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LAS VEGAS SUN FILE
The Rio is the only Harrah’s property in Las Vegas that doesn’t face Las Vegas Boulevard.
Monday, June 21, 2010 | 2 a.m.
Sun Archives
- Harrah’s reports loss as recession takes toll (4-27-10)
- Harrah’s said to be seeking offers for Rio (4-23-10)
- Harrah’s debt gamble (2-15-10)
- Harrah’s buys Rio hotel-casino (8-10-98)
Map of The Rio All-Suite Hotel and Casino
The Rio All-Suite Hotel and Casino
3700 W. Flamingo Rd., Las Vegas
When billionaire Phil Ruffin bought Treasure Island last year, speculation swirled about other Las Vegas hotels that could be sold by cash-strapped casino giants.
The name game fizzled, however, as the big corporations chipped away at their massive debts. Banks are helping out by granting extensions and more flexible terms on loans, some in exchange for higher interest rates. And few potential buyers — less than half a dozen entities, by some measures — have Ruffin’s resources and industry background.
For those casino companies that have not fallen into bankruptcy or defaulted on loans, the desire to sell has waned. As long as they can restructure their debts outside the courtroom, they are not going to be eager to unload casinos that are still earning money.
Unless, of course, you are talking about the Rio.
Although the 20-year-old property has distinguishing features that appeal to locals and tourists, such as its rooftop Voodoo Lounge, respectable Carnival World Buffet and popular shows such as “Chippendales” and “Penn & Teller,” it lacks the cachet it once had under owner and local builder Tony Marnell. Long before the arrival of the Palms and Hard Rock Hotel, which pushed the envelope to cultivate a casino atmosphere for young men, the Rio catered to a flashy crowd of high rollers attended by attractive cocktail servers wearing what were some of the skimpiest outfits in town.
Harrah’s Entertainment’s interest in selling the Rio has more to do with its location, which is far removed enough from the rest of the company’s center Strip empire to make cross-marketing a challenge.
Nine of Harrah’s 10 local casinos front Las Vegas Boulevard, with some featuring newer attractions to lure passers-by. The Rio, however, doesn’t benefit much from walk-by traffic. Nor is it as easy for the Flamingo Road hotel to benefit from Harrah’s marketing strategy, which centers on rewarding customers for spending money within the chain. It’s easier for tourists on the Strip to walk next door or across the street than to catch a cab to the Rio.
In short, the Rio isn’t central to the company’s marketing ambitions in Las Vegas and could help it reduce $19 billion in debt. Striking a deal is easier said than done, however.
Because the company’s Total Rewards loyalty card program has boosted profit at casinos Harrah’s has acquired from competitors, potential buyers lacking a comparable program would likely seek a discounted price, knowing they can’t generate the same earnings as Harrah’s, analysts say.
It’s an open secret that Harrah’s has entertained multiple offers for the Rio, although no deal is imminent.
The latest, and perhaps most legitimate, offer came from Penn National Gaming this year.
The Pennsylvania-based chain, flush with cash after narrowly missing the debt trap that snared some of its counterparts, sought entry into Las Vegas after a late-breaking leveraged buyout fell through in 2008.
Penn offered about $450 million for the Rio and had negotiated a deal to keep the World Series of Poker there this summer, according to a source familiar with the deal who declined to be identified. Harrah’s agreed and discussed contingency plans for moving the poker tournament to Caesars Palace or another Harrah’s casino, the source said.
That sale price would have been well under the $1 billion high-water mark that major casinos could have fetched some years ago, but is considered within the range of fair value today. It’s not clear why the deal fell through, although some industry watchers wonder if Penn balked when it got a better tally on how much more money it would have to spend to restore the property to its pre-recession glory.
Penn spokesman Joe Jaffoni declined to comment other than to reiterate the company’s interest in buying a Las Vegas resort — for the right price.
And when the Sun asked Harrah’s spokesman Gary Thompson about a potential sale, he gave the standard industry response: “We don’t comment on rumors or speculation.”
Faded from its salad days as the first big resort with a major nightclub, the Rio has been subject to numerous complaints about maintenance and service. Employees blame the problems on cost-cutting by Harrah’s.
But it’s also an industry maxim that companies don’t reinvest in properties they intend to sell.
When asked about it last month, Jan Jones, Harrah’s senior vice president of communications and government relations, said the Rio still gets its share of attention and maintenance dollars. The customer service scores, as recorded by surveys and other internal measures, have not plummeted in the recession, she said.
“It wouldn’t make sense” for Harrah’s not to keep up the Rio, given that it must remain competitive and may not be sold, she said.
As flashy kingdoms for those who can afford them, casinos on or near the Strip attract would-be buyers in any economy.
In April, Bloomberg News reported that Colony Capital and Starwood Capital Group were eyeing the Rio, although neither will comment publicly.
They may have some competition from bargain-shopping locals.
The recession has yielded a bumper crop of out-of-work or semiretired casino managers. Entities affiliated with Las Vegas managers have expressed interest in the Rio, although none has raised the money needed to execute a deal, the unidentified industry source said.
For now, the Rio will remain part of Harrah’s.
Carnival lasts all year at the Rio. With a float occasionally passing overhead and dropping beads while feathered dancers fire up the gamblers below, the Rio tries to keep its 120,000-square foot casino jumping with excitement. Special Brazilian mixed-drinks are also served throughout the casino. The hotel suites tend to be larger than similar priced rooms on the Strip and many offer excellent views with floor to ceiling windows.
The Rio offers some quality shows like "Penn & Teller" and "Chippendales." Many come to the Rio for the nightlife at the VooDoo Lounge, located on the 51st floor, or McFadden's Irish Pub on the casino level.
Others come for a bit relaxation at the Rio Spa or pool area and still others come to shop at the hotel's 60,000 square feet of shops. In each of these endeavors, the Rio attempts to make the experience a bit more fun and spontaneous.
The Rio also offers guests a variety of dining choices from all-American food at the All-American Bar & Grille to Gaylord India Restaurant for something a little spicier and even Carnival World Buffet for the indecisive.
Good. Hope someone else can run the Rio. More competition please.
If they sell the Rio, they will most likely stop serving the shuttle between Harrah's and the Rio, as a consequence. This would be a cost-savor for the company but definetely would be bad for the free riders who like to get to the Orleans/Gold Coast from the Mirage without walking much.
I have also wondered how come the Orleans-Barabary Coast (Bills) shuttle is still in operation, as the Bill's is no longer a Boyd operated casino....
Anyway, it's a good marketing strategy to discuss the Rio sale during the WSOP. The place is extremely busy right now and in everybody's talk. I wonder what the Rio will look like in 2 months from now, or perhaps in January. Must be a gost town style casino then, offstrip , without any local casino offer. It's offstrip but the prices are anything but offstrip. They're Harra's style.
From Switzerland
I was there the other day and there were long lines everywhere and very little staff. The main cashier only had two windows open and a line of about 30 people. Most of the restaurants were closed down maybe because it was before 5pm. Garage had garbage all over. Looks like Harrah's is milking it for all its worth. No staff to serve the customers or clean the place. Cost cutting at its best.
I used to pay good money to stay & gamble there before Harrah's took over. No more, although I still take advantage of comp rooms during the WSOP but do my gamblin' elsewhere.
The Rio used to be such a cool place(pre Harrahs). The best thing that could happen to it now would be for Harrahs to sell it off..
Of course....Harrah's destroys the personality & character of any property it buys and turns it into a McCasino.....bland and conforming to Harrah's brand standards. They ruined a great property. The Marnell family was smart though....they cashed out big time and are set for life, the losers were the consumers.
S711
i used to save my money through the week so i could hit that seafood buffet.
its freakin dump...used to be great, harrahs turns gold into crap...
@S711:
Sorry, pal, I do NOT think that Harrah's destroys the personality and character of any property it buys... I still think The Caesars is a cool and great magnificant place to visit and to have a break in the summertime ...just when its2hot
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=ryRgOU76V...
Regards
Banana_Joe
Harrah's has literally ruined/downgraded just about every property they bought...Caesars is another story that even Harrah's could not downgrade...in the beginning of their ownership of Caesars, there was the fear, they tried, and decided to maintain the opulence and first class style and service. Harrah's is synonymous with low end and, as a company in hospitality, is a failure. The Rio used to be a 'must stop' property, but no longer is that true...it is filled with baby carriages, flip flops, and if the windows would open, the rooms would be displaying laundry as well. $400 Million to $600 Million, and Harrah's will jump for joy.
Harrah's, The BP of the desert.
Sell it to another owner for more competitive casino market share bid. This must happen if Las Vegas is going to return to any type of value offering vacation. The government should break up these monopolies!!
As noted, the main problem Harrah's has with the Rio is that it's off Strip location makes the hotel isolated and there is little if any walk in business. This causes a unique problem for Harrah's. Unlike Harrah's Strip locations, there is a shortage of ploppies and suckers who will stagger into the place, sit down and play 6/5 blackjack and their tight machines.
One would think that Harrah's would try and pull tourists and locals over to the Rio. Perhaps fairer table games, lower minimums, looser machines, easier comps? But then Harrah's would have a PR problem that one property in their empire is actually being fair to it's customers, while the other properties are screwing people over.
It's a just a matter of time before they sell the place, just like the MGM is going to dump the Mirage. Perhaps the billionaire at the TI with the hot Russian wife will pick it up cheap?
As always, check out my Las Vegas blog:
http://jimmyhoofa-lv.blogspot.com/
"This is the end result of all the bright lights... and the comp trips, of all the champagne... and free hotel suites, and all the broads and all the booze. It's all been arranged just for us to get your money. That's the truth about Las Vegas. We're the only winners. The players don't stand a chance. "
-- Sam "Ace" Rothstein, Casino, 1995
The Rio indeed used to be a gem, I remember going there back in 96 and the place was packed and Danny Gans was the headliner there, I was there last year and the Masquerade Village was dead, what 13 years will do to a property and Harrah's has turned into a conglomerate since then, and they didn't even own the place in 96. Even when they did, they still were a relatively small company, with a much better leadership team, Phil Satre knew what he was doing unlike Gary LUVman, the poor Rio has fallen out of popularity and style, cutbacks have killed the place and I hope Harrah's does indeed sell it to someone who will return it's luster because it is a property with tons of potential, those rooms are amazing and the windows are cool too. The buffet is still good, I'll keep going there I just wish it was in better shape like the good old days
The Rio used to be my fave place to stay..but after the last experience not so...we drove in ..arrived about 3:30 checked in and was hungry..went to the coffee shop at about 4:15 to find it was closed...it closes at 3pm every day not to re open until 6am...this was to drive everyone into the higher priced restaraunts.(not that the coffee shop prices were low) ..shabby strategy...we took the car and went to a nice ( inexpensive) Mexican place down the street..Ricardo's...I reccomend it to anyone..shame on Harrahs
"The recession has yielded a bumper crop of out-of-work or semiretired casino managers"
There is a good reason they are out of work or semi-retired.
caesers customer service is crap. their doorman and bellhops are total scumbuckets unless they see a tip in your hand before they even touch your crap.
there is this one guy with a bad wig look on his head, looks to be 70 with the way hes hunched over but im thinking 50's he works during the day times working the cab line, that mofo is a turdburgler. one of the meathead looking doorman at the cab line called me an "a$$hole" because i expected him to load my luggage into a cab. i guess he dont "work" for tips he just expects them.
i will never spend a dime in caesers ever again except maybe oneday to see seinfeld.
the same goes for any sands property as well. i dont care what they give me for free at palazzo or venetian i will never step foot on their properties again and i hope one day that company falls to the ground crying as their staff is utterly useless and worthless. they should all be unemployed with those s**tty attitudes.
sorry, but customer service on the strip is virtually gone at most resorts. its truly pathetic.
It has to be the 6/5 Blackjack that seems to be the reason given by most people on here for the Las Vegas downturn. Not banks, job losses,credit default swaps, the lack of credit ......no.... It's 6/5 Blackjack.
6/5 blackjack is not the sole reason for the downturn, but it is indicative of a larger problem in Las Vegas since merger-mania created huge corporations that now own a majority of the the Strip. These corporations have instated a new climate of greed and are killing the golden goose in the name of short term profit. It's all good for the Loveman's of the world though... long after they have milked very last penny out of this once great city and driven their companies into inescapable pits of debt, they will be relaxing on a beach somewhere basking in the luxury of the multi-million dollar golden parachutes.
sorry, but customer service on the strip is virtually gone at most resorts. its truly pathetic.
The reason customer service is dead on the Strip, and all of Las Vegas, is the gaming industry has taken all incentive out of work. You no longer are rewarded with hard work and dedication. To get a good job or a promotion, it's who you know. The casinos have also destroyed the standard of living for most workers. They pay as little as they can get away with and the profits are reaped by the few at the top. Today, the casinos are run by greedy scum who have little acumen for what it takes for customer AND employee satisfaction.
Hey jimmy hoofa, nice concrete observations about RIO.
You lucky stiff, Hosa union doing?
Interesting phenomenon, this 6/5 Blackjack payout. Many years ago, after hearing the early stories of the MIT counting teams and then meeting other similar teams, I speculated that a proliferation of counting skills in even a small percentage of the gambling public could result in measures that would compromise the popularity of the game among "gamblers". It looked to me like it could result in the ultimate demise of the game on casino floors, but then along came the card shuffling machines, which pretty much defeat any real efforts at counting.
But in the meantime, the 6/5 solution has taken hold and is having the effect I'd imagined. Interesting exercise to count the blackjack tables at Palazzo. The neo-house table games are taking over.
Sigtwenty spewed this:
""caesers customer service is crap. their doorman and bellhops are total scumbuckets unless they see a tip in your hand before they even touch your crap.
there is this one guy with a bad wig look on his head, looks to be 70 with the way hes hunched over but im thinking 50's he works during the day times working the cab line, that mofo is a turdburgler. one of the meathead looking doorman at the cab line called me an "a$$hole" because i expected him to load my luggage into a cab. i guess he dont "work" for tips he just expects them.
i will never spend a dime in caesers ever again except maybe oneday to see seinfeld.
the same goes for any sands property as well. i dont care what they give me for free at palazzo or venetian i will never step foot on their properties again and i hope one day that company falls to the ground crying as their staff is utterly useless and worthless. they should all be unemployed with those s**tty attitudes.
sorry, but customer service on the strip is virtually gone at most resorts. its truly pathetic.""
I agree customer service is disappearing but it is because they have to deal with so many putrid excuses for customers such as this.You sound like you lost your gambling budget,a twenty dollar bill, and have that proverbial chip on your shoulder.
Judging from from your grammar and grasp of the English language you sound like a perfect fit at the Casino Royale .
environprotector - you need to look up the definition of "monopoly". There is nothing about the owners of the casinos that fits the word.
I have nevern yet went into any of the above mentioned casinos but your comments cause me to think things really can't be as bad as you say. If things are that bad I doubt if people will continue to want to go to Las Vegas. I have visited other casinos and was surprised by how many old ladies worked there. I am 75 and I think when people go to Vegas they want to see the young and beautiful and at my age all under the age of 24 are beautiful, some just more than others. If casinos want to make more money they had better concentrate on good service in surroundings that help keep people thinking they are special and having a heck of a good time looking, drinking and gambling. I forgot the entertainment for those with more money to waste.
See now, that's the problem right there. Harrah's thinks that Rio doesn't fit into the corporate strategy because it's too difficult to lure players and guests from their other properties off of the Strip. If the used the Rio as it was intended to be used, as a tap for a completely different demographic, specifically younger players who stay off The Strip, and they focused on siphoning away people from Hard Rock and The Palms, things would be much different.
I also have to agree that Harrah's will run any property they get their hands on into the ground because they don't understand how to operate a hotel/casino business (the company may be established, it's totally new employees). Bally's is a great example of that. No money going into the hotel for renovations, the buffet is closed down, and all their restaurants are either closed, or operate on severely restricted schedules. But still they get a fairly good amount of conventions and day after day bring in more cash off their slots than Paris next door does. Why? People want that old-Vegas feel when they come into town. Bally's has that, Paris does not. Face it, Paris doesn't even feel like the Parisian culture it's supposed to represent! Especially in the culinary department. Circus-Circus sells cheap, sugary foods, Venetian has fine Italian Cuisine, Excalibur has a bland buffet. All Paris has is a fancy burger joint, a coffee shop, a snack bar, and a fine-dining place that rarely has anything even remotely French on the menu! The buffet of all places is where you find the most amount of French food.
Harrah's will survive though. They just keep implementing the formula of presenting a bland product that people accept because anything too radical would scare them off, and mindless people keep coming back for more. Staying or Playing @ a Harrah's property is like owning a Toyota Camry. It's boring, unexciting, and gets the job done in a very uneventful, unmemorable way. And because it's always the same boring experience were when you expect nothing more, that's exactly why people become repeat customers.
The type of people Harrah's attracts to it's casinos don't play there for the fun of gambling. They play only to get the urge out of their system and get it over with.
Is this person: "Jan Jones, Harrah's senior vice president of communications and government relations" the same lady that used to be mayor of Las Vegas?
CCB
Anyone that thinks Harrah'shas not ruined Caesars is out of their mind. It did take them awhile longer than some of the other properties but RUINED IT IS! They are only interested in milking every bit of money out of it. Customer service is a joke since there are no employees left! The place is filthy-don't eat there! All true Americans should boycott any Harrah's property! They treat their employees like slave labor! They pay their supervisors $40 a day less than the MGM properties! They are a pitiful excuse of a gaming company and I feel sorry for the employees of this blood sucking company!
off strip properties are always going to have a tough time attracting the average tourist. i was just in vegas this past weekend with 14 friends, we ate and partied at the voodoo steak house and the lounge. we had a great time, but i did notice the casino was sparce. things did look a little rundown..but you have to admit it has a million dollar view of the strip. best bet is to fill it with clubs and food...cheap drinks and make it cool and target party people..they should run a free shuttle every 30 minutes to and from the strip. location is always going to be a problem!
@X-Doc:
Hey, Doc, seems like you could also win some money like me playing at various games, I just do not get why many people here are so upset ...and I do not want to talk "Hedge Funds" over and over again...;-). We all know how it works... if you have debts, the HFs will pay your bill. C'mon folks, we all know that each invitation/payed bill has its price. So, they wrench more money out of your company than they invested when paying your debts to payback their shareholders without having any feelings of what your idea was about coorporate identity. How can they wrench? Sorry, folks, I do not know, since I am only a little tourist, no pun intended...
I only remember the fun I had sitting at the Ballys entrance at some machine and I could doulble-up in 5 minutes.... I mean I sat there and felt like a busdriver with all the people passing by that heavy slots machine ...lol, that was great fun. Then wife and me left Ballys and stood right in front of Imperial Palace... ready for The Auto Collection, which is really cool:
http://www.imperialpalace.com/casinos/im...
Each time we entered Ballys we sat down at these big heavy slots and doubled-up on passing by. Great fun to try.
Sorry, folks, I mixed up, ... hicks*...*hicks*...lol :) it was Harrah's we came out and played at the busdriver slots, sorry, it was cool anyway. Way to go Harrah's. Just get rid of that HF plague, ...before it's too late... broom ...broom, ding, ding, ding, ding...lol :)
Regards
Banana_Joe
Harrahs seems to be able to ruin any property they buy. Rio for example and the Imperial Palace. They closed down bars, restaurants, laid off/fired some of the employees, and created an atmosphere of insecurity and stress among the remaining staff. Harrahs is a horrible corporation whos only objective is to make as much money as possible with no regard to it's staff and customers.
lizzieborden :
Perhaps not by your personal definition or belief does a monopoly exist of casino ownership here in Las Vegas, but is sure does by my standards. Harrahs, and MGM own most of the previously owned casinos by other operators, and competition, gambling, and overall quality of service across the board has suffered greatly. Howard hughs was told he couldn't purchase The Stardust because he already owned Frontier, Sands, Silver Slipper,Desert Inn. So I ask the obvious question why has MGM and Harrahs been allowed to swallow everything up?
environprotector you could argue a duopoly exists on the strip but not a monopoly. off-strip another duopoly (station and boyd) exists
on the rio, of course it seemed better in 1996, look at what you were comparing it too back then, no venetian, no wynn, no bellagio, the best hotel on the strip in 1996 was the mirage
MGM should dump Circus Circus way before they sell the Mirage. Maybe Mr Wynn will buy back The Bellagio?
Yes, It is the same Jan Jones that was the Mayor. Now she sits with her silver spoon up her #$$ and takes her paycheck while screwing all the citizens that put her in office. She should crawl back under the rock she came out of! and Banana Joe are you one beer short of a six pack or did you drink the six pack??? Jan Jones is an example of all our Gaming Control Board, Labor Commissioners, Judges, Councilmen, State Senators- they will not defend the working class against these Corporations because they want a job when they are no longer in office. Look at Bill Bible-left Nevada Resorts Association to go on the board of MGM. All of our politicians are on the "gaming take" and we the people are getting reamed! Vegas was run better by the mob, at least you kwew who was the crook!
I was in the Rio last week about 3 to 6pm.
Good service and drinks.
Very nice place and clean.
Very busy and afew winners.
I had to laugh some of the people playing
1 coin 1 push on machines with 30 to 50 lines,whats the odds 10tri to 1.
Well they were having a good time.
LOL
727, you and I probably have enough in our wallets to buy Circus Circus, And I only have around $50 in mine right now! Is Slots-a-fun included?
I imagine Rio might go to Ruffin or Penn. (Ruffin's best bet would be to buy the Mirage which is the sister casino to TI).
Rio's Buffet was awesome in 1996 (I think we all went there in 1996). I've heard conflicting reports lately. Some good, some bad. I haven't eaten there since Harrah's bought it, but have eaten buffet at other Harrah's locations. Adequate, but not spectacular. The buffets tend to be way overpriced nowadays at all properties.
Bakersfield,MGM should implode Circus2. But where would all the roaches go?
I don't think the Strip is as bad as many of you indicate -- although I agree with most of the comments about Harrah's. Sad, because they used to be one of the best when Bill was alive. Just think of them as creating opportunities for other entrepreneurs. There are always going to be new players on the block, evidenced by Harrah's desire to shed a few properties. Vegas will always maintain its magic, and operators who don't get it will become the Lady Lucks of tomorrow.
you might be surprised what circus is worth, its still a very profitable casino, probably brings in more money than rio does at a much lower running cost, when TI was sold for $775m a year ago it wasn't bringing in that much more than CC, neither was monte carlo either
BTW, before Jan Jones was Mayor of LV she was married to Fletcher Jones, the car dealer, and used to flog vehicles in low-budget local TV commercials. Am I the only one who's been around long enough to remember this?
As for Harrah's, the plain truth is that they're BURIED IN DEBT!! Buried so deep they'd have to reach UP to touch bottom! There's no way, and I mean NO WAY, that they'll ever get out of it. Their cost cutting has gotten to the point that they're now in a "death spiral" and it will all end in grief.
It's the lesson that LV teaches us all every day: Greed makes people stupid.
gerrlfc,
I agree with your point on Circus Circus regarding profitability. It has a long history of being the place to stay for those who want an inexpensive room. Unlike TI and Monte Carlo (both decent places), it was built when costs were a lot lower, therefore costs less to service the debt. MGM hasn't spent much on any remodels or updating. With all of the upper end places being built since Mirage, Circus still offers something for the low roller. I'm an Imperial Palace regular for the same reason, since IP offers a great location, great price and no resort fee.
People who want all of these lower cost places imploded have to remember that if all of them are closed / imploded, the customers they do not wish to be around will migrate to the other places such as Rio, Luxor, Excallibur, etc. Better to offer something for everyone. Not all of us are Bellagio rich.
I've stayed at the RIO on at least 15 different occasions since 1994 and as recently as the beginning of May 2010. I almost always stay in the old tower, I just prefer the shorter walk to the tables, the book, and the restaurants.
The property is being well maintained contrary to some to the nonsense previously posted. Yes the casino is slower during the early part of the week, maybe never been slower except for the period right after 9/11(I was at the RIO then too)but the weekends are busy and the atmosphere is vibrant. The restaurants are great, the dealers are tops, but I will admit to missing those earlier cocktail outfits on the girls.
Re: the Rio Buffet...Way overrated and just running on the fumes from the days many years ago when it unique.
for all who work at Harrahs I pray for you and hope you can get out. They do not care about anyone and Vegas will not be the same until they are gone!! We all need to pray!!
Hey, folks, could any of you whiners here stop to whine, please, ...and tell me where I could get me a fresh decent beer. Any place would do, Harrah's, Circus2, Downtown, I am hell to thirsty now to even think clearly ...any ideas where to find a good microbrewery?
And I am not out for some "Tea In The Sahara".
Btw, why is it called "MICRO"brewery? Are only dwarfs allowed to brew some decent beer there?
Has anybody here once in her/his life been to Rio De Janeiro, ... I mean the real RIO down in South-America/Brazil or to real East-Coast New York?
Las Vegas is still a great city and much more than a great illusion to me. I would love to live in Vegas for the rest of my life.
C'mon ev'rybody, we all know that the course and the end of a fairytale depends of the storyteller and the listener tambien. So, if you or me wanted to tell the story of Vegas to a kid, we would start to talk about Circus2 and the clowns, etc. ... and if we wanted to tell the story to a hard-headed business man .... what issue would you start explaining to dazzle the reader, to jump off the page ....?
Cheers
Banana_Joe
No happy endings for Las Vegas anymore, it's all gone..
burneman, I remember Jan Jones doing those cheesy car commercials for Fletcher. She wasn't as bad as Fred from GMF Motors; remember he used to say " If I can finance him/her, I can finance you" Then there was Ben Stepman saying " In Henderson, of course" with his hands cupped. Then there was Eric Randle with his pointer on the weather. Was it Valley Carpet and Ulphostering with that cute girl bouncing up and down? What happened to Al Phillips the cleaner? So you see burneman we are not that old, just remember the good ole days!!!!
@environprotector:
BOO HOO... ;-)
Hey ep, look on the bright side:
You can still remember how much better you used to have it. And nobody can ever take that away from you. Relax, take it easy.
Why don't you organise a guitar rock festival somewhere in Henderson exclusively open to local bands (NV, greater LV area) and their supporters/cheerleaders? That could be great fun, including a jury and let's say ...to win 2 grand, just a battle of the bands like in Back To The Future, 1st part. Or just something like that for the kids to play with their high school band?
Regards
Banana_Joe
Vegasobserver says:
'These corporations have instated a new climate of greed and are killing the golden goose in the name of short term profit'.
This is so true - There are now 5 major oil companies from a consolidation of 27. Airlines 15 to 5, etc.
One can simply travel America and see the same homogenized strip-malls with the WalMart Supercenters, Home Depot, Bed/Bath & Beyond, Chili's, McDonalds and Payday Loans - to see what has happened to Main Street USA. Gone forever - Killed by a cancerous gene called Big Corpititus. Our entire Nation has been transformed into a cut & paste, BIG-BOX consumer-zombie-land!
The once, classy and prime real estate of Downtown America,with the charm of the old brick and stone buildings - are now low-rent pawnshops, bail-bonds and Panda buffet restaurants.
The same dynamic can be seen on the entire Las Vegas Blvd.
More corporate news?
Maytag, Whirlpool, Singer, Raytheon, Rubbermaid, Anheuser Busch, RCA and the Sears Tower today? Made or owned - by some foreign corporation!
@doubledown_deadender :
I do not know exactly what that means for a simple tourist like me, but sounds like: if anyone in the U.S. wanted to go into business founding his own company, he'd better do that on his own money and would better not let any kind of big investor buy into his new or extended business.
Tonight I will have to get me some coins out and save some bucks for a future business of my own.
Yeah, ...Ding, Ding, Ding, Ding...;-).
But what kind of business should I go into... buy a shirt for 10 cents, sell it for a greenback and get sued over non-quality dangerous items or laying awake at night ...thinking about the people who produce these goods in China or any other dictatorship where workers do not have any of the democratic rights like freedom of speech, freedom of publishing, freedom of choices, pursuit of happiness, etc.?
Should I nevertheless try that reseller stuff anyway? I do not think so. Any thoughts?
Regards
Banana_Joe
The Rio is one of my favorite casinos under Total Rewards. It is the least flashy of them all which allows for more personalized service. The talk of the distance from the Strip is a bunch of BS. I would rather walk Flamingo, Tropicana, Koval or Paradise any day over Las Vegas Blvd. The crowds of the Strip and its stupid bridges which add 5-10 minutes of walk time are what drives me away. Walk from Caesar's to Rio 20 minutes, walk from Caesar's to Paris 15 minutes. Save the gouging taxis and take the bus for only 2 dollars down Flamingo. The argument of cross-branding would be better founded if the Strip was more like downtown Vegas where you literally can go from one casino to the next in a minute or less. I stayed at Caesar's early this month and the registration takes forever. Off-strip casinos you can walk in and be up in your room within 5-10 minutes vs. 45 minutes with Caesar's. And Harrah's entertainment with Total Rewards has casinos not even close to Vegas, including Caesar's Windsor, across from Detroit in Canada.
Maybe Penn passed because the Rio is a dinosaur on its own Island and would cost far more to make it a success than it would cost to buy it? Love the turquoise fencing...
I wonder why other company's outside these strapped-for-cash, rich executive, gaming companys arent taken seriously when offers are put in front of these egos? why stay with same company's like penn, harrahs and mgm. ruffin had no casino experience but knew the good ole boys network which is running thin around town. I hear if your not connected then forget it. recently a cash offer was put forth to one of these strapped for cash, ego ran gaming company's and was turned down. its serves them right to fail. i have no love for what these egos have done to the strip. bring in some new blood to livin up our city. Speaks volumes when wynn is jumping ship for macau!
I must be getting old,I remember when the buffet was great and Club Rio was 'the bomb!
nitro :
You are living in denial, don't worry though, We'll keep the lights on for ya..
I will never patronize the Rio again. During one of my stays there I woke up in the middle of the night and caught someone standing in my room in the dark, they saw me wake up and quickly backed out of my room before I fully understood what was happening after waking from a dead sleep. I complained at the front desk and wanted to know who used a card to access my room while I was sleeping with a do not disturb sign on my door, they said their was nothing they could do and there was no system available to tell them who electronically accessed my room!
I applied for job at the Rio, had to go join the union to try to get an interview with a referral number, called the Rio and they never called me back. Called the Rio 2 day later and the dept secretary said the job was filled. Thanks Rio and Karen, you guys are very low class and a dump.
@Burritobandit2:
Why should they give you a job, ...since you are a burrito bandit?
Who would like to employ somebody stealing burritos?
I wouldn't do that either.
To all the other whiners here "Get Over It":
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=UMAv1n8ie...
Regards
Banana_Joe
U.S.A. is by the way ahead of good ole England in the World Cup of Soccer, although they did not get two goals which were real goals until now:
1 during the match U.S.A.:England (2:2),
1 during the match U.S.A.:Algeria (1:0)
U.S.A., U.S.A., ...:)
The Rio at one time was wonderful.
I haven't been in there for many years however.
I do hope Harrah's Entertainment's finds someone to buy the place
Germany beat the hell out of the U.K. kickers. Now the good old England nation has 2 problems: The BP disaster in the golf on one side, and the soccer dilemma in South Africa. I wonder if they can fix the situation in the near future. My bet is that a lot of more oil will flow into the golf of Mexico before the situation is going to be under control.
From Switzerland
Maybe Boyd Gaming will buy it and turn it into a Sam's Town #2? I think there's plenty of space for semi trucks and RV's.
Or, maybe Harrah's will rebrand Rio and make it a 100% gay destination resort? Of course that would create a conflict with Paris.
http://www.harrahs.com/paris-glbt/
As always, check out my blog:
http://jimmyhoofa-lv.blogspot.com/
"This is the end result of all the bright lights... and the comp trips, of all the champagne... and free hotel suites, and all the broads and all the booze. It's all been arranged just for us to get your money. That's the truth about Las Vegas. We're the only winners. The players don't stand a chance. "
-- Sam "Ace" Rothstein, Casino, 1995
@BorisR:
Yes, dude, thanks to the refugee, who refused to approve England's second valid goal, I won 2 grand, since I also made the bet good ole England would only score once against Germany.
I hope the refugee also got paid well by whomever for that hard to see 2nd goal. I mean almost everyone in the sports arena and commenting on tv was able to see the soccer ball being completely behind the line. Very strange. I mean, in 1966 I wasn't even born then, what's all the hussle about Wembley-revenge and all that freaking stuff. Think I have to quit being a soccer fan for some years. Something really smells fishy with these highly honored refugees.
As far as I trust in England's soccer abilities, they would have continued fighting against Germany and might have turned Germany down, if the correct score had been 2:2.
Regards
Banana_Joe
I visit Las Vegas twice a year from Australia , in fact l just got enagged to a girl who worked in Vegas for three years who moved from Vegas to live with me Down Under . I fell in love with Vegas from all the 60's , 70's and 80's movies and shows of Las Vegas. I fell in love with the mystery of the mob and the Rat Pack , the stories of the gorgeous girls and the flamboyent Casino owners , the incredible way casino's would wine and dine you and for that small 2 ,3 ,4 day or week break the Town made you feel like you were King of the world!
Were slowly losing all our legends ...lucky enough to meet the nicest man in the world Wayne Newton last year which was awesome.
My point is as many have made earlier that individual ownership of casinos' drives competition , enthuisiasm , it drives casinos's to offer better deals , cheaper suites , better acts , it makes employees feel more wanted and enjoy their work more ....Find us more flamboyent owners like Steve Wynn and George Maloof Make are senses tingle and our jaws drop like back in the good ole days Vegas . Then sit back and reaps the rewards of your hard work !
P.S Never miss a trip to the Voo Doo lounge when l'm in town its awesome.
Loved the Rio prior to it being owned by Harrah's. R.I.P. Rio.
Harrahs can make a profit there...They got a huge number of total reward cardholders..Even the local casinos cant make it ..you know the ones with the good gamble and the cheap food...
This begs the question.. What is it going to take to make it in Vegas?
"...It's not clear why the deal fell through, although some industry watchers wonder if Penn balked when it got a better tally on how much more money it would have to spend to restore the property to its pre-recession glory."
I think this points directly at Harrah's corporate philosophy of running things to the ground.
Harrahs has become a bottom feeder for the low value tourist - Flamingo/Harrah's/Imperial Palace/most rooms at CP...they have no desire to increase the level of quality at their properties (don't give me the GO rooms at Flamingo as they are the pig wearing a rose scenario). Couple this with their horrendous odds on Blackjack and you have a recipe for a company that doesn't really give a rat's butt about their guests.
As a former Rio employee it shocks me to hear all of these negitive comments about Harrah's.
I was there in the High Limit room when the wonderful management team from Harrah's properties came to teach us their wonderful Harrah's customer service and great team building mantras. I was astonished to watch "Who moved my cheese" I never knew change could be so pleasurable! Did they really think of us as mice? Prior to Harrah's we had no clue about service or gaming for that matter.We were lost sheep just waiting for the famous shepard name Harrah's to show us the error of our ways. The Rio would have never have been smart enough to put gay men on pedestals to dance for other men trying to gamble. The Rio would have never brought their crackerjack management team that never saw a $500.00 chip to another High Limit rooms to teach them how to run High Limit gaming. The bottom line is that you people who bash Harrah's in these articles have no knowledge of how much Harrah's loves their employees and customers. Why when they fired us they even gave us a severance package while they explained how they overpaid for an eleven year old run down property that had seen its luster fade with the opening of Belliago, Mandalay Bay and the Venetian. We were only too happy to take one for the good of "Ol Bill H's prodigy Phil Satre. I learned through the phenonminal Mr. King (Harrah's VP of anaylsis) that Friday and Saturday were our busisest nights. I was shocked to find that out! (Love ya Carol). Shame on all of you for suggesting that they(Harrah's) are the worst, most arrogant, idiotic, worthless, vengeful,rainbow driven compainies. After all it is you the public that makes them think that they know everything.You morons still go to their properties. Harrah's isn't the problem, you are.