing promotion, one that I think has been going on for quite a while.  But perhaps some have missed it.

Cash any Tax Return, Government Check, or Payroll check from any Clark County Gaming property and receive 5% off your check in free play, up to $50. Must be a Club Cortez member. For promotion details, see posted rules at Casino Cage/Slot Club.

And now for a non-casino freebie/discount:

Mob Museum: To celebrate Kefauver Day, Nov. 15, The Mob Museum announces FREE admission (9 am to 9 pm) for Nevada residents and buy one admission, get one free for non-residents, sponsored by Zappos. Throughout the year, it extends free admission to Nevada residents through designated annual Free Days.  Check it out here.

Lots of food and gambling promos coming up for Veterans Day, the 11th, and Thanksgiving, the 28th.  I’ll cover them next week when I have gathered more details.

Some Immediately Important Information

I try to keep readers here up on current changes in casino conditions, especially in Vegas. Usually I gather up the information all month long and then put it in a blog at the beginning of each month. However, sometimes some of it is so important that I discuss it in mid-month blogs. And then occasionally something comes up that is immediately crucial and, like I am doing today, the information needs to shared right away to keep players from wasting their time.

The Stations Debacle

The Stations conglomerate really made a lot of players mad early this month. On their company website they spelled out their usual multiple-points under Gaming Promotions for August– Mondays, Tuesdays, and Wednesdays they would offer 6x/10x. So many local players made up their August casino calendar to include those days. Also, some out-of-towners planned an August vacation in Vegas to include those days.

However, starting August 1, some players starting questioning their local casino host or the players club management, wanting to verify this information because their mailers did not show this promotion on their mailer calendar, as usually is the custom. I got e-mails asking if I knew the situation. It was discussed on the gambling forums. But no one seemed to know a firm answer and the information remained on the company website. Finally, on Friday evening one player reached a playesr club manager who seemed to be sure of the situation. She said that promotion was NOT going on in August as it had been for many months. She said she would notify corporate about the mistaken entry online. Of course, whoever was in charge of that department probably was off on the weekend. (Wonder if he/she will still have a job?) So, it was not until Monday morning (or afternoon?) until that incorrect information was taken down.

In the meantime, many people had driven to their usual Station property that Monday, planning to play and get those bonus points. If they were lucky, they swiped their card before they started playing and noticed that promotion wasn’t listed on the kiosk. However, at Stations properties, you aren’t required to swipe before you play (like at Boyd ones), but could do it after your play was finished for the day. Those people who had waited until the end were not happy campers!

So hopefully this blog will keep some players from this disappointment in the upcoming days. Actually, the two Fiestas DO have this bonus-point promotion on Mondays and Wednesdays – the Fiestas seem to be a property category on their own for some promotions. And if you are 50+, there is STILL these usual multiple points and usual benefits on senior Wednesdays. Palms has never been included in those company-wide multiple-point promotions although they sometimes do have one of their own. This month it seems the only ones are for those who have one listed in their mailer. Other than those exceptions, do not plan to get bonus points at a Station property on Mondays, Tuesdays, and Wednesday as you might have been accustomed to do in the past.

Arizona Charlie’s

Here is an example that shows you must watch for promotions that a casino might change, in this case overnight. Arizona Charlie’s gift card promotion (both properties) now has the limitation that you can earn only one card per day – although they have not added that fact online.

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Keeping up with casino promotion details and changes is not an easy job for me and especially not for Scot Krause who tries to make his bonus-point list here on this site as accurate as possible. Although he constantly “bugs” the casinos to keep him updated, they are sometimes slow with this. We are both grateful when players let us know about changes by reporting them on the gambling forums which we both follow daily.

And I appreciate the personal e-mails giving valuable information and especially the comments here on my blog. But I do need to remind you that no comment is posted until I read and “approve” it. You wouldn’t believe the spam I have to delete. However, I don’t “live” at my desk computer – although sometimes Brad says it seems that way! 😊 I do try to get to blog comments almost every day but there will 24-48 hours delay at times before I can “approve” them. I ask your patience!