Casino [ptz]
formerly the Gaming Studies Weblog

Gaming Studies@UNLV | Casino ptz | Archives | Email

Friday, January 23, 2004

Reality TV at the GN

Reality television refuses to go away, and casinos are seemingly more popular by the day. It is only inevitable that the two join forces. Green Valley Ranch is already going to be featured in "American Casino," and now the newly-sold Golden Nugget will have its own Fox reality show, creatively titled "The Casino."
The show will document the changes at the downtown landmark under the new ownership of Tim Poster and Tom Breitling, Internet entreprenuers with $215 million to spend. From theLas Vegas SUN:

A Fox network camera crew was on hand at the commission meeting Thursday to tape footage for an upcoming reality show that will focus on the takeover of the downtown casino by Poster and Breitling as well as the experiences of customers and employees.

The show, called "The Casino," will give a camera crew the run of the property. In return, millions of Americans nationwide are expected to watch the show when it airs this summer, vaulting the status of downtown Las Vegas and the entire city to new highs, Breitling said.

"There are thousands of stories here -- there's a natural mystery and natural drama that surrounds this business," he said.

Hundreds of potential customers have already contacted the company expressing interest in somehow being featured on the show, he said.

FULL STORY
After originally recommending a one-year limited license, the Gaming Control Board issued the new owners a four-year license, and the Gaming Commission expressed concerns that no one on the Board of Directors had knowlege of the gaming industry. The duo have said that they will enlarge the Board. Where can I pick up an application?
________________________________________
posted by Dave at 2:26 PM

Thursday, January 22, 2004

Not a good place to find a man

If you haven't seen Species, that won't make any sense, which is OK. In any event, this is a story that I expect anti-political correctness people will be all over. The Trump Taj Mahal has been fined by the Division of Gaming Enforcement $60,000 for violating equal employment statutes after passing on a request that a female gambler be given a male limo driver, because she "was uncomfortable having another woman carry her bags. From the Press of Atlantic City:

The Casino Control Commission on Wednesday accepted the settlement, which also showed that Taj Mahal on 18 other days from 1998-2000 requested male drivers for the unidentified female gambler and six other players.

In arguing to dismiss the charges, Taj lawyer Lloyd Levenson said that merely communicating a driver's request is not discrimination.

"I offer that a discriminatory request that is received and routed within the organization is a transgression worthy of a sanction," commission Chair Linda Kassekert wrote last year in denying Taj's motion to dismiss.

Levenson also argued that if Taj Mahal did act on the requests, no female drivers were displaced.

"No proof of injury is required," Kassekert said.

Records show that casino officials who dealt with Taj's limousine assignments were never told that it is impermissible to assign drivers by gender or race.
FULL STORY

Like I said, opponents of political correctness should be all over this story, but because the casino is the "victim," who knows? What ever happened to "the customer is always right?"
_________________________________
posted by Dave at 6:34 PM

It's a Hard Rock life

Las Vegas's Hard Rock hotel and casino, at Paradise and Harmon (and just down the street from UNLV) could be fined as much as $300,000 by the Gaming Control Board. The GCB hsa challegned three Hard Rock advertisements. From theLas Vegas SUN:

The eight-page complaint cites three advertisements the Control Board found inappropriate:

An advertisement published in the Las Vegas Weekly newspaper around Nov. 17 shows a man and a woman on a gaming table, surrounded by playing cards and poker chips, with the caption,"There's always a temptation to cheat."

Another Nov. 17 ad in Las Vegas Weekly reads, "At the Hard Rock Hotel, we believe in your Monday night rights: large quantities of prescription stimulants (and) having wives in two states ... Tell your wives you are going; if they are hot, bring them along."

The third count of the complaint addresses two billboard ads. One, which appeared just prior to the National Finals Rodeo in Las Vegas, depicted a woman shown from the knees down with her underwear falling to her ankles, with the text saying, "Get ready to buck all night."

A second billboard advertisement, displayed last summer, showed a naked woman holding a pair of dice over her nipples. The caption said, "We sell used dice."

Clark County officials asked the Hard Rock to remove its billboard showing the woman with the dice in January 2003, declaring it "obscene." In July 2002, the Hard Rock was ordered to pay a $100,000 fine to settle Gaming Board complaints over public sex acts taking place in one of its nightclubs.

FULL STORY

This is all great free advertising for the Hard Rock, if nothing else. How can you not like a billboard like this? The thing about the wives in two states was kind of random, and the other ads definitely push the boundaries of what you'd expect to see on the highway. "Looser than your girlfriend?" For some people, it might just be a laugh, but how do you explain that to an 8 year-old?

This is a casino that, after all, calls their Monday Night Football party "the big score." Not exactly subtle or anything. Anyway, if you are mulling a move to Vegas, this is the kind of thing you'll see all the time. If you're keeping score, though, the fact that thousands of people, thanks to this story, have been reminded that public sex acts have taken place at the casino has given them the kind of buzz that no billboard can.
___________________________________________
posted by Dave at 6:10 PM

Tuesday, January 20, 2004

AC buffet low-down

In the story you were all waiting for, the AC Press has reviewed each of the city's casino buffet's. Here's the final tally from theAC Press(read the full story for the details):

Best Food - Borgata Buffet

Best Variety - French Quarter Buffet, Showboat

Best Seafood - Fantasea Reef Buffet, Harrah's

Best Steak - Sultan's Feast, Trump Taj Mahal

Best Crab Legs - La Piazza, Caesars

Best Value - Boardwalk Buffet, Sands

Most Improved - Sidewalk Buffet, Bally's

Buffets By Price

As this shows, price won't always buy you quality when it comes to casino buffets. But there are some deals out there.

Borgata Buffet, Borgata: $24.95.

Rating: 4 stars

Fantasea Reef Buffet, Harrah's: $21.19 for adults and $15.99 for children under 12, Mon.-Thur. $26.49 Fri.-Sun.

Rating: 3.5 stars

French Quarter Buffet, Showboat: $21.99 adults; free 3 and younger. Showboat often offers 2-for-1 deals in advertisements.

Rating: 4 stars

Cornucopia Buffet, Atlantic City Hilton: $19.95 Mon.-Fri.; $24.95 Sat.-Sun..

Rating: 1.5 stars

La Piazza, Caesars: $19.95 Mon.-Fri. $24.95 Sat.-Sun.

Rating: 3 stars

Beachfront Buffet, Tropicana: $18.99.

Rating: 1 star

Virginia City Buffet, Wild Wild West: $18.99.

Rating: 3.5 stars

Sultan's Feast, Trump Taj Mahal: $18.95.

Rating: 3.5 stars

Broadway Buffet, Trump Plaza: $15.95 regular buffet Mon.-Thur., $18.95 seafood buffet, Fri.-Sun.

Rating: 2 stars

Bayside Buffet, Trump Marina: $15.99.

Rating: 2.5 stars

The Buffet, Resorts: $8.95. Mon., Wed. and Fri. prime rib special. $14.95. Tue. and Thur. $17.95 Sat. for seafood buffet. $14.95 Sun.

Rating: 1.5 stars

Boardwalk Buffet, Sands: $14.95 for adults, $7.50 for children 4 to 12. Sands often offers 2-for-1 deals in advertisements.

Rating: 3 stars

Sidewalk Buffet, Bally's Atlantic City: $13.99 Mon.-Fri. $17.99 Sat.-Sun.

Rating: 2 stars

FULL STORY

The reviewer really liked the Borgata and Showboat, which are the newest, and hated the Hilton, Plaza,and Marina, which are the oldest. I never really caught the relevance of the decor to the quality of the food, personally. I mean, if the room itself is a few months old but the food is a few days old, you're in trouble, while a room that hasn't been painted in 20 years might have fresh food. I guess perception is the key.
To get away from the casinos, I'd go offshore and try Sharon Zheng's or the SuperBuffet (I think that's the name). They are both Asian buffets on or near Tilton Road. Yeah, I know that Sharon has opened up in the English Creek shopping center too.

They didn't mention it, but if you want a real treat, do the Sunday morning brunch at the Trump Marina. There is a tremendous variety and amount of edible food--very high quality.

As always, save room for the bread pudding.
_______________________________
posted by Dave at 8:53 PM

Quitting to win

Here's a great article about an unlikely career change: from casino marketing to church administration. From reviewjournal.com:

It's a clich�, but it has been a simple anthem of athletes and eager hopefuls; the motto of the hopeless, destitute and downtrodden; and a mantra to the most successful: Quitters never win and winners never quit.

But what may be inspiring to some isn't always practical for others, just ask Chuck Davison.

He knows that, sometimes, to win, you have no choice but to quit.

That's what Davison did a year ago.

At only 29, he had reached what many considered the pinnacle of success by becoming vice president of marketing for the Stratosphere. But, according to those who know him, that job was probably just a stop on his way to the ultimate top.

"Chuck had a lot of maturity for his age and a tremendous amount of drive," says Michael Gilmartin, Stratosphere's spokesman and one of Davison's former employees. "He was on the fast track."

At 30, Davison quit his powerful, influential job and its six-figure salary, opting instead to follow his heart and what he believes is God's will.

In a few moments of an outstanding career that started when he was 20, gone were Davison's five-figure bonuses, the "five-year plan" to purchase a bigger house in Las Vegas and a second home in California, future trips to exotic places and just about every little luxury a well-paid man takes for granted.

Though God's will ultimately led him to a new job as church administrator at Calvary Chapel, where he makes about 65 percent less than before, Davison, a born-again Christian, says he has never been happier or more successful. To borrow a phrase from his former profession, one could say he has hit the jackpot of a lifetime.

Sitting behind the desk in his modest church office recently, Davison reflected on his decision to leave gaming and the turn of events that brought him to work for the church he has attended since his youth....
FULL STORY

From the lead-in to the story--"quitters never win and winners never quit"--I thought it might be a cynical attempt to keep problem gamblers from seeking help, along the lines of, "you know, you're not a loser until you stop playing." But it was actually a really good story about a man who obviously put some thought into changing his life.
____________________________
posted by Dave at 7:37 PM

Gaming Studies@UNLV | Casino [ptz] | Archives | Email

I am the maker of rules, dealing with fools/I can cheat you blind

What is Casino[ptz]?

In a sentence: "A weblog featuring news, notes, and opinions from the world of casinos and gambling."

Casino is self-explanatory; ptz refers to a surveillance camera that can pan, tilt, and zoom, thus offering the operator a better perspective and more detailed shot.

Casino [ptz] was maintained by Dave Schwartz, coordinator of the Gaming Studies Research Center at the University of Nevada Las Vegas.

As of now, Casino [ptz] is not being updated. Instead, you can find Dave's wit and wisdom on his own website, www.dieiscast.com. \

Go there now, for casino carpets and more.

The opinions expressed are those of Dr. Schwartz and not those of UNLV or any of its students, staff, or faculty.

If you have any questions, please direct them to Dave at dgs@unlv.nevada.edu.

---------------------------------

You can't win money here, but you can take a quiz or two.

Quizzes

Test your knowledge with two quizzes I have devised for your enlightenment and entertainment.

1. Do you know gambling?

If you've read this weblog, I'll bet you do.

Take the...

Gambling quiz

(view the Scoreboard)

This quiz features ten questions about gambling, mostly in casinos.

2. Do you know casino history?

Take the...

Suburban Xanadu quiz

(view the Scoreboard)

This quiz features ten questions taken from the pages of Suburban Xanadu.

If you've read the book, the quiz should be a snap.

Or, take the quiz and see what you are missing.

-----------------------

Read about strange slots and more.

Classic posts

Bashing the Donald

Betting on cheating

Las Vegas bites!

What happens in Vegas...

Porn or advertising?

New Jerseyans talk funny?

Mystery Creature from Maryland
Update: Mystery solved

Seven questions

Dave's book quoted in Parliament

Bird gets Trumped
(Fuzzy Zoeller unleashed)

Merger update, 7/04

A game called hope

Casino blocking monument?

Slots, urban design, and destination dreams

BJ by the sea

News of the Inane

Dogs not playing poker

My book is a buzz word

Mega merger mania

Stripped of dignity?

Of sleaze and goldmines

The Real Addicts

WSOP thoughts ('04)

Sweet Georgia busted

Secret to a long life

Don't be afraid, the clown's afraid too

Failed casino marketing

Out of this world?

It's a Hard Rock Life

Hastert blasts casinos/2 tiger tales

Russian Regulation?

--------------------------

In Memoriam

Claude Trenier

Shannon Bybee

Si Redd

--------------------------

These bloggers are in the Casino[ptz] club.

Other blogs

Alberta Gaming Research Institute Library

Bill Barol's Blather

Love and Casino War

Online Casino Legalization Blog

Poker Babe's
Game Journal

Presence of Mind

PokerProf's Pokerblog

Email Dave if you want him to add your blog.

--------------------------

Who is Dave Schwartz?

Dave Schwartz is the coordinator of the Gaming Studies Research Center at the University of Nevada Las Vegas, which means that he spends most of his time at work doing three things:

1) Extending and improving the collection of books, journals, and primary materials about gambling known as the Gaming Collection.

2) Working on digital initiatives, such as this weblog and the GSRC site, that facilitate the understanding of gaming research and gaming issues.

3) Answering questions about gambling from media and researchers, or directing them to the answers.

Atlantic City, NJ-you can see Dave's home in this photo, but he won't say where.

Before coming to UNLV, Schwartz worked in the Atlantic City casino industry as a surveillance officer. He is also the youngest person known to have received a Ph.D. in History from UCLA.

Schwartz is the author of Suburban Xanadu: The Casino Resort on the Las Vegas Strip and Beyond, which is an intelligent, accurate account of the creation and legacy of the Las Vegas Strip. Click on the link for more information about this best-selling book, or just buy it from amazon.com.

--------------------------

In his own words:

"To answer the biggest question I get, no, I don't gamble. I know the odds and, having spent more hours than I care to remember watching people gambling, it doesn't excite me at all. So why do I study gambling? Because the industry and the interactions fascinate me.

"Las Vegas is an interesting place to live, and my job gives me a good window on the city. In a typical day, I might go from talking about gambling books with a system player to answering a question from a reporter from a major newspaper to meeting with casino executives. So I think I can bring a unique perspective on the industry and the people who make it work."

To learn more about Dr. Schwartz, go here.

----------------------------

The unofficial Casino[ptz] mascot

It's the mystery mammal, of course. Dave is currrently developing a "Mystery Mammals" cartoon idea. Hey, if "Father of the Pride" works, maybe animal cartoons will become the next big thing.

------------------------------

Just because

Dave just likes these images, and hopes you do as well.

You'll find strange non-sequiturs in many Las Vegas casinos, but none as heart-warming (literally) as this dragon. He once belched flames and terrifying townsfolk, but now he stands watch over some nickel progressives.

It's always important to remember your roots. Dave has chosen this image to constantly remind him just where he came from. It is a heraldic crest gone wrong.

Oh yeah, Dave also likes to see his name in lights. This is a genuine, non-photoshopped image...or is it?

Casino carpet is almost (but not quite) abstract art. This is from a real casino floor in a real Las Vegas Strip casino. Guess where and win a prize!

Here are some closing thoughts from Orff's Carmina Burana, "Fortuna, Imperatrix Mundi" (Fortune, Empress of the World):

O Fortune,
like the moon
you are changeable,
ever waxing
and waning;
hateful life
first oppresses
then soothes
as fancy takes it;
poverty and power,
it melts them like ice.

Somehow I don't think you'll find that in any casino advertisements. But Carmina Burana would be a great casino show, particularly sectons 2 and 3, which deal explicitly with gambling, drinking, debauchery, and sex.

The opera is almost an adaptation of the 13th century version of "what happens in Vegas (or, in this case, Beuren), stays in Vegas. Certainly it has all the elements of a great revue extravaganza.

people have panned, tilted and zoomed since July 2004.