Harrah's Out, Players Back

[pokeherguy]

The casino I am talking about was The Grand Casino/Tunica,Ms. , before Harrah's bought them out you were hard pressed to get a machine to play on. After the buyout it wasn't long before people started complaining about how bad play had become on not only video poker but slots also. You started seeing fewer slot jackpots and the royal flushes on the video poker machines seem to be gone completely. I tried to explain it by saying it was because they had so many less players than before. I went a couple of months ago and the place was being remodeled so even though they were open it was pretty much a mess. I found out that Harrah's had been bought out and the Grand Casino now had new owners. I went and was shocked to see the place was packed with players. The place looked the same, only cleaner. I went to the back to play video poker and I have never seen so many people playing video poker in my life. I even ran into a guy and his wife I had not seen in several years who were playing. I ended up playing for about seven hours and had a great time in which I hit 9 quads, 3 sets quad 2's,3's and 4's, 3's w'kicker, quad A's, A's w/kicker. I actually saw plenty of others hitting also and managed to see 2 royals hit that night. So my question now is did play go bad because so many players left or did so many players leave because play was so bad? Either way now that Harrah's is gone the players are back!!!!! 

[shadowman]

I assume harrahs cut back the paytables as they usually do. This reduced the playing time for any given bankroll. The players found themselves losing their money quickly and eventually went other places.
So, the answer to your question is both. That's what poor paytables lead to over time. Especially in places where decent paytables were available initially.

[TEXACO]

  I DON'T WANT TO BUST THE BUBBLE HERE ON PEOPLE THAT DON'T LIKE HARRAH'S, BUT THE REMODELING YOU SEE AT THE FORMER GRAND IS TO GET READY FOR THE HARRAH'S GRAND RE-OPENING ON MAY 23RD 2008. I WAS JUST THERE IN APRIL AND THE V.P. SELECTION WAS SLIM TO SAY THE LEAST SO I DID MOST OF MY PLAYING AT THE SHERATON WHICH IS ALSO GETTING A NAME CHANGE. CAESARS ENTERTAINMENT FORMERLY HARRAHS CORPORATION WILL ONLY HAVE "3" NAME'S IN THE FUTURE. HARRAH'S, CAESARS AND HORESHOE. THE OTHER NAMES FROM THE RIO TO SHERATON WILL BE GONE.

[pokeherguy]

Slim? They have a ton of video poker to choose from by Tunica standards. Try going to Fitzgerald's Casino, now thats slim pickings.
BILOXI --The largest casino company in the world went private Monday when two private equity firms paid $27.8 billion for Harrah's Entertainment.

Harrah's owns Grand Casino Biloxi and sold Grand Casino Gulfport to Island View Casino after Hurricane Katrina. The company partnered with Fa La La La La.... La la la la/songwriter Jimmy Buffett to build the $700 million Margaritaville Casino now under construction on the Biloxi beachfront. It is expected to open in 2010.
Thomson Financial called the sale to Apollo Management and Texas Pacific Group one of the largest leveraged buyouts in U.S. history.
Harrah's got its start 70 years ago in Reno, Nev., and owns and manages more than 50 properties on four continents. They include three casinos in Tunica, Grand Casino Resort, Horseshoe Casino and Sheraton Casino & Hotel, as well as properties in Biloxi. Most of the casinos operate under the Harrah's, Caesars and Horseshoe brands.
"As a result of the merger, Harrah's stock will cease to trade on the New York Stock Exchange, the Chicago Stock Exchange and the Philadelphia Stock Exchange at the close of the market today," Harrah's said in a news release Monday.
Stockholders will receive $90 in cash for each share of Harrah's common stock they hold, but the company said they should not surrender their stock certificates until they complete a letter of transmittal with paying agent Mellon Investor Services.
Harrah's had nearly $10 billion in revenue last year. Before the sale was completed, Harrah's officials spent more than two months getting approvals from state gambling regulators in Mississippi, New Jersey, Pennsylvania, Louisiana, Iowa, Missouri, Illinois and Indiana plus the Indian Gaming Commission because Harrah's operates several tribal casinos. 

[pokeherguy]

I should also add whether they are under new ownership or not made very little difference to myself I was just surprised to see so many people playing video poker at the Grand. That fact alone got me to sniffing around and asking questions.
 
Texaco you may have been there when they had around 40% of the gaming floor on the north end of the casino closed due to constuction. At that time the video poker was scarce but now that its  open a large portion of that space is dedicated to video poker.

[BAGIANT]

I don't know how anyone plays at any Harrah's owned casino. I stopped playing at any Harrah's last year until this past Sunday...Mother's Day....when I was forced to play at Harrah's Rincon casino in Valley Center, CA. The reason I say "forced" is that th Valley View Casino in the same area where I was going to enjoy their marvelous buffet, was packed to the ceiling with a three hour wait to eat at their all you can eat Maine Lobster buffet for $22.99.  Left for the short ride to Harrah's and you could actually walk into their buffet at any time with no line. Decided to have a cocktail before dinner and play some VP. HORRIBLE paytables. DDB pays 8-5.  Wound up blowing $45 and left for Famous Dave's Bar-B-Que which was delicious. I'm back on strike against Harrah's.

[wilcoxfun]

I play at Harrahs in various locations but I keep looking for other companies as the video poker pay tables are horrible. I really don't enjoy giving my money to a casino that much. I rather just wait for a better casino anymore and I am a diamond player with Harrahs. Last time I went to a Harrahs casino there was maybe 200 people in the casino!  It was five in the evening.  Does that say something?

[BAGIANT]

Where at?

[EDC1977]

BAGIANT: I last visited Harrahs Rincon over 2 years ago. I played 9/5 DDB quarters and walked out plus $40 so I didn't snivel. Have the paytables gone down that much? I'm glad I haven't gone back but it sure is a nice casino.