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Casino Club Spotlight Sam's Town Revisited by Jeffrey Compton
My first trip to Las Vegas was in November 1989, when a friend and I decided to visit a brand new casino called The Mirage. During a blackjack game, we asked the dealer which casino she liked to play at. She leaned over and whispered, "Sam’s Town." By Sunday, our bankroll had become quite depleted, so we decided it was time to call a cab to go to Sam’s Town. Even the taxi driver told us how good it was. Upon arrival, it was obvious that Sam’s Town was a much different casino than The Mirage–not better or worse, just different. At the time, there was a wood floor, rows and rows of dated video poker machines, and a kick-ass Country dance band livening up the joint. On my coin cup was the slogan "Where the locals take their friends"–the first time I had ever heard the term "locals" to describe Las Vegas residents. My friend and I played for awhile, and our gaming bankroll dwindled down to the last $10. I then walked over to a roulette table and put it all on 19 (my birthday), and, God help me, 19 hit! We then headed off to the casino’s (then) best restaurant for one of the most enjoyable meals I have ever had in Las Vegas.
Changing With the Town Over those 14 years, both Las Vegas and Sam’s Town has changed. The Valley is no longer a Western outpost, but one of the fastest growing cities on earth, populated by folks from all over America. Most of the residents grew up in cities and suburbs, not ranches and farms, and they’ve never ridden a horse. We may admire Country/Western, but we do not live Country/Western. So, several years ago, Sam’s Town began to get a new look. More hotel rooms were added, bringing the total to 650, along with additional parking and banquet space. Most of the new rooms were built around a large, impressive central courtyard called Mystic River Park, where, four times a day (2 p.m., 6 p.m., 8 p.m. and 10 p.m.), the casino features an original laser light and water spectacular. This show by itself makes a trip to Sam’s Town worthwhile. Since then, the entire casino has undergone a complete renovation (one my older neighbors says that they "prettified" it). Games were updated, bringing the inventory up to 2,700 games. New restaurants were added, including two of my favorites, Billy Bob’s Steakhouse and the Firelight Buffet. Also updated were the entertainment venues. The casino now sports 18 Century Movie theaters (all with stadium seating and a THX sound system) and an 1,100-seat Sam’s Town showroom. There were, however, a few local losses in the renovation. Many of our favorite games were removed, including a very high paying video poker game called Loose Deuces; the longtime dancehall closed; and, though near-and-dear to my heart, the Western Emporium was shut down three years ago. But unlike many casino renovations, which can be helter skelter (fueled by a "maybe this will work if that doesn’t" mentality), one got the idea that Sam’s Town management was at least thinking the process through.
I will also admit that on my last few visits, I like what I see. Although no longer resembling a Country/Western ho-down, Sam’s Town now has the look of a fine hotel in a large Western city, such as the legendary Brown Palace in Denver. On top of the large, arched windows overlooking the courtyard are attractive, stylized bullheads, and there are still a noticeable number of customers bearing boots. There is also an interesting memorial to Sam Boyd, the property’s founder, located near the main Mystic Park entrance. The casino, now mostly carpeted, features an attractive number of games (2,700 slots, 40 table games, plus bingo, keno and race and sports), including a good selection of traditional reels and the best in video slots. Even though the number of advantage video poker games has dropped, I had no problem finding quarter and dollar 10/7 Double Bonus games or my favorite quarter and dollar 9/6 Jacks or Better. The reason they were easy to find is that the casino has now marked their best games with signs. I was also happy to see that my favorite game, a rare, eight-coin version of dollar Jacks or Better, was still available in the main downstairs bar. Prime Rewards The casino players club has also changed–and all for the good. Players still earn one Prime Reward point for every $1 played in any machine, but now points can be redeemed for cash (1,000 points for $1) or comps (600 points for $1) at Billy Bob’s, the Fresh Harvest Café, the Race & Sports Snack Bar, or at Willy & José. Points can also be used to purchase Bingo Bucks at a rate of 600 points for one Bingo Buck. Prime Reward members wanting comps at the third-party owned Fellini’s, Jon Ric, Sbarro’s, Panda Express or at the casino’s AMF bowling center can get comp dollars at a rate of 1,000 points per one comp dollar. Buffet comps are sold at set prices varying from 3,000 points for lunch to 8,600 points for the Friday night seafood buffet. Tickets for the Century Theaters can be obtained for 5,750 points (matinee) or 8,250 points (evenings). Note: Although the Prime Reward system tells you automatically how many points you have earned in a day, you have to hit the "Promo" button on the Card Display keypad to find our your total points. It’s easy to do once you have figured that out. But there is a lot more going on with Prime Rewards than points, cashback and comps. According to several players I talked with, all active Prime Reward members receive a monthly reward mailing showering them with both bonus cash and bonus point days, plus a calendar showing which rewards came on which days. (Some players were rather reluctant to discuss this because they felt that they may be getting more rewards than they deserve!) According to Glenda Zuhse, vice-president of marketing, members can redeem their bonus cash by just inserting their card into any machine and then imputing their PIN. The cash will appear as machine credits which must be played off at least once. In other words, there are no more coupons to cut (and maybe lose) and no more redemption lines at the booth to stand in. Many members also raved about the monthly gifts they receive (electric scissors, a pocket calculator, etc.), as well as various buffet point-redemption discounts. "We also try to reward new members within 30 days," says Zuhse. "Once you join, we foster you for the first two months to see how you will be as a player, and by that time, you will be part of our normal reward program." A Holiday Wish Granted According to Zuhse, there is more good news, just in time for the Holidays. Besides their regular "Christmas In the Park" display in the Mystic Falls Park (a must see for anyone who finds themselves within 50 miles of Sam’s Town), Sheppler’s will be running a tent sale throughout November. And, in early in 2004, they will be opening a permanent, full-line store on the property, just like the old Western Emporium. Thank you, for that is one part of the Sam’s Town I remember that I really miss! To read Strictly Slots in its entirety CLICK HERE to subscribe. |
