Parker: Red Rock

[Parker]

Recently took a look at the latest Station offering, Red Rock.

Bottom line: If Green Valley Ranch is your idea of the ultimate casino, you're gonna love Red Rock. It's sort of a GVR meets Wynn decor, with the GVR influence quite obvious (round bar in center of casino, surrounded by table games pits), but more red in the color scheme (a la Wynn). It is indeed most elegant.

Unfortunately, when it comes to blackjack, it may be classy but it is still a Station. You will find 6D shoes with lousy rules (H17, DAS, no surrender) and so-so pen (1.2 - 1.5 decks c/o), and double deckers with the same rules, $25 or $50 mins, and lousy pen (usually cutting just under a deck), along with the usual 6:5 single deck, CSM's, and carnival games. In other words, essentially the same conditions you will find at any Station property.

The quickest way to get there, IMHO, is to go north on Hwy 95 and take Summerlin Pkwy, like you were going to Rampart or Suncoast. Take Rampart south to Charleston, head west a few blocks on Charleston, and you're there.

Of course, you can simply head west on Charleston from I-15, but Charleston is under construction right now (at least it is if you keep vampire hours like I do), and the route above is much quicker.

It seems to me that this is too far off the beaten path to draw much of the tourist market away from the strip, and it remains to be seen if the locals market in this area will support three large casinos in close proximity to one another (Suncoast, Rampart, and Red Rock).

My guess? Red Rock will do just fine with the upscale locals market, bargain hunters/low rollers in the area will prefer Suncoast, and Rampart will continue to struggle, trying to find its own niche.

[Wolverine]