The Stratosphere

I spent month-long vacations in the stratosphere, and you know it's really hard to hold your breath -- Bruce Springsteen - Growin' Up

I wish I could spend month-long vacations in the Stratosphere. It's one of my favorite casinos. Why? Here are my top 10 reasons why the Strat is a great place:

10. Parking. Unlike many casinos, it's not a maze of confusing twists and turns. It's simple: drive up to the 5th floor, turn right, park near the elevator. Take the elevator to the 3rd floor to get to the casino. Which leads to #9...

9. Easy casino navigation. On more than one occasion, I've gotten lost in the bigger casinos like Caesars and the Venetian. The Strat is simple. Once you park and get to the 3rd floor (see #10 above), you take the escalator down to the casino, and it's all laid out for you. Even without a cell phone, you can find friends at the tables or machines.

8. It's like an old friend. It's familiar, it's funky, and it's fun. And unlike the Sahara, you don't have to smoke when you go inside. Of course, like most casinos, it helps if you do.

7. Cocktail waitresses. They aren't the most glamorous. They don't wear the skimpiest outfits. But they are friendly and they keep the free drinks coming, especially if you tip and are friendly to them.

6. Bathrooms. Generally clean, but more importantly, very accessible. There are two in the casino that are very easy to get to in an emergency (important considering free drinks as noted in #7 above)

5. The pit bosses. Generally good-natured and willing to comp you a little more if you play there a lot. Their type can be difficult, mean, and dismissive if they want to be. At the Strat, I've encountered some pretty decent pit bosses.

4. The craps box men. At the craps tables, there are no harsher box men in any casino. They are constantly on those craps dealers. I would hate to be them, but it makes them better. Dealing craps can't be easy. There's a lot of money on the table, and I honestly don't know how they keep track of it because everyone puts different bets down for different amounts. The box men at the Strat know their stuff and are very strict about how the game is run. That's good news for players.

3. The rules. All multi-deck games are 3-2 blackjack (are you listening, Harrah's? That's why I don't play in your casinos any more!). The other rules are good (resplit aces once) and there are plenty of $5 blackjack tables, even on weekends.

2.There is also always a $5 craps table available, too.

1. The dealers. At the tables, most dealers are fun, friendly and remember you. While this is true at many casinos, it's particularly true at the Strat. When I was there last week, one dealer (Gina) was all smiles and said she remembered me from "last time" which was months ago! She appreciates being a good dealer. She related to me that she understands how lucky she is to have a job during this economic downturn.

She said that it used to be different. When dealers got laid off or fired, they would just go to another casino. Not any more. Competition is tough, and it has really made the dealers appreciate their customers more. She gets it, and I appreciate that. Plus, she's a great blackjack dealer - very professional and yet very friendly. Kudos, Gina - I'll see you next time I spend my vacation in the Stratosphere.

That's my list. Obviously, I really like this place. It's undergone some changes, but Bob Stupak had a dream, and it was a good one. Viva la Strat.

Mike

Vegas 2009: A Look Back

Hi Vegas fans,

Well, it's getting closer to New Year's. And I wanted to take a moment and reflect on the past year and look ahead a little bit. It was a difficult time for Vegas in many ways, but in true Vegas fashion, the city endures. Here are some of the stories I wrote about this year:

• Folies Bergere closed in March after 50 years at the Trop. I saw it about 7 years ago and enjoyed it very much. It was a Vegas classic.
• Danny Gans, only 52 years old, died suddenly on May 1st. He was a talented impressionist and a Vegas headliner at the Mirage for years. He will be missed.
• The Hangover was released in June. I enjoyed it thoroughly. I mean, I could see myself in these guys. I hope one of my close buddies decides to get married soon so I can throw a bachelor party in Vegas. The movie is now out on DVD and Blue-ray.
• Lance Burton re-ups at Monte Carlo. This is one of those cases where you can't believe everything you read. Rumors floated for a while that once Lance's contract came to an end, contract negotiations would not work out and Lance would not return. Not true. Not only is Lance back, but his contract is for 6 years, and all parties seem happy with the deal.
• Mike Tyson marries at La Bella. Maybe he was reacting to the high coming off his part in The Hangover.
• Bob Stupak died at the age of 67 after a long illness. Bob epitomized the Vegas entrepreneurial spirit. I think of him every time I go to the Strat, which is a lot.
• Charo fell and put her show on hiatus. Just one of the many show closings for the struggling Riv this year, which is having financial trouble but still afloat. What will 2010 hold for it? I hope it hangs on.
• Wayne Newton is back! His Once Before I Go tour is at the Trop. See him now before he retires.
• Simplifying Las Vegas 2010 available on PDF and Kindle. And I got on the social media bandwagon with Facebook and Twitter. Who knew. And the website got a facelift, too. Hard work, good fun. Thanks for coming along with me!
  
• CityCenter opened in December, and wow is it big and upscale! You've got a lot of stuff going on in one space: Vdara, Aria, Harmon, Mandarin Oriental, and Crystals retail center. And you thought the economy was bad. And speaking of...

I also reported on the economy and its impact on Las Vegas, of course. And while the pundits predict, the oft-quoted Mark Twain bit rings in my head: "the reports of my death are greatly exaggerated." Indeed. Vegas is alive. It may not be well, but I think that's temporary, and it's certainly showing signs of rebounding.

Looking ahead to 2010

People work hard. Too hard. They need a break from reality. Vegas accomodates. It's really that simple. Casino execs look at all kinds of numbers (comp values, player averages, etc.) and focus on target markets (whales, promotions to high rollers, and so on) because they have to, but I think sometimes they miss the bigger picture.

People like to have fun on vacation. They like to be treated like royalty whether they are playing nickle slots or $1000/hand blackjack. Everyone likes to win, but most of us going to Vegas know that it's risky business. So, we take what we can afford to lose, and we want to be entertained while we're there. Vegas does a very good job of this overall, which is why I continue to return.

But sometimes the chain properties get very big for their britches, and when they expand, they try to squeeze every dime. 6:5 blackjack is a good example. Think about how many empty pits you have. Would you rather make a little bit of money from many 3:2 full tables, or a moderate amount from half-empty 6:5 tables. I'm just sayin'.

So, casino execs, I hope you take this into consideration in 2010. Make sure your dealers are fun and entertaining, cocktail waitresses are bringing drinks a-plenty, the casino is clean and has at least some games where the odds aren't terrible (i.e 3:2 blackjack), hotel rooms have fluffy towels, the buffet is freshened often, and the check-in line doesn't stretch to Henderson. That's pretty much it. The rest is details.

It's part of my philosophy: simplify, simplify, simplify. Well, that and diet & exercise.

Here's to a prosperous 2010 for all you Vegas nuts (like me) out there. Thank you so much for a wonderful year.

Viva,
Mike

Bob Stupak dies

Bob Stupak, who built Vegas Word and the Stratosphere, died of leukemia today. He was 67 years old and had been sick for a long time.

Bob was a bold and charasmatic figure in Vegas for years. He won $1 million on the Bengals at +7 in Super Bowl XIII and collected his winnings from (the now defunct) Little Caesars in a brown box and a fast food bag.

He had an active life, especially in the 1990s. In 1995, he broke every bone in his face when he crashed his motorcycle. In 1996, he opened the Strat (one of my favorite places to gamble). In 1998, he sold it to Carl Icahn. He gave to charity and was a Vegas icon.

Read more about this story; read more about Bob Stupak.