The new and improved Western Casino *LINK* *PIC*

[Sonny]

Have you guys seen the plans for the new Barrick properties? If not I highly recomend checking out the website. Click on Development then Slideshow for a good eye-opener. I don't know who the artist was, but someone should show him that the streets will never be that shiny! And how long will it take to get that smell out of the air?

I'm all in favor of cleaning up the Downtown area, but this is getting ridiculous. They've already gotten rid of all the $1 and $2 games, now they're putting in carpet and everything!

-Sonny-

P.S.-It took me this long to ba able to fit in with the rabble there, now I'll need a whole new act!

 

[Theef]

So far so good

I find myself "rooting" for Barrick whenever I read about their plans. They've preserved decent BJ at their properties, and their ambitious development plans would be good for letting downtown prosper. Is it naive to consider Barrick "good guys?"

 

[Sonny]

"Better Guys"

> Is it naive to consider Barrick "good guys?"

I agree with you. They have maintained a playable game for red chippers and their staff continues to be pleasantly apathetic. Although they have introduced those great DD games to the Plaza and LV Club, I think that the Western's listless pit is more a factor of the low level management and not the overall administration. The Plaza and LV Club both have fairly sharp staff as I recall.

On the gaming management scale, they are certainly the lesser of a bigger evil. They are certainly far above Harrah's or Station Inc.

-Sonny-

 

[Dali-lama]

It is sad the big W is being fixed up....

Its beauty is in its skid row facade, and it's
slightly insane clientle....it is the CBGB's of the casino world and
will be missed.

 

[Sonny]

Ashes to ashes

> Its beauty is in its skid row facade, and it's slightly insane clientle
> ....it is the CBGB's of the casino world and will be missed.

It will be a bittersweet departure. I will miss the $1-$30 spreads of the old days, but I will not miss the vagrants who constantly interrupted the game to get some action on their crumpled $1 bill. I will miss some of the regular characters that would make those smoke filled hours entertaining, but I will not miss the inebriated ploppies that would slow the game down to a crawl. I will miss hearing real stories from the lives of real, honest people, but I will not miss the incoherent ramblings of the wasted souls or the dealers who constantly have to say "You have seven, you want hit? Sir, you want card? No? Tuck cards, sir! Underneath chips, tuck cards!"

For the time being you can still find most of these amenities at the Gold Spike (if you can get a seat), although I don't know what plans Barrick has for that yet. If you ever find yourself reminiscing about the old days of the Western, you can probably find comparable accommodations almost anywhere in North Las Vegas. As long as there are gamblers there will be Westerns, if you know where to find them.

-Sonny-

 

[John Lewis]

better to bulldoze Bellagio than the Western

The Western is (soon to be "was," evidently) my favorite place in the town.

Best SCORE of any game in town (or anywhere in Nevada, perhaps) consistently, per CBJN. Great SD games at low stakes for those of us who are the "common man." $3 40 oz draft beer (even malt liquor draft ["Western Ale"], for that portion of the clientelle on a severely restricted budget). Waitresses who really appreciate and smile at a $1 tip for a drink. Open facade, sunlight, breeze, fresh air. Street theater INSIDE. Guard with a big damn gun at the door 24h for that "special feeling" of security, which I personally needed there a couple of times.

Great times, great stories, great blackjack. Dealers that don't speak English so they leave you alone. Pretty and nice asian female dealers. Great to stare at when you're inebriated to the staring stage.

Like life itself, too good to last.

John Lewis

 

[Dali-lama]

True Sonny...but

as we all know any progress in BJ is a step backwards for
advantage play. The fancier a place is, the more it must produce,
and the more it must produce coincides with measures that interfer with advantage play (ie. CSM's, 6/5 bj,and the like). When all of vegas comes
up to par they'll all have carpets, wich will, inevitable turn into
mindplay machines....

 

[SonOfBeve]

Years away

There is no use losing hope now, the Western will not be replaced for years. They are renevating the current casino, they just installed a new bingo section that is very nice and the old bingo section is going to be made into a lounge with a live band. 2 more blackjack tables, 1 roulette, and 1 or 2 craps tables will be installed fairly soon. (within a year). Barrack will probably keep decent blackjack rules as long as it is profitable. Even with a few advantage players winning from time to time, the profit is still there from the drunks that refuse to leave until they have no money left in their wallet or reach their ATM withdrawal limit, they never leave while they are ahead.

 

[zengrifter]

Western somewhat overrated...

... as to penetration, but entirely palyable nonetheless. zg

 

[John Lewis]

thank you for correcting my misconceptions

"There is no use losing hope now, the Western will not be replaced for years. They are renevating the current casino, they just installed a new bingo section that is very nice and the old bingo section is going to be made into a lounge with a live band. 2 more blackjack tables, 1 roulette, and 1 or 2 craps tables will be installed fairly soon. (within a year)."

They're IMPROVING the place. Live band, MORE blackjack tables. Fantastic. Thanks for the great news.

"Barrack will probably keep decent blackjack rules as long as it is profitable. Even with a few advantage players winning from time to time, the profit is still there from the drunks ..."

I'd say their blackjack games are very profitable. In spite of what you'd think by the neighborhood, I don't remember (caveat, poor memory) really seeing anyone drunk playing blackjack, other than myself. And I've spent quite a bit of time in there over the last couple of years. That doesn't count the people who come up to the table for one or two bets, lose and leave, of course.

Their typical player is not drunk, not a bum. Just poor. Think they know what they're doing but most certainly don't. Coming in with their big stash. Paycheck, or big night out, or whatever. They usually dump a couple of hundred dollars in 30 minutes or an hour and then leave crestfallen. If they don't bump their bets much they can last longer. You don't see them again the whole trip. Nor have I ever have seen another counter in there, with the possible exception of a couple of intelligent young kids I saw in there once (red chip).

I don't remember seeing anyone win and walk away with money in there either, now that I think about it, though I'm sure I don't remember all experieces. People there tend to play until they're tapped out. I have won some, of course, but considering what I've tipped, spent on beer, and lost on two occasions when too boozed up (most notably, the infamous "no look double down" night), I'm pretty much even, too.

So, yes, they're making money with their blackjack games. So perhaps, as you've suggested, things won't go to hell after all.

I love that place.

JL