Golden Nugget Director of Slot Response

[zano]

I disagree that a large part of LC traffic is bus traffic from Texas. Looking at car license plates at L'auberge, at least 8 of 10 are from Texas. Most of the car traffic is probably from Houston, a 2-2.5 hour drive. I rarely see buses at the casino.

An example of low bus traffic is San Antonio. Once charter is scheduled twice a month to L'auberge. Half the time there aren't enough riders to make the trip. Coushatta in Kinder appears to have more bus visitors than the casinos in Lake Charles.

In my experience L'auberge has the best variety of video poker games then either Coushatta or GN, and more favorable pay tables than GN.

[Lucky Larry]

I found this particular reply from Mr. Vermeulen to be interesting.
He frequently visits VPfree and videopoker.com for partial analysis?   Id love to know what he's learning by reading VP forums?
He must not be learning very much from them, seeing he's offering 97% games when his competition is offering 99% games. .And with so many players on vpfree and videopoker.com rightfully complaining about the state of VP pay tables these days , he obviously not paying much attention to what is being said in those forums.

And when your title is director of slots, don't you think it might be a good idea to become at least some what of a   "poker guru"?

I commend you Larry for writing to him, and look forward to seeing how it plays out.

In my years of play at Isle and previously Delta Downs I been able to make friends with most of the Dir. of Slots. I've found that the majority don't know VP well or play it at all. Some were even derogatory toward VP and VP players because they "hurt the bottom $" of the casino. I have also found that most chain casinos develop a corporate philosophy which becomes the franchise policy. Its becoming my view, based on a conversation with the Golden Nugget Marketing Director whom I called and talked to recently that the company line is not to worry about VP. Several VP players I've talked to indicated they wont play there much.

That's the decision Sweet C and I have almost reached. We've also shared this general feeling with the Executive Host we've known for the past 8 years.

[Lucky Larry]

Good job Larry   Keep up the good workIf and when the Golden Nugget gets more in line with Chousatta's pay-tables and comps, then I will return.



Sweet C and I hear that.

[Lucky Larry]

bob,
You are right about the corporate philosophy. Based on a discussion with the Marketing Director she indicated she couldn't convince the Dir. of Slots to move on the VP issues especially cash back/weekly free play on VP.

For a while I reported for VPFree on the LC casinos. A good number of LC players are bus imports but only a few hundred/day. The majority of LC players are drive-ins from Tx (especially Houston) 2 hours away. Weekend parking lots are 80%+ Texas plates. La. state reports show about $2.5M/day intake in LC with an estimated 80-85% from Texas.

These figures don't count the Native Indian casino Coushatta which is the largest in La. (only 20 minutes) further away from LC and one of the oldest (with new and renovated hotels) and with the most loyal players. The VP pay tables at Coushatta run generally 98.9% even down to the 2¢ denomination. Additionally, VIP (highest level) players get a sweet .10 cash back on every point at $4/pt. And, you pay no La state tax (6%) on hand pays which then requires filing a La State Income Tax to get a refund. Posting their daily hand pays on their website and promo's up to $250,000 to a single winner or$7K every 30 minutes promo's bring in huge crowds on special days/holidays. The upcoming Spring promo is $100K (50K grand prize with $5K drawings every half hour) will draw big groups.