Visitreno

[jerry]

Yes sir and yes mam, Jerry has now departed the Reno casino buildings and arrived safely home in Belize (NOT).
Good trip. Had to drive through snow to get there but it was a bit light.
Short trip but I did some casino hopping.

Grand Sierra has GREAT non-smoking area with full pay poker machines. Great drink service, was not denied anything I asked for. Good entertainment with 50s songs even though the singer was likely not born before the 80s.

Unfortunately, it was dog-infested. Dogs everywhere, even German Shepherds. Did not see any Rottweilers, Dobermans, or Pit Bulls though.
So many dogs around that they were barking at each other in the casino walkways. For those who care, I am told that floors 4 and 24 are the pet-friendly floors.
Parking at this place is the worst that I have ever encountered at any Nevada casino. Endless walks combined with stairways. Bad news.

Siena was smokier than ever. Everything that I have seen them change is a negative. They should have hired me as a consultant before starting the changes.
Eliminated food discounts and food specials, raising the prices at the same time.
I have always complained about how they had such low VP pay tables on the machines. Well, guess what, they changed them after all. Yeah, they did. They are now EVEN LOWER to the point of ridiculousness. Anyone who plays VP there does not have a clue.
I have comps to use there and don't know how I'll get them used up.

Atlantis I liked again. Still too smoky, even in the non=smoking area where it filters in. Good drink service at least at the bar. Good bartenders in the newer sports lounge area.
I even hit a nice win on a slot there. First time in a long time.
Rooms here are very nice. They always tell me they are "upgrading me" though so I am not sure about the standard rooms.

Eldo. Same ol, same ol. Good buffet though. I still think it is far and away the best in town. Polls give the nod to Atlantis and Pep but I don't like either of them.

Peppermill. I gave in due to inclement weather on the route home and stayed one night at the Pep. Big comedown for me though as I had to stay in a Tower Room for first time since Tuscany opened.
Can you say, "How the mighty have fallen".
The good part was a meal and fellowship and a lot of laughs with our WebMaster, John
The bad part was that is where I lost a lot of money. But that is business as usual. I am going to be losing my Gold Card as I can't play long enough there on my money to get points any more.
They should label all of their machines as "HOOVERS".

The Oceano bar has raised the Royal Flush on quarters back to 4,000 coins, instead of the 1,500 they had the last time I was there.
Their old folks lunch in Oceano has been raised to five bucks.
The buffet really sucked big time. I only found two edible items (and I tried a bunch from every food area). That was the corn muffins and the carved turkey.
Also disappointed in both our Asian meals in the coffee shop.
They have not changed much of the casino at all in about two years at least. Very few new machines.

The upshot is: Best trip in a couple of years in that I came home with a little bit more money than I left home with. therefore, this trip goes in the books as a very successful jaunt.
And "that's 30" for tonight, folks.

[JD]

Let me see if I have this straight, Jerry.

Every casino you went to had some major problem. Smoke, parking, smoke, poor payouts, smoke, spendy food, smoke, low comps, smoke, dogs (I'm assuming CANINES...not one time babes with high miles), smoke, no new machines, smoke, poor menus, smoke, and increased prices.

And, "The upshot is: Best trip in a couple of years..." ?

Is there something you left out?

[jerry]

Yeah, did I forget to mention that the smoke was bad in a couple of the places? I think it is lingering from the last smelly cigar you lit up.

Actually it was a nice trip. Best in awhile since it is extremely rare for me to win in Reno. I enjoyed and have already booked a return.

Lighten up, JD, I love you like a brother. Just trying to be informative. Hey, each of us has a different perspective to report on our respective trips.

Stan, did you get that? I used both perspective and respective in the same sentence? Tis your elective to either reject or conjecture on the significance of that instance.

I believe the next 12 months will see the demise of the Siena. Maybe even the Sands.

Thrift store shopping was good as always. Now I can add a few more pics to my walls.

[JD]

I didn't intend to nag. But if you had a good trip...I KNOW there were some pretty good wins in there you haven't shared.

Spill it. Where did you clean up?

In spite of Sienna giving me the cold shoulder since I asked about that security tape of the parking lot, I'd hate to see it fail. They have really been spamin me more in the last three months than the last three years. Must be a new Captain at the helm of the new Titanic.

One hilarious (if not inconsistent) promotion the Siena is running: "Click here to enter $ 100 E mail drawing"...click...."
(anybody besides me thinks this is an odd "E mail drawing?)
----------------------------------
$100 Email Contest
Please provide the information below to register for the RiverClub
Rewards program and to be entered into the $100 Email Contest.

The Drawing is held every Friday at 7 pm.
You must be present to win. Management reserves all rights.
We will never sell your email address and highly respect your privacy
-----------------------------
THIS INVITE TO THE CONTEST IS SENT TO YOUR E MAIL ADDRESS!!


Siena and Sands are the last two craps tables in Reno with 10x odds. If they go away, might as well play at the indian casinos.


Smoky or not, I hope they survive.

Glad you had a good trip, Jerry. Now whose money did you come home with?

[jerry]

Yeah, JD, I agree that that is a bizarre email contest. That's the biggest problem for us out-of-staters: Nearly every contest requires your presencce to win. I have a lot of contest entries all over Reno that never get filled out since I will be back home before the drawing.

More and more, the Reno casinos are promoting locals at the expense of the out-of-towners. I thiink they should still solicit us as they used to do -- that's just good business and business that they would not otherwise have.

OK, I fess up. I brought home a little bit of Grand Sierra's money. Next time I'll spend a couple nights there because they have the best VP in a non- s------ing area. Good drinks as well. I inhaled a few Gray Gooses and Tuacas. You would never ever get those at the NEW Sienna.
FYI, the ex-VIP host at Siena is now bossing the slot club there. He was very nicely advising me as to how to get on the GSR invited guest list.

My best hit was 4 ducks with a kicker for a grand at Atlantis.
I just simply never ever win anything at the Peppermill. I have to wonder about the "randomness" of their machines.
I don't do any better ever at the Eldo.


In fact, I would not be surprised some day if one or more of the Reno casinos (no names mentioned in this paragraph) were busted for rigged machines. I don't know why I seldom ever take anything out of these so-called 100% machines. But that would take more from the state regulators than I think they care to give.

So, now you have the lowdown, JD. Thanks for keeping my TR alive with your comments. I have now done the last two trip reports on this board. It is successively harder to find anything of interest to share.

Nice evening here too. Just left the spa. Now visiting the Reno board, listening to Hank Williams Gold on the CD, and enjoying a nice glass of 14% Merlot from Cali. Can it get any better? Well, yeah. This week I have 3 days of softball, one night of volleyball, a computer class, friends for cards, songleading at church, and ??????? Guess I need to get a life.
Signed up for 2 new softball teams this week.

JD, you need a trip to Reno/VC. I love your TRs. I don't think you ever completed the promised stories from your last trip. I scanned the board with bated breath for weeks anticipating the next chapter (s).

And, yes, once the Mormon Crickets seriously attacked my vehicle enroute to Reno. Think that was 2 years ago. The roadside workers didn't even know what they were.

Good talkin to ya, JD. Anyone else out there want to join in and change our tete-a-tete to a family discussion?

[Dave]

Jerry,
I love reading your trip reports. Thank you! I appreciate that you move around to the different Casinos so we can hear about more than just one place. Do you ever hit the Cal Neva? If anything it is always entertaining to watch some of the characters in the place.
I am with JD and I sure hope that Sands & Siena can make their way and keep plugging along. Love the craps games at both places. I am trying to stay positive and if there was a lot of smoke there that must mean there was people there smoking and gambling!?!
I am so homesick for Reno and anxious to get back there. Thanks again for taking the time to do a report. I really appreciate it pal!
Take care!

[CaSwede]

Great to hear this trip was a financial success...... for a change. Your last long trip to Laughlin and Reno was a real bummer.

I have to admit that I just returned from Reno myself. I am going to try to put together some kind of trip report.

[remano]

"Siena and Sands are the last two craps tables in Reno with 10x odds."

Sadly, the Siena now offers only 3X - 4X - 5X odds on craps. This is still better than most casinos, which offer only 2X odds, but not as good as 10X. The Sands still has 10X odds, but you also have to consider the minimum bet. I think they're $5 minimum on the line, but Siena depending on the day and time, is only $2 or $3, so you can play for cheaper (or if you're winning, win less) at Siena.

Siena still has the single zero roulette wheel if you're a fan of the wheel, I think the only one in Reno and one of the few single zero wheels in the entire state.

[mjames1229]

Was told by a craps dealer at South Point (in vegas) which has 2X odds that if you ask nicely and the table isn't full and if you aren't betting the table max on the Pass line, they are happy to honor 3X4X5X odds bets.

The boxman told me most casinos do that when asked because they want to keep patrons happy, and on a $5 bet, the house is only "losing" a few additional pennies.

I haven't been to a casino since then that offers 2X odds, so I haven't had a chance to try it anywhere else.

[jerry]

Those odds sound like a bunch of "crap" to me.

[stan_allen]

Thanks for the bone, Jerry - my expectations have been respected. From that perspective, at least, your respective retrospections were exceptional!

[jerry]

Stan: Hunh, whuddid he say?
Dave: I haven't even walked thru the CalNeva in last 15-20 trips. Used to stay at Siena (till they cut me off like --- welllll) and walk thru CalNeva on way to Fitz. Now I do neither.
Swede: We didn't have any luck together in Laughlin. So, maybe the reason I didn't win at the Pep, after winning at the others, is because you were in the area. But, hey, your presence is worth losing a few bucks. Just wish we would have bumped into each other. In case you saw me at a distance, and in case it posed the question, then here is your answer: That beautiful lady with me was my trophy wife.

Thanks to all who responded. I really do enjoy all your comments, support and interest.
Now that the passes are ALMOST free of daily snow, I can get to "thee beeg leetle wan" more offun.

Coincidentally, weather report shows snow on the entire route tomorrow and including Reno. Will summer ever come?
Probably next week when I go to Calli for softball, likely see 90-100 degrees without any breakin period. Rained out again today. Nary a ball tossed yet this season with three tourneys in next 3 weeks.

[jerry]

Yeah, can you believe it, Stan?????????????
I forgot to lure you with a catchy subject line. A pox on me and all my kindred>>>>>

[jerry]

Will soon be moot. As it is now 600 and counting.
BTW, I gotta get the Hawk back on here. He asked me to pass on his kindest regards until he gets his new computer. (and, I might add, when he becomes computer-literate like the rest of us.) JK, Hawk

The Hawk and I recently shared several (or at least that many) Rogue Dead Guy Ales. Quite passable brew. My grandson would love it. He is now starting to brew his own in Texas which is too far away for me to ever sample.
Anyone else like the "Dead Guy's Brew"???

[john]

Before tasting a "dead guy" brew, I'd have to know what killed him.

It was good seeing you in Reno. Expensive, but good.