Congratulations to Caesars Entertainment. Its Canadian flagship, Caesars Windsor, was voted best “Detroit area” casino by readers of Casino Player magazine for the 11th year running, as well as snagging 10 other awards. Now, if only Caesars could monetize that. Given the well-publicized financial struggles of Caesars Windsor, getting a passel of awards from Casino Player is like the sound of one hand clapping.
If they can’t come to Vegas … bring Vegas to Windsor.
CEO Gary Loveman invested an extra 400 million Loonies (and the Caesars name) into the property in the teeth of what can only be described as active U.S. governmental deterrence of player movement from Detroit into Windsor. Immigration agents have reportedly taken a stance that one S&G reader describes as “seeing everyone as a potential terrorist.” (My brother recently got this treatment in Vermont, from where I returned recently with armful of horror stories about the “shovel-ready” militarization of the Canadian border.) The heavy hand of “homeland security” is stirring local unrest, to say nothing of inconveniencing players.
Says the source, “if you even mention you’re at the casino, you’re going to be searched for money,” and that’s just the tip of the iceberg. If you win especially big, I’m told, you can kiss that lucre goodbye at customs. Much the same holds true for U.S. punters returning from overseas gambling sojourns. An inbound Daniel Negreanu was allegedly hassled in this fashion … at least until his TV-familiar mug got him sprung.
Naturally, the big clusterfuck at the Windsor-Detroit nexus is good news for the area’s three other casinos. Heck, it’s probably the best thing that’s happened to Greektown Casino since that place got its license. Motown casinos have ridden out the Great Recession surprisingly well … with a little force majeure help from Uncle Sam. Which, in part, is the reason that there will be no 9/11 observances in S&G. That horrific occasion also created a monstrous pretext for the government to inhibit travel out of the U.S. and, if you’ve flown anytime in the last decade, to strike fear into anyone with the temerity to attempt to move expeditiously inside the country, too.
We now return you to our customary genre of ranting.
Caesars Windsor is a nice property, but it hasn’t had the appeal for me that MGM Grand Detroit does. I do like the non-smoking law in Windsor, but the benefit of clean air is negated by the hassle of crossing the border back into the U.S. On my annual trips back into Detroit, I’ve always answered the question, “What was the purpose of your trip?” by saying I went to the casino for the day. I’ve never been stopped for a secondary inspection nor asked any further questions. Many people who have problems don’t have passports or proper ID. The hassles and delays are caused by too many cars and not enough Immigration guards. You never know if you’ll wait two minutes or an hour. That’s why I always return by the bridge. I don’t want to sit in the tunnel, under the Detroit River, for an hour breathing exhaust fumes.
The reference to losing your winnings makes for a good story, but if you declare winnings (which I’ve never been fortunate enough to have to do), there’s no problem. This story from last year is a good example. If you declare, there’s no problem.
http://www.clickondetroit.com/news/25608670/detail.html
Anyone see big daddy Gary Lovecheeks on CNBC today? The immense balls on him telling viewers his company could add 50,000 jobs if Internet gaming is legalized.
Someone should have asked him about the $7.5 million bonus he and other senior execs got for cutting $100 million in expenses and 100’s if not 1,000’s of jobs.
Outrageous and even worse that CNBC give him a platform to push his agenda.
I take exception to the “deterrence of player movement” from Detroit to Windsor. I have visited Casino Windsor (I live north of Detroit) on the average of every other month since 9/11. Yes, there is extra scrutiny, especially on the Detroit side when you return, but it is nothing to prohibit the drive time to any extent. I have never been “searched for money” and as long as you declare your winnings over $10,000, you have nothing to worry about. It is the idiots who do not declare winnings that run afoul. In all reality, the extra 10 minutes that Caesars Windsor is from the 3 Detroit casinos is well worth it: Caesars is totally smoke free (the Detroit locations are like gambling downwind from a smokey camp fire at times) and with it being a Caesars property, I benefit on my Total Rewards. I’m not sure who your source is for your rant, but this person is probably just a sore loser at Caesars Windsor.
How many doobies did he smoke before he went on-air? Caesars employs 80,000 people currently, according to the company’s own Web site:
http://www.caesars.com/harrahs-corporate/about-us-our-employees.html
Or would that be 70,000?
http://www.caesars.com/corporate/about-us-our-employees.html
I can relate as I am Canadian and cross the border to get to Greektown, MGM Detroit or Motorcity. If you mention the word “casino” at US customs in Detroit I always get asked extra questions about how much money I have, why I am going there etc. You would think they would welcome me by spending money in Detroit. (OK – I’m dreaming there). The funniest story was when I went to Atantic City. US customs asked what the draw was and why I was not spending my money at the Detroit casinos. We had a huge conversation on why I like Atlantic City.
Caesars Windor is my favorite casino in this area. I love that is smoke free, has great shows and I can use my Total Rewards in Vegas or Atlantic City. They used to be really slow in getting new slot machines but have noticed they are finally getting new ones even before Detroit does. The customer service is outstanding so I understand why they won so many awards.