Bettie: Horseshoe mostly closed down

[Bettie]

Breaking news:

State Gaming Control Board agents Tuesday evening forced Binion's Horseshoe to close down almost half of its 1,300 slots and three of its four table game pits because of inadequate casino bankroll amounts, said Keith Copher, control board enforcement division chief. The casino remains open.

I had read not too long ago that they were having some problems with the Gaming Board because, by state law, a casino must have a certain amount of money available in its cage at any given moment. While I cannot recall what that number is, it is at least $1 million and probably more. Horseshoe has been unable to carry that much and if Gaming comes in and sees that you have less than that amount (whatever it may actually be), they can close you down immediately. Looks like they are being nice to Becky. Not that she deserves it.

Bettie

[Parker]

> I had read not too long ago that they were
> having some problems with the Gaming Board
> because, by state law, a casino must have a
> certain amount of money available in its
> cage at any given moment. While I cannot
> recall what that number is, it is at least
> $1 million and probably more. Horseshoe has
> been unable to carry that much and if Gaming
> comes in and sees that you have less than
> that amount (whatever it may actually be),
> they can close you down immediately. Looks
> like they are being nice to Becky. Not that
> she deserves it.

Well, I did my part to save the place. I played there over the weekend and, shall we say, gave generously. :-)

As for Gaming and Becky, I don't think "nice" has anything to do with it. While things are nothing like they were when Benny was alive, the Binion family is still fairly well "connected" in government at both the local and state level. I imagine Becky is calling in every "marker" she has in an effort to keep the place open.

It would be nice if brother Jack would come riding in like a white knight to save the place, but I'm not holding my breath.

[Moose]

At one session, only twenty-four hours removed from my glorious and enjoyable previous session at the same casino, every dealer in the joint was giving me only four rounds heads up, and when I parlayed my 2x$20 into a mighty 2x$40, the pit boss rooted through the discards and whispered to the dealer to pay me in green.

There was also talk about dealers being fired that night, and one guy was talking to his relief about what they would do if they got the axe.

Hmm, I wonder if tip-hustling guys who are shooting $200-$300 at a time on horrid sucker bets - to the point where they leave in disgust - was in any way part of the problem?

Oh yeah, maybe it has something to do with the pit bosses in the poker room who rudely imply that customers (such as myself) are hustling a snackbar comp!

Hint to all floormen - just because *YOU'VE* only seen a guy play for 15 minutes, doesn't mean that the guy wasn't playing for HOURS ON G'D'MN END while your relief was running the room. And whatever you do, do *NOT*, under *ANY* circumstances, be willing to listen to the dealer that's telling you this guy was playing for hours before you showed up. He's obviously in on the scam.

Interesting side note: During my first night downtown, in about 8 hours, I overheard the word "Becky" FIFTEEN TIMES in everyday conversation.

As long as the former 'Shoe customer base doesn't go over to the Fitz, I'll be a happy man..

M.

[pat]

its a dump and should be closed.the tip hustling by the dealers,especially since they know their time is up,is at levels unseen since thorp played.the management is horrible,the games have gone downhill and the place is a cancer trap.i hope they close forever...

[Parker]

> its a dump and should be closed.the tip
> hustling by the dealers,especially since
> they know their time is up,is at levels
> unseen since thorp played.the management is
> horrible,the games have gone downhill and
> the place is a cancer trap.i hope they close
> forever...

I can't really argue with any of that. However, the 'Shoe is a Las Vegas institution, and part of Las Vegas history.

Admittedly, Las Vegas has a habit of taking its history . . . and blowing it up to build a new megaresort.

Still, I would hate to see the place go. I'm hoping that Jack steps in and restores the place to its former glory.

What a great advertising slogan, "Jack is back!"

What do you mean, it's been done?

:-)

[98%]

> I can't really argue with any of that.
> However, the 'Shoe is a Las Vegas
> institution, and part of Las Vegas history.

History schmistory! Let's not be shackled in mediocrity by the events propogated by a long dead man decades ago.

> Admittedly, Las Vegas has a habit of taking
> its history . . . and blowing it up to build
> a new megaresort.

Hmm, a Downtown megaresort...now you're talking.

> Still, I would hate to see the place go. I'm
> hoping that Jack steps in and restores the
> place to its former glory.

Perhaps I am biased when it comes to the Horseshoe, given what happened in my last couple of visits there and the fact it is one of the few casinos on the planet with a net win against me, but I will be elated to see the place go. It is a blight on Las Vegas and I imagine a vastly superior casino could easily emerge in its wake to serve as the Downtown anchor, so to speak. Even the steakhouse is overrated.

[pat]

> History schmistory! Let's not be shackled in
> mediocrity by the events propogated by a
> long dead man decades ago.

> Hmm, a Downtown megaresort...now you're
> talking.

> Perhaps I am biased when it comes to the
>
> couple of visits there and the fact it is
> one of the few casinos on the planet with a
> net win against me, but I will be elated to
> see the place go. It is a blight on Las
> Vegas and I imagine a vastly superior casino
> could easily emerge in its wake to serve as
> the Downtown anchor, so to speak. Even the
> steakhouse is overrated.

steve wynn should buy all the downtown casinos, blow them all up,that includes the nugget,and build one big one.that would revitalize that neighborhood.

[Parker]

> steve wynn should buy all the downtown
> casinos, blow them all up,that includes the
> nugget,and build one big one.that would
> revitalize that neighborhood.

It would not be necessary to do anything that drastic. Just buy the Plaza, level it and use that property together with the vacant land behind it that the city cannot seem to decide what to do with. Plenty of space for a mega-casino, and Fremont Street remains intact.

Sadly, Steve Wynn appears to have lost interest in downtown. Besides, word on the street is that he is having difficulty lining up financing for his current project, "La Reve," on the former Desert Inn site.

None of which has much to do with the Horseshoe and their current predicament. :-)