East Coast Gambler

Here’s the latest edition of Seven Stars Insider.  This is an easy read and an excellent resource for Harrah’s players.  Head over to Seven Stars Insider to sign up for the newsletter.  There is lots of information in this edition, so read on for all the goods.

NOTE: While this newsletter was originally designed exclusively for Seven Stars members, there is useful information for anyone who has a Total Rewards® player’s card and/or plays/stays at a Harrah’s property.  Please feel free to pass this on to your friends.  Back issues of the Seven Stars Insider newsletter are available online at http://sites.google.com/site/sevenstarsinsider.

Rio For Sale – Maybe
It’s been in the news for months, but several media reports – chiefly Bloomberg News, whose story August 20 was then picked up the following week by the Las Vegas Review-Journal – claim the Rio All-Suite Hotel & Casino in Las Vegas is for sale.  Harrah’s continues to deny it.  I know it’s popular with a lot of Seven Stars players who read this, but I like to be a little closer to the “action” on The Strip.  Plus, it’s just a little too noisy for me with all those “flair bartenders” and “bevertainers” (most of whom should stick to delivering beverages and stay away from microphones).  I guess I’m just getting too old!

Question Of The Month
I have a companion card and tried to go with a friend to the special Seven Stars weekly Sunday brunch at Showboat in Atlantic City.  I was told that the primary cardholder had to be present, and he/she could invite only one guest.  I thought I had all the privileges of the primary cardholder.  Well, yes, sort of.  Think of it in terms of other offers your husband gets, e.g., three complimentary nights at Paris.  Only he could claim it – you could accompany him, of course.  Same with a free coffeepot or blender.  The offer is for the cardholder, not the companion.  In terms of the brunch, do I think it’s fair?  Once again, Harrah’s is being short-sighted and causing unnecessary irritation for its best players (and their companions).  As long as the brunch is limited to two people per card, what difference does it make if you and a friend take advantage of the brunch, or you and your husband attend?  In the overall scheme of things, this is a very low-cost benefit that Harrah’s [Showboat] is offering.  What they might be gaining in loyalty and customer satisfaction for some, they are losing as much – or more – by alienating others.

Planet Hollywood Page Added To Seven Stars Insider Site
Thanks to a Planet Hollywood “veteran” who has stayed there on a number of occasions, there is now a page on the site with details about this latest addition to Harrah’s Total Rewards casinos in Las Vegas.  Some of the more interesting “highlights” are a rumored Seven Stars Club that may open there, and the fact that the staff hasn’t really grasped the Total Rewards concept, and isn’t sure what to do when they see a Seven Stars or even a Diamond card.  Check it out by clicking here.

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I had an epiphany in Atlantic City last week.  Well, more of a thought than an epiphany.  I read so many complaints about the lack of 9/6 Jacks or Better video poker available in Atlantic City, but at least the games are available.

In fact, unlike Las Vegas, there are a few 9/6 Jacks or Better machines at every casino in Atlantic City.  In fact, vpFREE shows that not even the Pennsylvania casinos all have 9/6 video poker.

I played 9/6 video poker at both Bally’s and Caesars in different denominations.  The Full House above is from Caesars in quarter denomination.  The 4 aces below is from Bally’s in the $1 denomination.

Of course the odds at 9/6 Jacks or Better are 99.56% to the player and that’s a major reason why people play.  The full house above is when the “9″ comes in handy.  I play because it’s the most simple to learn perfect strategy with the least volatility.

Bottom line: Atlantic City visitors should be happy that they have at least a few good video poker machines to go along with 3:2 blackjack.  It’s some of the best gambling around.

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Wild Wild West recently went under a minor makeover and cleanup.  The essence of the casino remains the same, but a few entertainment items have been added and it looks as if they cleaned the carpet.

Wild Wild West was touting their “24 hour happy hour” with $2 beers and $3 shots all day.  However, judging from this sign that wasn’t entirely the case.

Truth is you only get a choice of America’s worst beers; Bud Select, Miller Light or Coors Light at $2 for a draft.  There were no signs with the specifics. I opted for the lesser of the evils…Coors Light.

I didn’t bother asking which shots were $3.  This seems like false advertising or bait and switch, but I’m sure there’s a way to get around truth in advertising.

As promoted Bally’s has added Beer Pong to their nightlife activities.

And there’s a mechanical bull as well.

Most of my visit was mid-week so I didn’t see much difference in activity at Wild Wild West.  However, once Thursday hit things changed.  The Mountain Bar was packed with people enjoying their crap beers and bad dance music.

I’m not sure if there’s money to be made here, but it seems as if the changes are breathing a little life into Wild Wild West.  It was nice to see a little action in a relatively quiet area that acts mostly as a pass-through for Caesars and Bally’s.

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Here is the Seven Stars Insider newsletter for June.  Go to Seven Stars Insider to sign up for the newsletter.  Enjoy the Insider.  Congrats on the column with the Examiner!

Examine My New Column
For those of you who play regularly in Atlantic City, or have an interest in the casino and gaming scene there, check out my columns at examiner.com .  While much of the information will be “old hat” to “regulars”, hopefully you’ll find something of interest.  Click here to go directly to my portion of the site.  To be alerted when a new article appears, click the “Subscribe” button to the right of my picture and name.

Atlantic City Crime Alert
“It started off innocently enough when the guy at the slot machine next to me asked where to insert his cash ticket,” a player reports.  “But this minor distraction gave him just enough time to try to stick his left hand into my right pants pocket and take my cash.  Fortunately, realizing what was happening, I grabbed his wrist and he ran away – without any of my money.”  Incidents like this probably happen at other AC casinos, as well as at casinos across the country, but this occurred at Caesars around 10 p.m. on a weeknight.  Apparently there also were a number of individuals sleeping at machines scattered around the second floor of the casino.  “What made it worse,” my correspondent writes, “is that the two Caesars employees I spoke to seemed more interested in their personal conversation than walking around to wake up and usher out these vagrants.”  [I witnessed a number of “slot sleepers” at Harrah’s Resort in Atlantic City about a year ago, and had a similar experience trying to get Harrah’s employees to take any action.]  “What aggravated the situation even more was that the next morning around 7:30, as I was walking to check-out, there still were people sleeping at the machines.  Meanwhile a whole ‘parade’ of business-suited male employees walked by oblivious to the situation.”

No Rain On This Parade
Showboat in Atlantic City has resumed its four-day-a-week schedule of free indoor parades.  Wednesday through Sunday, you can see the parade at 3:30, 6 and 8 p.m.  While entertaining, the concept is a bit ill-conceived, especially when crowds gather for the first “stop” across from the registration desk.  On busy weekends, security guards are necessary to herd the audiences away from the lines of people trying to check-in.  And, with folks in wheelchairs and children on top of their fathers’ shoulders, it’s often difficult to see the acts.  Still, you have to give Showboat credit for trying something different – and most of the performers are very talented.

Atlantic City Cashback Update
Harrah’s may be rethinking its decision to mail those Reel Rewards coupons in lieu of cashback from your play in Atlantic City; however, no official statement has been issued, and folks working the Caesars Total Rewards desk claimed to know nothing.  However, floating around the Internet is the following plan, but it cannot be confirmed:  While you still won’t get cold hard cash, you’ll be able to retrieve a coupon through the kiosks.  Print the voucher – minimum $5, in increments of $5 – and take it to the cashier to exchange for a Reel Rewards coupon.  In the future, the only thing you’ll get in the mail is a postcard telling you how much you’ve earned.  And, if you still haven’t redeemed any cashback balances prior to April 6, you won’t get the cash, just vouchers for Reel Rewards coupons available through the kiosks.  All existing cashback offers that were sent through the mail as Reel Rewards coupons will continue to be valid through their expiration date.

1:1 Comps At Pier Shops Restaurants
From June 20 – 30 you can redeem your Total Rewards credits on a 1:1 basis at the Pier Shops’ Phillips Seafood, Sonsie, Game On!, The Trinity and Souzai.  While these restaurants always have accepted Reward Credits, it was on a 2:1 basis.  In other words, your $100 dinner would cost you $200 in comps.

Claridge, Wild Wild West Getting ‘Facelifts’
The 29-story circa-1929 Claridge Hotel in Atlantic City will undergo a major renovation, thanks to a $20 million investment by Harrah’s Entertainment Inc. and another $3.6 million, courtesy of the Casino Reinvestment Development Authority (CRDA).  Describing it as a “modern cool” design, Harrah’s will be replacing furniture, bathroom fixtures, carpeting and bedding.  The CRDA money will be used for exterior work.  Meanwhile, down the street, another $1.5 million is being invested to completely overhaul the gaming floor at Wild Wild West.  The Wild Wild West project is expected to be complete

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The Atlantic City Press has a great article looking back at the past year and forward to this year for each Atlantic City casino.  Click here to see all of the analyst comments.  Below are the bullets for each casino.  I covered most of this as it was announced (go me!), but here’s a consolidated list.

Trump Plaza Hotel and Casino

Opened: May 14, 1984

Owner: Trump Entertainment Resorts Inc.

Employees: 2,187

2009 revenue: $202.3 million

Trump Plaza’s dismal performance in 2009 included a 28.7 percent decline in table game revenue and a 20.2 percent drop in slot winnings. The property will likely fall below $200 million in revenue in 2010. In 2005, it had more than $303 million in revenue.

This Boardwalk casino could use a facelift. Not much has happened since the casino floor was remodeled in 2006. Its architecture is hopelessly outdated. The Boardwalk entryway is like a portal to the 1980s.

Whoever wins in the bankruptcy fight over the Trump casinos will have to decide whether to unload the Plaza or upgrade it to take advantage of its prime Boardwalk location.

In what seems far-fetched now, in the pre-recession days of 2006, casino titans Donald Trump and Steve Wynn briefly played with the idea of redeveloping the Plaza into a

$3 billion megaresort.

Trump Taj Mahal Casino Resort

Opened: April 2, 1990

Owner: Trump Entertainment Resorts Inc.

Employees: 4,097

2009 revenue: $446 million

Donald Trump once boasted that this Indian-themed gaming palace was the “eighth wonder of the world.” Although it falls short of that lofty assessment, it did prove to be one of the few casino standouts in a dreadful year. The Taj joined Borgata as the only casinos that avoided double-digit revenue declines. For the Taj, it was 7.6 percent.

Moreover, the Taj was the only casino to have only a single-digit decline in both slot and table game revenue. Taj’s ace is its new 800-room hotel tower. Opened in Labor Day 2008, the $255 million expansion has generated extra hotel and convention business without using slot machines or table games as the main attraction. The tower is completely gaming-free.

Taj’s new owner will get the new tower, a remodeled casino, surrounding property good for expansion and the world-famous Steel Pier amusement park. Trump Entertainment flirted with redevelopment plans for the historic pier, but always lacked the money. With the right vision, and enough financing, a revamped pier jutting 1,000 feet over the ocean could become, well, the “eighth wonder of the world.”

Trump Marina Hotel Casino

Opened: June 17, 1985

Owner: Trump Entertainment Resorts Inc.

Employees: 1,799

2009 revenue: $162.6 million

Trump Marina is the cellar-dweller for gaming revenue. Overshadowed by Marina District neighbors Harrah’s Resort and Borgata, the smallest of the three Trump casinos pulled in only $10 million in revenue in December. That was 25 percent lower than December of 2008.

For 2009, Trump Marina’s slot winnings plummeted 19.2 percent, to $125.3 million, and table game revenue fell 23 percent, to $37.3 million. Its total revenue of $162.6 million was even less than the $176.6 million that the tiny Sands Casino Hotel had in its last full year of operation in 2005.

The Sands closed down in November 2006 and was imploded a year later to make room for a proposed new casino. Analysts wonder whether Trump Marina awaits the same fate. Efforts to sell the Marina for $270 million failed last year, and now the casino is part of the Chapter 11 bankruptcy battle for the entire Trump Entertainment gaming empire.

Icahn is vying with a bondholder group backed by Donald Trump for control of the Trump casinos. A U.S. Bankruptcy Court judge is scheduled to rule in February whether Icahn or the bondholders will take over.

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Bally’s and Caesars in Atlantic City were recently fined for allowing underage gamblers in their casinos.  Bally’s had to pay $55,000 because they let a 15 year old boy play roulette while Caesars was fined just $30,000 for letting a 20 year old girl play blackjack.

Bally’s Atlantic City was fined $55,000 by the state Casino Control Commission for allowing the teenager to play roulette in June 2008. The boy was caught on the casino floor by state gaming investigators who suspected he was under the legal gambling age of 21.

In the second case, Caesars Atlantic City paid a $30,000 fine for failing to catch a 20-year-old woman who won $8,500 while playing blackjack in January 2006. Just three weeks earlier, she had been arrested for underage gambling at another casino.

I understand that casinos can’t catch all underage gamblers, but a 15 year old boy seems to be easy to notice.  The 20 year old girl is almost as comical as she took Caesars for $8,500!  That’s a hot streak.  Way to go security.

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