Is Harrah's Rincon expanding??

[Alan Mendelson]

I am trying to check this out but perhaps someone knows this: is Harrah's Rincon expanding, and adding a new building that will make it larger than Pechanga, and if so, it would make Rincon the biggest casino in the West with more slots and table games than anything in Vegas?

Update at 4:25pm: A host at Rincon confirms that they are expanding their hotel and casino but offered no additional info.

But I found on the web that an environment report was filed on the project because Rincon is on federal trust lands. The report includes:

The expansion will include approximately 16,846 square feet of additional gaming floor, a 2,500-seat multi-purpose room, expanded restaurant and ancillary facilities, a 21-story, 402-room hotel tower, pool area expansion, and an additional surface parking area (Proposed Project).

I can't imagine that Rincon's expansion will make the casino larger than Pechanga's casino. Pechanga's casino has more than 200,000 square feet of gaming space, according to its website. Rincon's casino expansion would be less than 10% of what Pechanga has now.

Frankly, I would hate to see Rincon get too big. I describe as a "Goldilocks casino" in that it's not too big, and it's not too small, but it's just right.

Actually, size does not matter -- but quality matters. I don't care if a casino has sixty table games or 2,000 slot machines. What I care about is that the paytables on the video poker game I play are fair, and that the dealers at the table games are friendly, and I care about a smoke-free gaming area being available when the casino is crowded with smokers.

[JamieV]

Thats exciting news for Rincon. I wonder why they are expanding? The casino isnt in the best of locations but they must be making big bucks to add on. Does anyone know when their contract with Harrahs is up? Im trying my best to boycott local casinos because CA doesnt allow slots to pay back more than 100.00. Also, I dont like the service I get at Rincon. However, the proximity of Rincon and its connection to Vegas always brings me back.

[calwatch]

According to the CET annual report Rincon currently has 72,900 square feet of gaming floor, so an added 17,000 or so would be about 20%. Hopefully this will at least return the poker room out from its purgatory upstairs. I've stopped by there a few times and it always seems too quiet. Also according to the CET report, the agreement for Rincon ends November 2013. However I am sure they are getting people to drive the extra half hour because of the Harrah's name. Take that away and it's just another mediocre Indian casino - on par with the closer in ones, which can get away with less benefits because they are closer in.

[Alan Mendelson]

Good info, calwatch, thanks. I have to agree with you -- the only reason to make the extra drive to Rincon is for the Total Rewards benefits that you can use in Vegas. Take Vegas out of the equation and you might as well go to Pechanga.

Besides the extra drive, don't forget that the drive to Rincon can also be very dangerous -- whether you take the "back road" past Pechanga, or if you take the main "Pala exit." There is a reason there are so many memorials along the twists and turns of the roads to Rincon.

[jatki]

I have to pick up a rig in San Diego this weekend. Is Rincon far off the beaten track?

[Alan Mendelson]

Rincon is about 20 minutes east of the 15 Freeway take either the exit for Pala or the exit for Temecula. Be aware there are steep grades and sharp turns but big tour buses do travel the route. http://www.harrahsrincon.com/casinos...formation.html

[bigfoot66]

I always take the Pala exit. About the same amount of time and far easier to drive.

[bigfoot66]

Posting from my room in the garden tower at rincon. I saw evidence of construction tonight outside south of the gas station and facing the hotel check in desk but nothing in the casino. However, they could certainly use better food options here. So hopefully they nail that in the new construction.

[Alan Mendelson]

Bigfoot while you're there, check a couple of things for me:

1. I heard that once the gift shop closes around midnight, there is no way to get a soft drink unless you are playing a game and get a cocktail waitress or buy one from the 24 hour cafe. In other words, no vending machines. The gift shop sells soft drinks.

2. Is there room service for late night meals? I've seen hotel guests picking up "to go" orders from the 24 hour cafe.

3. And we always appreciate a check on the video poker room for changes.

Enjoy your stay!!

[bigfoot66]

Hi Alan,
did not check in here again while I was out there but I do have some knowledge of these things.
1) My experience is that a bartender will normally give you a soft drink or even fruit juice comp. I am usually playing a bartop game when I ask but I am sure that flashing a diamond or higher card would be sufficient if you were not playing. If you do not wish to take this route I know of vending machines near the bathrooms by high limit, but I am not sure if they are snacks or drinks as I don't pay much attention. There are definately soda machines on each floor of the hotel near the ice machines. The elevators require key access but if you are not a guest of the hotel there might be some on the first floor of the garden tower that you could access, not sure.

2) Have not ordered room service at Rincon but I would imagine it ends around midnight.

3) I noticed no changes on the VP front. Meant to check out the dream card machine but forgot to. Although normally a quarter player I decided to take a $100 pot shot on the $5 ACES bonus game, but I get trips on the first hand and the $50 profit was tempting enough for me to stop. To bad I pissed the money away at baccarat.

[Alan Mendelson]

The vending machines near the bathrooms by the high limit area are for candy only. $1 per candy bar. No drink machines anywhere near the casino. However, I was told there is a drink machine somewhere in the hotel area but I was told it was hard to find.

I think a hotel without room service after midnight can't be much of a "resort hotel." No room service is what I would expect at the Holiday Inn. (And there is nothing wrong with Holiday Inn, by the way.)

[bigfoot66]

I guarantee you that there is a soda machine on every floor of both towers right next to the elevators, except I am not sure if there is one on the first floor of the garden tower. I mean there's gotta be an ice machine there, thats where the big suites are, and where there's an ice machine there's usually a soda machine. I just haven't stayed on that floor and don't know for a fact that there is one. Do you not like asking for a free one at the bar?

[Alan Mendelson]

Not being a drinker, I don't frequent the bar.

Rincon used to have free soft drink dispensers on the casino floor but those went away a couple of years ago. Remember?

And getting back to the original topic... did you happen to ask anyone about the expansion?

[calwatch]

There is a Pepsi machine near the bus waiting area. The cost is $2 for a 20 ounce of water or soda. It's right by the back entrance.

The first time I took the bus was a couple of weeks ago. Here is my report:
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Despite being a frequent "gamer" at Harrahs/Caesars casinos, yesterday night was the first time I ever rode a casino bus. I took the "Card Club" shuttle from Downey to Harrah's Rincon. I left work early and drove to the Commerce pick up location, next to the post office, but was skeptical of the parking situation there, so I soldiered on to Downey. There were quite a few people that got on the bus for a Wednesday - about 20 or so people, which combined with the people that did board at Commerce and Bell Gardens - incidentally, the "card club" name is a misnomer since the pickup locations are nowhere near the eponymous card clubs - almost every row of seats on the bus was taken with at least one person.

Demographically, the crowd was majority Hispanic, middle aged and older people. I was probably the youngest person on the bus. Most people were dropped off but there were some who used the CVS parking lot, myself included, although technically it is for customers only. Since it is a 24 hour CVS, there are employees there 24/7. The bus picked up on the north side of the store, which is unique in that it has a "garden center" from the Sav On days (most of those were shut down a long time ago). The bus did not stop at the entrance. There is street parking on the west side of CVS, which I may end up using next time in order to avoid the risk of a tow.

The ride to Harrah's was uneventful. The operator of the bus is Silver State Trailways. The baggage and food rule was not enforced and so people brought their own snacks, water bottles, pillows, and small bags on board, although I would not bring a duffel bag or roll-on. An older woman checked their walker into the undercarriage of the bus. The route from Downey took it through the Norwalk Narrows, but used the 91 Express Lanes once in Orange County. The ride took about two and a half hours in rush hour traffic. The air conditioning was on full blast and so I put on a jacket, and many other people put on sweaters. Most tried to nap on the way. Someone passed a plastic bag to collect tips for the driver. I asked what the expected tip was and they said $1 or $2. I tipped $1, thinking I would have to tip on the way back (it turns out tips were not collected on the way back, nor did passengers give the driver any money while leaving). They do check IDs and scan rewards card on arrival. If you don't have a rewards card they give you a slip which is your ticket back and encourage you to get a card while there. The casino host did note that one person did not have ID and I'm not sure what they did with them. Many people left their blankets and pillows on the bus, since it is the same bus coming back.

At Harrah's I lost a few hundred playing video poker - which made up for my gains on my recent New Orleans and Biloxi trip and then some. In the middle, I collected my free buffet, which is their current promo (gamble for 50 Total Rewards Credits - which is $500 coin in on video poker, and which I did in less than half an hour playing 9/5 jacks $1 3/5 play super times pay) and it was excellent. It's not like the Bellagio buffet, which is my gold standard, or the Rio seafood buffet, which would be my silver, but similar to a Strip buffet like that at the Flamingo or the regular Rio buffet. The normal price was $23.99. I debated over taking the buffet vs. taking the $20 food credit and going to Pink's, but $20 at Pink's would get you two hot dogs, fries, and a drink. I wanted to eat something more than hot dogs, though. At the buffet I had crab legs (which were on par with the cheap Chinese buffets in that the meat requiring picking to get off the skin, rather than just coming off), pot roast, lasagna, macaroni and cheese, "street tacos" (which are fresh made tortillas and meat), and some strawberries which were dipped from the fondue fountain, among other things. Unfortunately they were slow on filling my drink.

After eating I sat down at a Dreamcard poker machine, which I was confused about and so promptly lost $25. I then moved over to 25 cent bonus poker, which was not that satisfying, and so I played at the $1 level, which of course magnified my losses. I would rather play multi play at smaller denominations because I love the ride, although it is killer on your bankroll if your luck is bad. I took some walks around the area - there is a walking trail through the parking lot, and they recently opened at 7-11 which features a Citibank ATM, allowing you to escape the atrociously high fees of casino ATMs. I didn't pull out any additional money, though.

Supposedly, you are supposed to return on the same bus you boarded. The driver took a head count while leaving Downey, but I did not see him do a head count when we left Rincon. None of the slips were collected, nor were cards rescanned to make sure people got on the right bus, so hypothetically at least you could continue somewhere else. In any case, we boarded and the driver put on a Mexican movie on the bus. It was loud and annoying, and a lot of people wanted to get sleep, but once we got on the 15 freeway the movie was blissfully shut off. Note that the route the bus uses goes down Pala-Temecula road, and not via I-15 and state route 76 as would be the normal route. It turns out that, although Pala Temecula Road has many curves, that it is a good 10 miles shorter than 15 to 76, and also has less traffic. We left Rincon at 10:30 pm and got to Downey at 12:30 AM.

Since my trip will probably trigger an endless stream of offers in the mail (much like my trips to Laughlin lead to a circular every other day), I would take the Rincon bus to avoid having to drive annoying Highway 76. If I ran out of money or wanted a change in pace I would take the NCTD bus to go to another casino. The NCTD 388/389 bus serves the casinos on a bidirectional loop every two hours. If you can abide by the baggage restrictions, it also would be a cheap way to get you halfway to San Diego, with a connection to NCTD and I-15 express service or Sprinter in Escondido. The Harrah's buses leave throughout Southern California.
===

The only Harrah's/Caesars that has general free soda fountains that I have been to (and I've done Great Race so I've been to most Caesars/Harrahs on the West) is Ak-Chin.

[Alan Mendelson]

Thanks for the trip report. I've always been curious about the bus. Is there supposed to be free car parking somewhere along the route?

[calwatch]

Some of the locations are at park and rides. Others are at shopping center parking lots where you aren't supposed to park in, but they may let you slide. The Bellflower stop, which is very popular, specifically forbids parking by casino patrons, and has gone as far to ban casino buses from stopping on their property. http://www.bellflower.org/docs/chart..._continued.pdf Most of the people I saw got dropped off, but there were a few who parked and rode.

[Alan Mendelson]

Thanks calwatch. I guess that means the bus service isn't really meant for anyone who drives.

[jatki]

After having gone to Rincon this one time, I probably won't be going back. It was a nice enough place and I'm sure the rooms are decent, but it's such an annoying drive to get in and out. Too bad it isn't right off a freeway like some of the big nice places I've seen on Interstate 10 between the Palm Springs area and LA.

[Alan Mendelson]

Jatki that casino on the 10 is Morongo. But Pechanga is just five minutes off the 15 on major "urban" roads and frankly it has better VP than Rincon.

[zanjoecollins]

hi have a good day! I just wanna ask what can you say on shuttle to PDX?