Las Vegas April 17-21 Trip Report

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Bob Dietz's Integrity Sports: Ninety-Six Frugal Hours: Homage to Jean Scott (theskepticalgambler.blogspot.com)

Sunday, April 30, 2023

Ninety-Six Frugal Hours: Homage to Jean Scott

I've followed Jean Scott, she of the Las Vegas Advisor's "Frugal Gambler" blog, since she first began writing. Back in the 80's and early 90's, while staying in Las Vegas 90 days a year each football season, Ms. Scott's tips and coaching helped me survive on very tight budgets.

These days, I do most of my Las Vegas football scouting, checking futures odds and evaluating available contests, during an annual July trip lasting just a week or so. In the past, most books have held off on college football futures odds and finalizing contests until July. But with sports wagering now legal in many states, some Las Vegas books are posting futures odds earlier so as to beat states to the punch. There is, after all, only so much money (in theory) to be committed by the public to football futures. Thus, in 2023, I decided to head west in April. An April excursion, it turned out, offered the opportunity to exercise some long out-of-shape frugality muscles. As I designed the trip, I realized that April offered some opportunities to, ahem, be cheap that weren't likely to be available in July. Emulating Ms. Scott while also emulating the frugal me of my youth, it turned out, were admirable goals, but easier said than done. I managed to channel her frugal essence in some instances but failed badly in others.



Flight and Hotels

The flight itself was a jackpot of frugality. I had never taken any flight to Las Vegas for just 15,000 air miles, much less a flight from the relatively small TRI (Tri-Cities) airport. But I was able to procure such a flight, and my outgoing went through DFW, which I prefer.

I have, however, lost some of the oomph of my youth, and my flights turned out to be a bit more of a physical challenge than expected. The outgoing flight required a dash through DFW and a late-night arrival in Las Vegas. The return flight required a pure red eye to Charlotte with a four-hour layover, and those E terminal connections in Charlotte rarely go without a hitch. That 15,000-mile frugality came with a physical cost.

My hotel choices featured a night at the Horseshoe (the strip casino formerly known as Bally's), a couple of nights at the Four Queens, and a night at the Tuscany. I waited to book the Horseshoe until I knew I would make my DFW connection, therefore I got a good rate, but not the best. My late arrival, however, led Horseshoe to upgrade my room. Very much appreciated. I try to support the Four Queens since it's one of few Las Vegas hotels that doesn't tack on a "resort fee." Four Queens was fine. My final night featured a Hotels.com booking at the Tuscany, one of my favorite places. Combined with my first night at the Horseshoe, I added two notches to my Hotels.com stash enroute to a free room (10 notches).



The Gambling

I did almost no actual gambling this trip. I scouted numbers, reviewed limits at various sports books, and verified that ownership/brand changes had not yet affected the aegis of on-site books at the Horseshoe and Mirage. I also verified that South Point no longer had satellite books downtown. My other responsibility was to pin down a schedule for a documentary filmmaker friend who'll be visiting Las Vegas in July. He needs a structured short list of mob highlights and locales.

In terms of table and machine play, I used a couple of Las Vegas Advisor coupons to massage me through maybe two hours of video poker play with a net loss of, ta daa, $34.



Recreation and Food

I used an LVA coupon to knock four dollars off my Mob Museum admission. The museum is impressive, and one can spend a full day there if invested in the subject. I had intended to spend at least half a day at Area 15, but between horrendous traffic and the fact that I had a vehicle rented for just 48 of my 96 hours, I decided to save Area 15 for a longer trip.

My opinion of the South Point buffet matches its LVA ranking. In a world where the charm and value of old-style LV buffets have almost disappeared, the South Point buffet has created a time capsule of quality and price. I must also give a thumbs up to happy hour at Oscar's, which featured very reasonable prices in a very attractive setting. In addition, while at the Four Queens, I had my usual bang-up breakfast at Magnolia's.

Of course, I also availed myself of the classic off-menu Ellis Island $9.99 steak special, right around the corner from the Tuscany. You no longer have a beer included, so I shelled out four bucks for an iced tea, but it was still a retro meal deal in a nice room with great service. I was flanked by two couples also enjoying that special.



The Car Rental

In keeping with the frugal spirit, I plugged into the lowest price two-day rental on Priceline, which required picking up and dropping off at Treasure Island. Well, as I waited in line to pick up at the Dollar kiosk hidden away on the second floor, I eavesdropped on customer after customer being told that the only vehicles available for their reservations were electric, and none had a full charge because Dollar did not have a working charging station. The most-charged car was at 57%.

Fortunately, my reservation had been made sufficiently in advance (and paid for in advance) that they had saved me an actual gasoline vehicle. My renting a car, however, turned out to be a royal pain.

Las Vegas is redesigning and repaving the strip in preparation for a November Formula One race, which is evidently a bigger and more profitable deal than hosting a Super Bowl. Las Vegas Boulevard was therefore one lane in each direction from Paris to the Stratosphere, and the roads to the west of the strip were a labyrinth of cones and detours. Just a mess, and it doesn't figure to improve anytime soon. Had I attempted night-driving west of the strip, it would have been a complete horror. It was the worst non-holiday traffic I have seen in Las Vegas in 45 years.



Blowing Taps on Frugality?

Every frugal day has its downside. The absence of certain frugal Gibraltars has had its effects on me. I had never fully recovered from the closing of the classic buffet/coffee shop at the Fremont Casino, and I was suddenly, surprisingly confronted with no Fremont Casino Lanai Express, my hangout for dollar shrimp cocktails and good soft ice cream. First no Golden Gate shrimp cocktails; now no Lanai Express. Very disturbing. It crushes my frugal spirit.

I'll no longer shop for inexpensive car rentals since driving is such a major mess. If I need to check South Point or M, I'll do an on-site-wherever-I-am rental for 24 hours, regardless of cost, and live with it.

And as usually happens on flights through Charlotte (my return), my E-terminal flight was delayed a couple hours. There's nothing like plopping down in a freezing airport at 5 AM after a red eye and realizing (1) you're going to be there longer than expected and (2) there are three flights all delayed and scheduled out of the same little gate at the same time, so nobody knows nothin' about when you might actually get out of there. That 15,000 air-miles round trip came with a cost, as I said earlier. I won't be doing red eyes through Charlotte again. I'm just too damned old.



A Final Homage

Ms. Scott always kept a cheerful disposition in her writings, regardless of outcome or hassles. I try to do the same, but I'm not nearly as disciplined.

I'm glad there's still an Ellis Island steak special (sans beer) and a South Point buffet and some classy happy hours. But I mourn the Lanai Express and the old bakery shop in Caesars' Palace, and I miss the overpriced but quality buffets at Paris and Harrah's and Planet Hollywood. I even miss the birds outside the old Flamingo buffet. I wonder how the hell anyone taking the strip busses can possibly get anywhere with one-lane traffic in both directions and pedestrians still crossing the strip.

Las Vegas has always felt like home to me, a place where wits and judgement and frugality combined to present opportunities. In April, however, Las Vegas seemed more like a grotesque tourist trap, offering little in the way of playable video poker or slot clubs with meaningful benefits.

Perhaps my tone has been skewed by my sampling a $13 pastry called a "Feather" (glorified banana bread), featured where my favorite Caesars' Palace coffee shop has been replaced by a more bourgeoisie pastry counter. Or maybe that return red eye drained my 65-year-old positivity a bit. We'll see how dampened I am soon enough, as I'm scheduled to return to Las Vegas in July.

Until then, perhaps it's true that we cannot go home again. But just in case, someone please ask Jean Scott to save a chunk of Ellis Island steak for me. And tell her to lay off the Feathers. They're bad for the wallet, and bad for the frugal soul.





Bob Dietz

April 30, 2023

 

Nice report; it helps confirm my belief that "The old gray mare, she ain't what she used to be."

 

You know what's unusual? I write about many, many different things, but that trip report got a hundred views in two days when the whole blog rarely goes above 600 for a month. I did what I thought was a somewhat entertaining write-up regarding Tennessee's drag brouhaha, for example, that got about a third of the reads.

Bob Dietz's Integrity Sports: Dungeons and Drag Queens (theskepticalgambler.blogspot.com)

 

I'm not getting this. You go to LV only a few times a year--having to endure the torture that is flying these days while knowing just about everything enjoyable that's affordable to commoners has been annihilated by the democrats--and you opt for the cheapest, lowest-class foods and services you can locate throughout town?

Such an experienced savant as yourself surely wouldn't expect things to be like they were 20 years ago. Decent comps for several hours of vp play even at dollars now is basically non-existent. And what's with the buffet, cheapo soft & tasteless bay shrimp cocktails and coffee shops, and trying to play the role of Mr. Bigstuff while chowing down on a fat-laden steak at a dump like Ellis Island?

You may have missed it--you fly into LV from out-of-town for a week, you want to go to various parts of town for the cheap stuff....YOU RENT A CAR AT THE AIRPORT FOR A WEEK, McFLY! The car won't be used for half the stay because of 4 nights at a "no resort fee" fleabag of a joint downtown? SO WHAT!! And if you had ever gotten into the habit of always having a vehicle on visits to that town, you'd know by now how when & why to avoid the STRIP when you want to go from point A to point B! This is what happens when tourists do things on-the-cheap.

As you noticed, you're not getting any younger. So WTF are you doing NOT wrapping yourself in comfort and luxury when you travel like this while you still have the chance? What's with the "frugal experience" or whatever the f**k you call it? Jean Scott wrote about that stuff at a time when being frugal in LV was the equivalent to a mid to hi-on-the-hog level experience anywhere else. It had meaning...umph back then! Now it's all seemingly just the ramblings of a lost and lonely old man with an empty wallet and worn out shoes, trying to pretend that the good old days still exist.

 

As opposed to the guy who can't go to a casino without immediate family in tow because of his history of degeneracy. LOL.

How often do you get to LV in a year, Rob? Once? Twice? For a total of what, six days? Seven? I guess immediate family can't spare more time to babysit you. Nothing like hearing from an expert who (1) isn't allowed by immediate family to hit casinos alone and (2) hasn't rented a car in LV in ages, and (3) spends very little time in LV, period.

Comfort and luxury? LOL. Staying at where? Circa and Green Valley Ranch? WTF? The average Residence Inn has comparable rooms. But Rob wouldn't know that, as he hasn't stayed in a Marriott in decades. And I guarantee my rooms at Horseshoe and Tuscany were nicer than the average Circa and Green Valley rooms. Rob has "old white man's" disease. He needs to stay where he doesn't feel like an old white man.

Of course, I'll be spending more time in LV in the next couple of months. I saved my comped rooms for the July/August trips. I'm frugal like that.

P.S. The frugal blog is setting a record for me. Who knew?

 

Well, I hope Rob hasn't checked out mickey crimm's travel reports, because if Rob thought my suites at Horseshoe and Tuscany were dumps, God knows what he thinks of the places mickey stays.

I love Rob. This is similar to when I said I won $25 in Super Bowl bets and was soliciting prop advice. Of course, Rob stepped in with a rant about my being cheap. I forgot, of course, to type a K for the amount won.

So Rob accepts that I stayed in some lower end rooms because I said it. I'm sure he'll also accept my report in July regarding the higher end comped rooms. He's fair and balanced like that.

Now if only Rob would compare Green Valley Ranch to a Residence Inn one of these days. Or if he'd step into a casino alone for three hours (why doesn't he ever do that?). And let's not speculate regarding why Rob doesn't/can't/won't fly. Here's the thing about traveling via air miles. You actually have to have air miles.

To each his own and all that.

 

If you are not gambling (no comps coming) for a longer trip the Tuscany is fine. For a short trip I'd look for someplace nicer.

 

I like the Tuscany for various reasons. If we're having a group type meeting to sort out what we're betting, I like the Tuscany rooms for that sort of thing. I also like the quick egress to the airport. Also key is the Circa satellite sports book, since Circa generally is on the short list for best odds for most futures. Plus, I can walk to the monorail at Horseshoe (Bally's) with no hassle or grab a cab to Westgate, which (along with Circa) is considered premier as far as sports books go. So Tuscany fills a lot of needs. I would not recommend the standard diner/coffee shop, but I would recommend the little bakery/coffee shop. The other thing I like is they have entertainment most nights in the lounge, so in terms of hosting people and getting things done while also socializing a bit, the Tuscany works out pretty well.

Dawg, I'm not sure if you've stayed there recently, but they've ditched the rustic decor for most rooms and rehabbed them with modern furniture.

I was checking out the room I stayed in at the Horseshoe, and it may top any room Rob has stayed in at Green Valley Ranch or Circa. I guess they like me or something. The room was more old school as far as suites go, but it was my kind of room.

 

Says the guy who claims he sold a very luxurious Newell motor home.

pot -->. kettle ---> slumming it

 

Horseshoe Las Vegas (hotels.com)

Tuscany Suites & Casino (hotels.com)

I stayed in the Executive King Suite at the Horseshoe and the Executive Studio Suite at the Tuscany. People can draw their own conclusions.

 

The last time I stayed at the Tuscany was about ten years ago. Their rooms are pretty large (624 sq. ft.) which makes them among the largest standard rooms in Vegas. If they have updated the decor since then that would make them even nicer, but I don't think they offer the spectacular deals they used to 10 - 15 years ago, which were as low as $20. a night (for anyone, including non-players) on weekdays.

Tuscany is in a neutral area too, nothing bad going on around there of which I am aware.

 

The decor has been updated for most rooms. The only semi-raggedy problems would be the elevators and halls in the hardest-used buildings, which could use some spiffing up, but when you have folks traipsing directly in from the pool and such, those places are always going to show wear and tear. The place reminds me more of the resort in Dirty Dancing than a Las Vegas casino vibe.

I really like the covered area next to the pool with scattered metal tables and heaters at night. These kinds of community areas really allow for groups of people to mix and match over the course of an entire day and evening. You can get work done while relaxing.

 

In other words, you stayed in $50 rooms.

 

My first condo, bought in 2009 just after the financial crisis was right next door to Tuscany at Platinum condo hotel. So those first few years while I was still clubbing and partying, a couple late night would end at Tuscany where they had all you can eat pancakes from midnight to 6am for $3.99. A good way to soak up some of that excessive alcohol. And they were pretty tasty pancakes too. Not cheap paper thin, tasteless pancakes like some of thebuffets used to have.

As for a neutral area....so so. The American condos on the other corner if Flamingo and Koval, while seemingly ok garden type condos, had a lot of California based thugary renters.

Also Ellis Island, nearby doesn't draw the greatest crowd. Not horrible, but not great.

 

Ditz you make shit up on the fly. You pay for $50 rooms because you got no clue how to AP the rooms. There's a whole world of AP you know nothing about.

These are the kind of dumps I stay in. This "dump" sends me 8 free days a month in the hotel. King Size Bed, Cable Television, Wi-Fi, Free On Demand Movies, Jacuzzi, Coffee Maker, Refrigerator, Steam Bath, Comped Meals.

 

When Tuscany opened they came with a promotion where when your final hand was a 4 card royal you got a 20 unit handpay. The frequency is about 1000 so it was a 2% add on. They had 10/7 Double Bonus (100.17%) everywhere in quarters, halves, and dollars.

Of course, all the pros fell out for it. Tuscany got their asses handed to them. They put up a sign at the Players Club Booth that said "WE GIVE UP!"

 

Red you're such a jealous idiot. I've stayed in every medium and high end LV hotel ALONE on avg. at least 60 times over the years, and where you stay is totally pathetic for some self-proclaimed big time handicapper/salesman. But it's completely in-line with you not being able to afford his property taxes. Perhaps you could have asked kew if you could grab a few free nights at his apt.....

Of course you're also off the mark with mickey. He basically travels by vehicle for a living to mostly off-the-grid places, many months a year. Yet here we have you, a self-endorsed sports-betting savant, making infrequent trips to LV--where you keep wanting everybody to think you make a bundle of dough--and you treat yourself to every cheap-ass meal, room, and method of getting around that your credit card can handle. What a loser.

And I like the reference to my wife as my "immediate family in-tow" in our retirement. I suppose that irks you, seeing how YOUR wife ended her life rather than continuing on with such a self-obsessed whatever you are.

I imagine you learned your lesson about rental cars and Strip traffic. From 2000 to mid 2009 I rented cars 4 weeks a month, every month, while I romped around the entire state of Nevada almost every week alone, being a professional gambler...you know, like you claim to be. Tuscany's always been an ok place. But when you bellyache over a puny resort fee and choose to stay the majority of your time at a downtown dump just to avoid paying them, you ask for a good mocking.

Wise up.

V, see what I mean by you always trying to "belong" to others conversations with your weak remarks? It's almost embarrassing watching you put in the effort.

 

Yep, mickey's absolutely correct. That room at the Horseshoe can be had for $50. Mickey says so, thus it must be true because he's Mickey "The Truth" Crimm.

He's a high-flyin' AP, the Leonardo Da AP for the ages. He's a modern man, as George Carlin said:

George Carlin - Modern Man(720p) - YouTube

Of course, saying you can get a room for $50 and doing it are, occasionally, two different things. I'm sure mickey would have no problem showing us all how he could snag that room for fifty dollars.

But he won't. Because either he can't or it's, shhhh, wait for it, "an AP secret."

I'd offer mickey a hundred bucks if he could rustle up a receipt for that room showing he paid fifty bucks. In fact, I'd offer him two hundred. I even have a video with the precise number of the room to help him out.

Anyone think Mickey "The Truth" is up for the challenge?

 

Well, you know, if I didn't have -- wait, let me check -- $1196.69 in Loyalty Dollars at Northbet, that would be a good theory, Rob. Mickey can help you with the math regarding how much wagering that requires. And that's one account.

Mickey, you going to help him with the math?

Rob, you stayed 60 times "over the years?" LOL. C'mon, man, what is that, twice a year? Holy hell, you're a high roller.

 

Mickey, I'll give you ninety days to snag that Horseshoe room for fifty bucks. Countdown starts....now. And I'll count it down every blessed day until you win by showing us all the receipt. It's Room 861.

Best of luck!