Let Us Entertain You

First it was My Pants...Now...It's My Shirt !

A year ago, I walked out of most casinos looking like this...

But now...walking out...I'm starting to look more like this !

I suppose I could have used a different analogy since just about every shirt I own has a casino logo imprinted on it; and the truth is, if I did lose them, I'd have to go to Goodwill to buy new ones, the way gambling appears to be going lately...

...but seriously...

What's going on with the casino business the past few months ?

Just about everyone I've been talking to recently, says the same thing.

"It ain't fun no more"

Remember the days when you could walk into a place with a $20 bill, and sit at a machine for a couple of hours, have a few drinks, and then go home with at least SOME of that 20 bucks ?

Not anymore.

I'm not talking about 1965...it's more like 2005 since that "Jackson" went anywhere.

Now...you start with a "Ben Franklin"... and leave an hour later...still looking for the cocktail waitress with just a few "Washingtons" left in the now, skinny coffer.

Listen, I'm not trying to be a sore loser, and I don't really believe that I'm going to walk out of any of these places making a fortune, but come on.....

What's happened to APPRECIATION ?

Are we "consumers" or "suckers"?  Maybe it's a little bit of both, but within the past few months, the later word seems to be a lot more appropriate.

The TARGETED consumer seems to be the visitor, doesn't it?

Most of these places are beginning to remind me of a yo yo.  One month they seem to be "friendly" and then, WHAM, they seem to want it all back...ASAP.  Trouble is....the yo yo doesn't seem to want to sling back to the top much anymore.

Best SCAM all seem to employ....

...never telling you the rules of the road as they pertain to how much you have to gamble to get on one of their mailing lists.

Just why won't they tell you just what the rules of the road really are for those things? 

And the promotions....what a ruse !

Best ruse?   Station Casinos "drawing tickets".  This one should make anyone laugh.  The latest is getting "100 free tickets" every day you walk through the door of their establishment and swipe your "treasured" players card.

Wow...what a deal.  Go in, swipe it, and LIKE EVERYONE else, you get 100 tickets. 

Are any of you that dumb as to believe that there is a difference between everyone getting 1, 100, or 10000 ?  With everyone getting the same, it's MOOT.

...but just the same, the "something for nothing" crowd still jams the place, hoping they'll be the lucky one.

Me?  I'd rather have a V-8 !

Remember that swipe used to get you a buffet, points, something of actual value?  Not anymore, now its drawing tickets !

Can't stop at Station....now let's get to the M Resort.  The What?  The weekday graveyard? 

Gee, got to get the Hash House to spend $30 for breakfast ! Or take your sweetie out for a nice Friday night, and drop a HUNDRED bucks with tip on a BUFFET...after dropping the other HUNDRED on one of their "loose", or better said, LOSE machines.

Remember the lines that used to populate their buffet, the soft drink stations, or senior day, or the football pools, or the way so many of us used to see Mark O'Toole or Zowie Bowie?

GONE !!!

And with that "loyal" attitude toward those who paid his bills the first couple of the years, the owner shouldn't be shocked at the "sounds of silence"  that are now all that's left there during the week.

I don't think even Chris Milam would have an interest in buying that property, unless he's looking for a new source of foreign investment !

Next up...the South Point.

Ever go there on a weekend ?  No parking available, bumping into everyone because it's JAMMED wherever you go there...and then leaving BROKE after an hour.

I thought I would send them an idea for a new machine. 

I spoke with a few of the people working there, and honestly I'M CONFUSED.  It appears that there is a "purge" of their employees, cutting back their hours, losing their medical benefits, and it's been obvious lately that the employee morale is sinking faster than the Titanic.

Yet...I've been told the owner OWNS THE PLACE WITHOUT ANY DEBT !

Well...LA DI DA ! 

How about spreading some of that solvency back to us?

On the positive side....at least they still maintain some quality entertainment with Wes Winters on the weekends; Gregg Austin on Tuesday evenings; the buy one, get one free showroom bargains for Sun City Anthem residents; and of course, the Dennis Bono Show on Thursday afternoons.

Their specialty restaurants, Don Vito's, Primarily Prime Rib, and Silverado Steakhouse are good, moderately priced, but yet, have you noticed THE PRICES have RECENTLY INCREASED, but the coupon value on their mailer (if you are fortunate to get one) hasn't ?

...and that buffet....other than a salad bar, I'm wondering what they're doing with all those horses in the arena after the shows !

Gaming lately at the South Point has been compared to getting robbed without a gun.

So what to do if you "get the urge" to get a little bang for that buck on those one armed bandits ?

Here's a suggestion...GO TO DOWNTOWN HENDERSON and patronize a few of the local joints that still seem to appreciate the business of a local.

It's OLD VEGAS, and it shows by the SERVICE.

Forget the Fiesta...it should be renamed "Station Casino IMPROV"...and that buffet...well, I think I know where the South Point buffet leftovers are being deposited !

My suggestion:

Emerald Isle

...located at 120 Market Street near city hall (702) 567-9160.

This place is an all penny casino, no table games, and as they say, "every day is a promotion".

...and low overhead, means MORE FOR YOU.

OK, it's a little smoky, but if you can get past it, THEY SEEM to actually appreciate you showing up.

Play a few hundred points each month...especially between 5:00pm and 6:00pm and get 75 times points.  In addition, their mailer sends you coupons for a free lunch or breakfast for EACH WEEK OF THE MONTH; and during the day and evening, they pass out goodies like cookies, teriyaki chicken, hot dogs, whatever....as if....they LIKE YOU !

They have a seniors day where entrees are half off, a Wednesday night all-you-can-eat RIB dinner for about $15.00 (which at 75x points can pretty much cover it), cocktail waitresses that are THERE every few moments, and serve QUALITY booze on top of it !

And the food...is QUALITY as well.  Have their burger at lunch, and you'll probably won't have any room for dinner !

You might even meet the owner, Tim Brooks, who is usually around somewhere saying hi to people.

The day I introduced myself to him, he spent about 10 minutes with me, and as we closed our conversation, I told him, that if I have to lose my shirt, at least here at Emerald Isle, I'm having a good time doing it !

...and then I asked him why he was so different than the majors, and his answer was so simple....

WE NEVER STOPPED BELIEVING THIS WAS A SERVICE INDUSTRY !

Wake up Station, South Point, & M, we're consumers and you seem to be forgetting we count after the weekend warriors leave.

And though I haven't seen too many shirts with Emerald Isle logos lately, trust me, I have enough from the other places to keep me in "proper business attire" until the angels come a callin".

Dick Arendt