Out with the old – in with the new. Here are some of the changes we have noticed recently in the casinos where we hang out.
Palms
Their spa is closed. Plans are to build out from the pool a new restaurant in this space. However, the spa at Palms Place is still open and they take all Palms spa coupons. Both hair salons are still open and coupons can be used in both places but I have heard that starting in April they can be used only for services, not products as before.
Kids Quest has closed and an Earl of Sandwich food outlet will take over that area. My grandchildren have fond memories of Kids Quest from their younger days, especially the dance machine!
The Playboy Club will be closing soon. We always thought we would at least stop in and look at it – but we never did. And probably won’t!
Tuscany
They closed their poker room and turned it into a lounge where I saw and heard lots of music and dancing action on a recent weekend evening.
Silverton
They have closed their poker room, which looks dark and lonely at the moment. Haven’t heard what will be the next plan for that area.
Ellis Island
A new small deli sandwich outlet just opened in the former tournament area. And if you get the locals monthly mailer, you can use your pizza coupons for a free sandwich and a drink there instead of at the pizza shop.
Downtown
Many changes going on here. The shuttered Lady Luck is being resurrected and renamed Downtown Grand. The Fitz (formerly Fitzgerald, formerly Sundance) has new owners who are changing its name to the D Las Vegas. The Fremont Street Experience features go-go dancers, costumed “characters,” artists, musicians, outdoor bars, even a zip-line ride – plenty to keep you amused and entertained without ever going inside a casino! We haven’t ventured down to the hopping East Fremont Street entertainment area yet. Maybe we will some warm summer evening even though drinking is not on our list of entertainment likes and I doubt that there is a venue that plays our kind of music – something written before 1960.
We have been going to Vegas for 15 to 20 years and have watched it’s demise. Once we bought your books and learned to play VP with accuracy, we were able to go nearly free for many, many years. We watched mega casinos be built. We watched casino companies buy up others and get larger and lager. We watched casinos being d-themed. We watched quarter grinders become less and less welcome. We also watched crowds and excitement get smaller and smaller.
We no longer go to Vegas. We have a casinos within a 1 or 2 hours drive. With the frugally that we’ve learned from you, we have decided it is cheaper to drive to a casino with poor pay tables than to fly to those in Vegas with poor pay tables.
Happy Birthday Brad
Thanks, Doug. I didn’t know that. I’m on the east coast so I only get to Vegas a few times a year. I will definitly check out the Orleans. It’s hard to get away without the little one so always looking for good kid places. Thanks again.
@Greg: you may know this but the Orleans has a nice kids’ club (if that one still exists). We couldn’t tear our kids away from it.
Jean: you wrote that the Palms Place spa accepts Palms spa coupons. Does this include the LVA 50% off coupon? I had read in the forum that someone tried to use it at the Palms Place spa and was turned down – this was a few months ago so maybe the policy has changed since then?
I can’t believe the Palms is getting rid of kids quest. I guess I won’t be staying there anymore with the family. Thanks for the update, did not know this.
Fiesta Rancho has taken away lots of VP and put in loud playing reels. Besides the element(CHILDREN) is not good for playing. Avoid the Casino.
As far as Silverton goes, the old poker room is the “new” tournament area, for their Tuesday slot tournament. Closer to the parking garage, I wonder if it is going to be the new gift giveaway center as well?
If so it is going to be easier to “get in and get out” when picking up gifts.
The “changes” I’ve noticed lately have had more to do with the rapidly accelerating destruction of decent video poker. Whereas the deterioration had been up to this point sporadic and gradual (and even offset by a few casinos actually ADDING decent games), recently, there seems to be a wave of downgrades. This is because a casino that wants to destroy its decent VP now feels safer in doing so because its neighbors/competitors are doing that as well.
The Palms is a great case in point. Their VP used to be good, now it’s mediocre, and it’s continuing to decline rapidly. This has coincided with the wiping out of the last positive games at Gold Coast and Orleans, its most direct competitors.
I recently went to Casino Del Sol in Tucson. There had been a double bank of multi-line games that offered Super Aces and NSUD (99.8/.7), in .05, .10. and .25. The bank had been drastically shorted; the games were now 96%–the worst offered by the manufacturer! Yet, the bank was full–on a Wednesday afternoon, with happy ploppies plugging away. Why WOULDN’T the casino slash its paytables if that didn’t affect play in the slightest?
If in casino patronage, suckers vastly outnumber knowledgeable players, the latter have no leverage and will be ignored by casinos. This is what is finally happening in Las Vegas–the locals are supposed to sit, quivering, in their foreclosed houses and occasionally venture out to blow the unemployment check on 7-5 Bonus Poker.
You should check out the Playboy club, great views of the city
Thanks for the updates! Give me a call when you visit Columbus again.
You are just wonderful!!!..and so interesting…I really look forward to your notices….and yes, the music down town is sort of loud…But,,,it is time for the younger people to enjoy it all…My husband and I have been going to LV for quite a while….and yes…changes have to come into our lives.Thank you for all your news…..
Thanks for all the useful updates! We appreciate it!