This is pretty damn obnoxious.

It has been long known and accepted that you keep your Total Rewards benefits for TWO CALENDAR YEARS. So if you earn Diamond any time in 2017, you have the status and benefits through January 31, 2019, regardless of what you do in 2018.

Caesars is pulling a nasty trick by degrading Diamond benefits for 2018 for anyone who didn't earn 25,000 tiers in 2017.

Recall that Diamond is earned at 15,000.

People who earned 15,000 tiers in 2017 believed they would have the full list of basic Diamond benefits through January 2019.

But not anymore!

Caesars properties "may charge a fee" for Diamond Lounge access in 2018, if you're Diamond and didn't earn at least 25,000 tiers in either 2017 or 2018. Presumably this will vary property-to-property.

This is a terrible bait-and-switch, as many people spent the time and money earning Diamond specifically for the lounges, especially on the east coast.

Here is what they wrote in a recent e-mail:

In 2018, Diamond Lounge access will be complimentary for members who earn at least 25,000 Tier Credits in 2017.

A fee may be charged for entry to Diamond Lounges. However, Diamond members that have earned at least 25,000 Tier Credits in the previous or current year will receive complimentary access. Additional fees for guests brought to the Diamond Lounge with Diamond member may apply.

This is legal, but very unethical.

There should have been a warning about this prior to people earning Diamond. That is, this change should have been delayed until 2019, and all Total Rewards members should be informed about the new policy for 2018 prior to January 1.

Instead, they just pulled the rug out from the lower Diamond members.

Even worse, this is near the end of the year, so many people probably won't have an opportunity to return to the casino and earn those 10k remaining tier credits by the end of 2017.