I started a page on my website reviewing locals casinos around Vegas: http://alanbestbuys.com/id457.html
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I started a page on my website reviewing locals casinos around Vegas: http://alanbestbuys.com/id457.html
Both the official and the commonly used categories for casinos have historical and geographic quirks. I would not consider a bank of slots in a grocery store to be a casino even though some were recently upgraded and electronically linked. Once the 'real' casinos pretty much drove poor Aunt Dotty out of the game, they tried to take over the ultra low levels of slot machines at supermarkets. Such cosmetic upgrading and electronic linkage should not be viewed as a change of any particular substance.Quote:
Originally Posted by Alan Mendelson
Supermarkets and barber shops do not particularly emphasize customer loyalty or have any particuar reason to set their machines to sensible payout levels. You are probably better off at the airport slots.
The Burger/Beer/Broad/Slots taverns are 'dating pubs'. Socially oriented, comfortable chairs, group seating, gambling in alcoves. Unified slot club and unified advertising of bonuses. Players who frequent PTs are often the yuppies who show up in social groups. I'm fairly certain it was the Hard Rock who purchased rights to the PT player cards computer, and certain events at HR are marketed to them and certain bonuses at HR are marketed to PT players. This is a marketing ploy to get PT 'graduates' into the HR when they graduate to 'real' casinos. Yes, there are opportunities at some of these slots at Burger and Beer bars, but I would doubt its worth the gas money.
Casinos compete. They compet geographically and demographically. A bare bones slot parlor such as Dottys offers comfortable seating, smoking, no distractions. Even the smaller casinos such as Skyline, Emerald, Fortune Club, etc. that are structurally limited in their physical growth still compete for customers by offering bargains often focusing on extremely local residents. The food may not be fancy but it will be good, else all their customers will go to more ostentacious casinos with massive entertainment budgets and famous chefs, etc.
The better BJ rules and slot club rules will be at the tiny hole in the wall casino simply because that is all the tiny casino can do to market itself. The ultra cheap Egg McMuffin and Mimosa breakfast at Club Fortune is a way to keep the all nighters there. The 'Pretty Good Prime Rib' is something a hole in the wall casino can afford to do to compete with fancy places.
The primary mode of competition is in slot payouts. Official statistics generally show: Big Strip is lowest payout, Downtown is better payout, Little Strip is best payout and North Las Vegas is such a tiny grouping that any one sneeze at a North Las Vegas casino will affect the stats rather largely. So if you play slots, trek to a Little Strip casino. The Wife on Vacation may seek the opulence of the Venetian but the retired locals will seek a plain vanilla casino with higher slot payouts, better parking and decent air conditioning and food.
The usual determining factor is Bang For The Buck, not glitter and ambiance.
Nice article, Alan. The photos also really augment the story. We always stop in Skyline when driving by. It'll scare the hoity-toity, but that's okay. Skyline kind of reminds me of the old (pre-renovation) Gold Spike with its great little coffee shop/snack bar.Quote:
Originally Posted by Alan Mendelson
I hope you continue to feature some of the locals places. This was a really nice piece with great photos.
I believe the Gold Spike was once the subject of a Formal Wear and Evening Gowns visitation by approximately fifteen celebrants who arrived in a limousine and who played with black chips at a casino that hardly ever sees such a thing as a black chip on the table.Quote:
Originally Posted by redietz
This proved that locals casinos can be fun even for those who normally play at Caesar's Palace.
I stayed at the old Gold Spike (a few times) back in the day. They gave you a dial phone at the desk when you checked in. I guess their quality of visitor tended to poach them.Quote:
Originally Posted by FleaStiffI believe the Gold Spike was once the subject of a Formal Wear and Evening Gowns visitation by approximately fifteen celebrants who arrived in a limousine and who played with black chips at a casino that hardly ever sees such a thing as a black chip on the table.Quote:
Originally Posted by redietz
This proved that locals casinos can be fun even for those who normally play at Caesar's Palace.
I considered it, however, a cut above The Western.
Small slot areas in grocery stores, gas stations, and "convenience" stores are not casinos. They're nothing but ridiculous slot parlours designed to attract and trap local idiot degenerates.
Reviewing smoke-infested dumps around Henderson like Fortune, Sam's Town, and Skyline won't keep readers with any class interested. At least you could have concentrated on The Reserve (Fiesta), Sunset Station, the fabulous M, or the absolute king of all local LV casinos--Green Valley Ranch. You may have piqued the interest of an aspiration-less junkie gambling dreamer like redietz--who along with his "girlfriend" claims to be fully satisfied traveling across the country to frequent cheap cafes, buffets, and fast food extravaganzas. But c'mon.....
By the way: if you insist on talking about the dives of Vegas, please refrain from sharing your red meat experiences. Indulging in an $8.95 prime rib at one of these joints does nothing more than conjure up sickening thoughts of a plate full of cholesterol and coagulated saturated fat. At least review the salmon next time.
Rob's super-powers never cease to amaze me. He knows me better than I know myself. My God, it's like he's married to me.Quote:
Originally Posted by Rob.Singer
I must admit, driving Winnebagos through South Dakota and claiming to have solved video poker via some whackjob martingale voodoo nonsense are not among my aspirations. And I have never admitted to having class. Even a little.
Rob, you gotta help me out with the "junkie" line, though. Are you publicly saying that I use drugs? That's not very nice.
Rob, if they charged $34.95 for the same cut of prime rib would it be okay? You see, I've had the same cut of prime rib for $34.95 in other restaurants. I've also had the $5 bacon-cheeseburger lunch special at Arizona Charlies that was as good or better than what I've paid $10.95 for elsewhere.
Rob's all about having class. Through all of the various back-and-forths with Rob, I've never said anything negative about his wife. That just demonstrates my lack of class, I suppose. Rob, on the other hand, has plenty to say about my girlfriend, Alan's girlfriend(s), Dan's girlfriend, and so on. When it comes to classiness, Rob just has us outclassed.
For the record, I have one girlfriend.
At a time.Quote:
Originally Posted by Alan Mendelson
There are/were plenty of 2 for 1 $10 prime rib coupons floating around for Magnolias at 4 Queen. It was pretty damn good.Quote:
Originally Posted by Alan Mendelson
Yes. I do not try to juggle girlfriends. Doing so can only mean disaster. I've seen it happen to others: two girls show up to the guy's place at the same time, or two girls expect you to take them out on New Year's Eve, or you are with one girl and you run into the other.Quote:
Originally Posted by quahaugAt a time.Quote:
Originally Posted by Alan Mendelson
Back to topic: I frequently go to the Village Pub on Flamingo near UNLV and now I get monthly mailers from them for Buy One entre, get the second at half price. This place has a limited menu but REALLY GOOD food. I think part of the secret is their limited menu so what they make, they make right. I've had everything there from my "go to" bacon cheeseburger to ribs to specialty salads. The burgers are standard, the ribs and salads will vary but when they have them they are good and prices are great -- never more than $15 for two people and if you play a little 25-cent VP the drinks are free and sometimes if you play a lot of 25-cent video poker they don't even charge for the food. Village Pub is actually owned by Ellis Island casino and it is located in a small shopping center owned by the Cannery Casino.
3455 E Flamingo
LV 89121
There is a chain of them in the LV area.