larrygator Posted February 4, 2011 Share Posted February 4, 2011 I have to admit although I have not stayed at the Hard Rock Casino in 8 years, it was my favorite casino/hotel. As someone who liked to gamble I found there comp system the fairest and easiest to use (although other properties have become easier to use in the past 8 years). I just loved the overall vibe of the casino and the music they piped in. I loved the restaurants especially The Pink Taco. I just felt really comfortable there. I've stayed in nicer rooms, but i just felt welcome and at home at Hard Rock. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BeemerBoy Posted February 4, 2011 Share Posted February 4, 2011 It was creepy how dead that place was on a Friday afternoon - good riddance though. One of the most disappointing casinos in Vegas. How many times have you been to Hard Rock? Have you been to Hard Rock more than once? That's a very strong statement to say - that it's the most disappoint casino - I would hate to hear what you have to say about Imperial Palace or Casino Royal. I use to live across the street for a year, only saw it under normal capacity in the casino....once. Maybe twice. So how many times do you need to visit a place before you can form an opinion on it? My friends took me to the Hard Rock casino once back in '03 during its busiest evening hours. Unlike Larry, the place gave me the creeps, and there wasn't a single redeeming quality about any of it....including the clientele. Basically, they could relocate the restaurants and implode the rest. It'd be doing a great service to Vegas......and the CDC. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
larrygator Posted February 4, 2011 Share Posted February 4, 2011 Some of the clientele looked (and smelled) like they just walked out of an Allman Brothers concert, but the place had an identity. I am coincidentally wearing my Hard Rock Hotel shirt today. Then again, I enjoy gambling at the Casino Royale at 5AM, and that place is an absolute dump. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Twister II Posted February 4, 2011 Share Posted February 4, 2011 I do agree Hard Rock has one of the strangest layouts, but since the towers and expansion opening it seems better. Pink Taco is something EVERYBODY must go to! Nobu too. I've never had a problem with HRH employees. Some do look like the belong at a Blink-182 concert, but that's suppose to be the feel of the hotel. If I get a chance next week ill try and do a photo trip report of the new towers and expansion. Until then, you can check out the penthouse at hardrock at www.vegastripping.com. under features it will have a photo tour of the room, even the bathtub that turns water gold! http://www.vegastripping.com/features/feature.php?feature_id=207&page=1 Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Meteornotes Posted February 4, 2011 Share Posted February 4, 2011 I don't gamble, so I really have no idea what the casino looks like. I went over there the first time on Larry's recommendation to try The Pink Taco, which was awesome. I went back the last time I was in Vegas to go to Nobu, which is in the top ten best meals I've ever had. I'll be bummed if the place closes, just because of the food. dt Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jew Posted February 5, 2011 Author Share Posted February 5, 2011 (edited) Rehab is rumored to have Tiesto as resident DJ... His shows are @ the Joint. Again, there's no doubt Hard Rock Hotel (and the Palms for that matter) have their own unique niche in the Vegas market. The problem is their niche is ever-shrinking with clubs (both day and night) to be found all over the strip. They're not the "it" spots anymore, and I doubt they had a huge list of "whales" to fall back on like strip casinos. Edited February 5, 2011 by Jew Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Saldek Posted February 11, 2011 Share Posted February 11, 2011 The Hard Rock foreclosure has been averted. http://www.lasvegassun.com/news/2011/feb/07/agreement-prompts-cancellation-hard-rock-hotel-for/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Twister II Posted February 19, 2011 Share Posted February 19, 2011 New amusement park for the strip? Hmmm... http://m.8newsnow.com/wap/news/text.jsp?sid=15&nid=39196864&cid=5&scid=-1&ith=2&title=News Meetings start in march for a proposed amusement park near Mandalay Bay. Not many details at this point. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Saldek Posted February 20, 2011 Share Posted February 20, 2011 ^Another Sky Wheel proposal for Vegas? That concept seems doomed since the Voyager Wheel was killed. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
gisco Posted February 21, 2011 Share Posted February 21, 2011 New amusement park for the strip? Hmmm... http://m.8newsnow.com/wap/news/text.jsp?sid=15&nid=39196864&cid=5&scid=-1&ith=2&title=News Meetings start in march for a proposed amusement park near Mandalay Bay. Not many details at this point. This will never work. Vegas will never be family friendly. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Ace Of Spades Posted February 22, 2011 Share Posted February 22, 2011 Never understood why all the Amusement Park proposals are shot down by many for being too "family friendly". If the place was built with extreme and/or interesting rides that could appeal to the Vegas crowd, it could possibly work. (This is excluding land value/location variables). Hell, if Manhattan Express can pull thirty minute lines or more on the weekends, you've gotta know there's something there. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
BeemerBoy Posted February 22, 2011 Share Posted February 22, 2011 If the day ever comes where I'm considering a trip back to Vegas because of an amusement park, someone please shoot me. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jew Posted February 25, 2011 Author Share Posted February 25, 2011 Never understood why all the Amusement Park proposals are shot down by many for being too "family friendly". If the place was built with extreme and/or interesting rides that could appeal to the Vegas crowd, it could possibly work. (This is excluding land value/location variables). Hell, if Manhattan Express can pull thirty minute lines or more on the weekends, you've gotta know there's something there. The business model of Vegas will always be based upon three things: booze, gambling, and conventions/events. Restaurants, shows, and attractions are all there to supplement those three things. Manhattan Express and Stratosphere work because they get people on the property and don't prevent them from being away from booze or gambling for extended periods of time. As was already mentioned, Grand Adventures failed because it couldn't do this. Circus Circus (and to a much lesser extent Excalibur) is an anomaly in that it's cheap and fills the family niche of Vegas. For a park to be successful in Vegas, it would need to be away from the strip to cater to locals and also to avoid sitting on land that is too valuable to developers. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Saldek Posted February 25, 2011 Share Posted February 25, 2011 The business model of Vegas will always be based upon three things: booze, gambling, and conventions/events. Restaurants, shows, and attractions are all there to supplement those three things. Totally agree with you on this. However I do find it ironic that non-gaming revenue (shows, rides, attractions, restaurants, etc) brings in more money now than gaming revenue. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ParkTrips Posted February 25, 2011 Share Posted February 25, 2011 Revenue, or profits? Cause I could see attractions and dining and stuff having a higher margin, and maybe being more profitable as a whole since gaming does pay out a lot.. but still... Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jew Posted February 25, 2011 Author Share Posted February 25, 2011 (edited) ^Gaming doesn't pay out nearly as much as you think. Even the best blackjack player still gives the house a very slight edge. And for every pro blackjack player at a table, there will be 5 casual gamblers sitting next to him buying the sucker bets and losing at a much higher rate. Plus, most blackjack in Vegas is down to 6:5 payouts, so that pro isn't even making as much money as he was a few years ago, but that's a rant for another day... Edited February 25, 2011 by Jew Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Sir Clinksalot Posted February 25, 2011 Share Posted February 25, 2011 ^ Or you get the idiots that will win on split 6's and ruin the hand for everybody who knows how to play. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
ParkTrips Posted February 25, 2011 Share Posted February 25, 2011 What I was trying to say is that I could see dining and entertainment having higher margins than gaming (which I thought had a fairly low margin), and thinking that they *may* make the casinos more profits while not bringing in as much revenue, but after looking at the annual report for MGM, I am wrong about both things (gaming and dining have about the same profit margin, entertainment carries a very low margin, and revenue from dining and entertainment is slightly higher than gaming revenue) Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chadster Posted February 26, 2011 Share Posted February 26, 2011 I wish I could tell you what the non-skill games (slots) payouts are, but I'm sworn to secrecy for the next many years. What I can say is that 88% payback is as low as they can legally go. In other words, 12% is the most a Nevada casino can keep on slots. If a machine is advertised to payback X percent, then the theoretical payback probability must be said percent or they risk losing their license. It's no secret, and public information, that one can figure payout % from P&L reports and NGCB required reports. Those suggest, and are often published in magazines, advertisements, etc, a Las Vegas slot payback in the average of 91-96%, some more, some less, which I can say is a solid bet. Now, you have to remember that some machines are set high and some low and that can vary with floor placement, jackpot award amount, or the requirements of the game or vendor. Those smaller casinos that have a lease on the machines make even less money but don't have to worry about maintenance. Skill games, well, the variables are endless. Number of decks of cards, type of shuffler, players around you, when cards are placed in an auto shuffler, cut placement, deck changes, etc. etc. Having had worked in the casino/hospitality industry for more than 5 years, I can say the property owned restaurants mainly hoped to just break even plus 10-20%. The restaurants are basically a convenience for the guests with low profit margins. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jew Posted February 26, 2011 Author Share Posted February 26, 2011 (edited) A blackjack player that knows what he is doing can get the house advantage as low as 0.5%. The house will always be slightly ahead because of the variables you mentioned (and 6:5 blackjack payouts ). Slot payouts are slightly misleading, as their statistics are based on the life of the machine. Doesn't mean you can walk up to a machine and have a 95% chance of winning, but rather that the machine has payed out 95% over the course of its life in the casino. But that's probably why casino operators love slot machines... Side note/tip: baccarat only gives the house a 1-2% advantage when you bet on the banker, which is why they take commission on that bet. So if you want to play the table game equivalent of a slot machine, mini baccarat is the way to go. Edited February 26, 2011 by Jew Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
chadster Posted February 27, 2011 Share Posted February 27, 2011 Slot payouts are slightly misleading, as their statistics are based on the life of the machine. Doesn't mean you can walk up to a machine and have a 95% chance of winning, but rather that the machine has payed out 95% over the course of its life in the casino. But that's probably why casino operators love slot machines... Fact. I often had to explain this to new Indian Casino operators that I was responsible for, and once had to conduct an "investigation" as to a pair of machines who were paying out well above the requested payout. They didn't realize nor care at the time that if they waited a few weeks it would settle down, all they cared about was that they had paid out two large jackpots within a week of the machines placement. I knew what was going on, but try to make someone who has little to no knowledge of how the devices work, or heck casino operation in general, understand that. That was not fun, especially with the tribes gaming commission and the NIGC looking over my shoulder. In the end, it all worked out, just as explained. It was MUCH easier dealing with Nevada and Missouri casinos. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Jew Posted March 7, 2011 Author Share Posted March 7, 2011 (edited) Looks like Dave will have a new place to stay in Vegas! http://www.lasvegassun.com/news/2011/mar/07/nv-caesars-palace-tower/ Caesars Palace to revamp 180-room tower as Nobu hotel Caesars Palace hotel-casino on the Las Vegas Strip and Nobu Hospitality LLC today announced plans to establish a Nobu hotel, restaurant and lounge at Caesars Palace. Plans call for the interior of Caesars' Centurion Tower to be renovated into the 180-room Nobu Hotel, which Nobu said would be "fused with Nobu's signature Japanese elegance." Nobu Hotel guests will have private check-in services and room service from Nobu’s culinary team The restaurant and lounge will be in 9,500 square feet at the base of the Nobu tower, near the existing Appian Way at Caesars Palace. Terms of the deal and its cost were not immediately disclosed. “Nobu's distinctive brand will bring a new dimension to Caesars Palace and will be designed to attract first-time visitors. The re-branded hotel tower, restaurant and lounge will offer an experience unlike anything in Las Vegas, pairing exclusive accommodations with a resort famed for world-class entertainment, shopping and leisure experiences,” Caesars Palace President Gary Selesner said in a statement. “We will bring the DNA of the Nobu brand to life in this venture through the vision of (chef) Nobu Matsuhisa with his fellow long time partners and friends Robert De Niro and Meir Teper," Trevor Horwell, CEO of Nobu Hospitality, said in a statement. “With a renowned location in Caesars Palace, the luxury Nobu Hotel Las Vegas will be a destination for style-makers and trendsetters, offering an immersive, fun and social experience." The companies said Matsuhisa was classically trained in Tokyo and "has leveraged his life abroad in South America and around the world to create a culinary and hospitality brand with universal appeal." Nobu on its website says it already has 23 restaurants around the world including one at the Hard Rock hotel-casino in Las Vegas. In other Vegas News... Hard Rock Hotel Has New Owners Bellagio's Best Kept Secret (Fontana Bar) is closing to make way for Hyde Lounge Why You Shouldn't Gamble @ The Venetian/Palazzo Edited March 7, 2011 by Jew Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Twister II Posted August 29, 2012 Share Posted August 29, 2012 After 33 years of operation, The Imperial Palace is 'rumored' to become "The Quad". The website quadlv.com has been registered by Caesars. quadlv.com Registrant: Caesars License Company, LLC One Caesars Palace Drive Las Vegas, NV 89109 US Domain Name: QUADLV.COM Administrative Contact: Caesars License Company, LLC caesarsdomains@caesars.com One Caesars Palace Drive Las Vegas, NV 89109 US 702-494-4665 Technical Contact: Network Solutions, LLC. customerservice@networksolutions.com 13861 Sunrise Valley Drive Herndon, VA 20171 US 1-888-642-9675 fax: 571-434-4620 Record expires on 07-Aug-2014. Record created on 07-Aug-2012. Database last updated on 27-Aug-2012 14:18:25 EDT. Domain servers in listed order: NS29.WORLDNIC.COM 205.178.190.15 NS30.WORLDNIC.COM 206.188.198.15 There has been a ton of construction over in that area due to the Linq project. On you're next trip to Vegas, be sure to check out that entire area. Here are a few renderings of The Quad from Vegas Tripping: THEquad? THElounge? THEbeerpong? THErainbowbarofhappiness? You could also watch construction from their live webcam at: http://www.caesars.com/thelinq/ Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bert425 Posted August 29, 2012 Share Posted August 29, 2012 we were just there in May, and they were demolishing O'Sheas, and the front of IP while we were there. we were told by Flamingo staff (since it too is owned by Harrah's (Ceasar's Entertainment)), that the construction was for the "Giant Wheel" that's being put in off the strip, and for a re-theming of IP, that was gonna happen "next year" guess they pulled in the dates? oh, also while we were there "Fitzgerald's" suddenly became "the D". . which was funny, since the Leprechaun and 4-leaf clover stuff was still all over the inside of the Hotel/Casino. we LOVE Vegas and go back every couple of years. . always something new! Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
bert425 Posted August 29, 2012 Share Posted August 29, 2012 Here is my personal ratings for buffets: 1) M Resort - $20 for awesome service, awesome food made fresh in front of you. Even sushi! You get a buffet pass when you see the Tila Martini cooking show too. 2) Aria - Beautiful everywhere you look. 3) Flamingo - I went for breakfast/brunch. 4) Harrahs - Last time I went to Flavors was a few years ago, a lot of selection. Ive been hearing recently it's been going down... 5) Rio - See above 6) MGM Grand - really did not have a good experience here. With employees and with the food. Also, remember whats ever in the buffet is also going down into the employee dining room! (EDR). For best EDR's I've heard Wynn and Palazzo/Venetian. the M buffet was good 3 years ago, but this past trip? HIGHLY disappointing. MGM Grand we didn't even eat at this time (and taking out the Lions -- for a nightclub? -- took away any reason we really had to stay, so we went across the boulevard for: the Wicked Spoon in Cosmopolitan is our new favorite, as we loved the idea of a Tapas buffet. We ended up eating there twice. another great buffet that should be mentioned: the Friday/Sat seafood buffet at Golden Nugget. Since Golden Nugget got bought out by Landry's Seafood Restaurants, we always make a point to go to the seafood buffet at least once a trip. And it's always GREAT (this last trip, no exception). hot/cold crab legs, tons of seafood options (snapper/Tilapia/Cod), Crawdads, shrimp. . very good meal. Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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