East Coast Gambler -

JMP sent in a trip report to Parx casino outside of Philadelphia, PA.  I’ve heard that this place is beautiful, but still a racino.  With no table games and no hotel I don’t see Parx in my future, but here’s a first hand review from someone that’s been there.

If any of you want to know the real reason behind “Snowmageddon”, it’s this: umpteen months after emailing TC and saying “Can I be your PA casino guy?”, I finally set foot in one: Parx Casino (formerly known as Philadelphia Park Casino) in Bensalem PA.  I know, I know, I would’ve put money on it being Harrah’s Chester, as well, but the opportunity presented itself: my lovely wife gave me a day pass to head up to Edison NJ on Super Bowl Sunday to watch the game with some friends from back home and Parx is a few short minutes off of the PA Turnpike.
Parx is easily accessible by the PA Turnpike, Route 1 (aka ‘the Boulevard’) and 95 (aka “12 lanes of death”).  When it was just Philadelphia Racetrack, it was home to the PA state fair for some years and also to Smarty Jones, who won the Kentucky Derby and the Preakness back in 2004.  The neighborhood on Street Road (yes, that’s what it’s really called) surrounding the complex boasts your typical strip malls, mid-level hotels and chain eateries (along with The Great American Pub, which wins the award for best diner year after year).  Contrary to what casino critics believe, there has NOT been an increase in crime since Philly Park opened, nor have pawn shops, liquor stores and check cashing places moved in to take advantage of the ‘poor stupid gamblers’ whom the casino industry allegedly preys upon.   Bensalem borders on the area of Philadelphia called “the northeast” and the complex is close to a large outlet mall called Franklin Mills (similar to AC’s The Walk, only it’s enclosed).

I originally checked out the original casino shortly after it opened in late 2006.  Those of you who followed me on the tripadvisor.com AC forum may remember the following review: http://www.tripadvisor.com/ShowTopic-g29750-i78-k923726-Philly_Racino_TR_12_29-Atlantic_City_New_Jersey.html.  What’s especially pertinent, though, was the 2nd to last paragraph, in which I called the place as generic as generic could be and ended thusly: “Now, this is supposedly only Phase 1. I certainly hope so because they’re gonna need many more phases to get me to walk through their doors again.”
Of course, if you were following me, you’ll know I did walk through their doors again.  Philly Park became ‘that annoying kid in high school who you hung out with b/c he could get into the liquor cabinet’.  What I mean is, despite the flaws (genericism and poor ventilation) they were comping alcohol, while Harrah’s Chester wasn’t.  What made it even more attractive was that their VP bar had 8/5 JoB, so you could play a decent paytable and get your drink in a timely fashion.  Unfortunately, the paytables got lowered to 7/5 when they embiggened the bar.  With that change, I stayed away…

Until now!

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On a recent trip to Harrah’s Resort in Atlantic City i was offered a handicapped room in the Waterfront Tower.  I love the Waterfront Tower because it’s the newest tower at Harrah’s and prefer to stay there.  I also don’t mind handicapped rooms as they are usually easy to get to and a little larger than normal rooms.  Both cases were true.

First, I had to get to Atlantic City.  I wasn’t sure how the trip would go because there was a “snowicane” which brought anywhere from 6-28 inches of snow to NY and NJ.  As the day progressed the roads were tended to and there was clear sailing with a cup of coffee in hand.

The trip took about the normal 2.5 hours and with one pit stop for overpriced wiper fluid about halfway through the trip

I finally arrived at Harrah’s Resort at about 6pm.  I love the lights on the outside of the Waterfront Tower.  This is a pretty awesome feature.

The main area of the room was about the same size as other Waterfront Tower rooms.  There may have been a little more space for wheelchair access, but I don’t think so.  Excuse the dark photo, it was overcast much of the trip.

The sitting area was as tight and, somewhat, comfortable as the other Waterfront Tower rooms.

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This was a slow week after a fun time in Atlantic City last weekend.  I waited outside of Harrah’s for a cab, without a coat for 15 minutes, and caught a cold.  Oh well, such is life.  I ended up about even and didn’t pay for a meal so the trip was good.  The next few weeks will be off and on since I will be away on business.  I’ll forward out any interesting articles I see on twitter, so follow me in you like.

• Meadowlands Begs New Jersey To Let Them Have Slots
• It’s Official: TropIcahna Approved
• Trip Notes In Pictures
• Sands Isn’t Killing Anyone Besides Itself
• Seven Stars Insider: Feb-March

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Here are my trip notes in reverse chronological order via pictures on my tumblr page.  I caught a cold on Saturday night and it’s been slaying me and I don’t expect to get many more posts up this week.  For now, enjoy my trip in brief.

• Medicine
• Straight Flush!
• I found 1 of 3 quarter 9/6 Jacks or Better machines
• Time Machine Slot #2
• Time Machine Slot #1
• Handi-capable Toilet
• Club Cap Now Serves Lavazza Cofee
• Grey Goose + Soda + Lotsa Lime and Lemon
• Chillin in the 19th floor lobby
• View of Borgata from 19th floor lobby in Waterfront Tower
• Extreme Slots Winner!
• Cheeseburger with fried egg. Great Hangover cure, but looks nasty!
• Penny Slot.  No idea what was happening here.
• 4 of a kind! Good morning!
• Sign says up way too early
• Arriving at Harrahs
• 79 Miles to go!

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Rumor has it that Sands is looking to sell it’s brand new Sands Bethlehem Casino.  That was quick.  The hotel portion of the casino hasn’t been completed and table games in Pennsylvania are right around the corner.

Las Vegas Sands released its 2009 fourth-quarter report last week, which showed Sands Bethlehem with an operating loss of $2.1 million on revenue of $57.5 million.

With its close access to New York and New Jersey customers and its $743 million price tag — the highest for a Pennsylvania casino — Sands Casino Resort Bethlehem had expected to be a major success among Pennsylvania casinos. But things haven’t gone according to plan for the casino. The property’s hotel, mall and conference center had been scheduled to open with the casino May 22, but construction on the three amenities stopped in October 2008 and hasn’t resumed.

I don’t see the casino going away completely, but it’s interesting to think that the corporate folks at Sands couldn’t have projected the market to not being a “mega-market” like Macau.  I guess it would be easier for Sands to cut their losses and focus on big money than to see the project through.

For what it’s worth, the Las Vegas Review Journal reports that Sands isn’t looking to sell.

High drama in big business!  On a personal level without a hotel a casino will never get my business.  I look at gambling as a little time away from the rest of the world and don’t want to drive home the same day I play.  Nor to I want to drive to another hotel.  I’m usually not in condition to do that anyway.

Thanks to JMP for the tip.

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Maybe it’s an April fools joke.  Maybe it’s not.  According to @PHVegas on twitter Planet Hollywood will begin using the Total Rewards system on April 1.

We’re rolling out Total Rewards on April 1, so there are plenty of new perks and privileges coming to make our guests feel like celebrities!

Harrahs.com shows Planet Hollywood, but redirects you to the old reservation system and website for Planet Hollywood.  Unfortunately, this may take Planet Hollywood out of my plans for my next Vegas trip.  Oh well.

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New rumor: Harrah’s is buying Palms next.  How can this be possible?  Steve Friess from The Strip Podcast was the first person I saw with this rumor.  After reading his blog and the accompanying Financial Times article it seems as if we have a repeat of how Harrah’s purchased Planet Hollywood.

The piece relies on anonymous sources, albeit more than one, and notes that “the investment points toward a systematic strategy by Harrah’s to acquire other casinos through their distressed debt.”

Friess followed up this with a call to George Maloof, owner of Palms, to get even more information on the subject.

I just hung up with George Maloof, who cast doubt on the Financial Times’ report that Harrah’s has been buying up Palms debt by saying, flat-out: “They’re not going to take over my company. It’s so far remote.”

Great job of digging for info here.  I love the Palms in the same way I love Planet Hollywood.  Maybe it’s the independent nature of those casinos that draws me or maybe it’s the youthful, energetic crowd that both casinos seem to draw.

Mass homogenization of casinos is boring and it seems as if that’s where Las Vegas is heading.  This will create a wider gap for casinos like Wynn/Encore from MGM-Mirage and Harrah’s properties.

There is part of me that will pay for great service and there is another part that loves the comps provided by “The Man.”  I will sit here torn a little as I ponder whether or not I’m going to make it to Harrah’s in Atlantic City.

ALSO: Props to Steve Friess for the info here.  Follow The Strip Podcast on twitter, read the blog for more info and check the podcast.  A great source for Vegas info from a person that’s actually in Vegas.

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