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!
Thanks for this timely update. I live in Phoenix and was lucky enough to take advantage of this promotion at the end of July. I was just telling another local player about it. Now I will have to correct myself next time I see him. Constantly changing promotions are frustrating enough, but coupled with bad information, that makes you want to scream!
Other than the usual corporate penny-pinching, I wonder what was the reason for canceling this very popular promotion. I’m sure it normally got thousands of people playing who might have spent their time/money elsewhere. How stupidly shortsighted of Stations to turn cheapskate!
The bottom line may improve by cutting back the points (and I actually think profits will DROP as a result), but is it worth the damage to goodwill? Last year, I envisioned Stations chortling to itself as its main rival, Boyd, shot itself in the foot with its ruination of its players’ club. Now, I guess, Station feels it has the latitude to do the same…? Is there ANY casino operator out there that doesn’t hate its customers???
thanks for all the information you give everyone. FYI Brads lucky to have someone who has the same interest as him for everything.
If the information was listed on the corporate parent’s website, the honorable thing for the casino to do would be to honor it. Yes, people make mistakes. But honorable companies try to make up for those mistakes. If this was any other state, people would be running to the gaming authorities.