Seven Stars Insider – March Edition

Here’s the latest edition of Seven Stars Insider.  This is an easy read and an excellent resource for Harrah’s Caesars players - especially in Atlantic City this month.  Head over…

Seven Stars Insider – January Edition

Here’s the latest edition of Seven Stars Insider.  This is an easy read and an excellent resource for Harrah’s players.  Head over to Seven Stars Insider to sign up for the newsletter.  There is lots of new and useful information in this edition, so read on for all the goods.

Seven Stars Insider – January 2011

NOTE: While this newsletter was originally designed exclusively for Seven Stars members, there is useful information for anyone who has a Total Rewards® player’s card and/or plays/stays at a Caesars property.  Please feel free to pass this on to your friends.

Review-Journal Back In Gift Shops
Not sure when it happened, but the Las Vegas Review-Journal is once again for sale in the gift shops at Caesars’ properties.  The paper had been banned when then-Harrah’s officials were unhappy with some of the newspaper’s reporting, according to anonymous sources in Gaming Today.

Review-Journal Slams KGB
After its not-so-favorable review of Kerry Simon’s KGB, the Review-Journal may be back off the shelves at Harrah’s in Las Vegas.  In her December 3 review, critic Heidi Knapp Rinella wrote, “the restaurant has some problems that could threaten its future.”  Whoever wrote the headline didn’t help much either – “Culinary Confusion: Sloppy Service, Average Dishes Dash High Hopes For KGB At Harrah’s.”  Read the full review online (For her review of Harrah’s Buffet of Buffets)

Keurigs Now In Forum Tower
Add the Forum Tower to Augustus and Palace if you’re staying at Caesars Palace and need that early morning coffee fix.  I’d be curious how sales of the expensive coffee pod packs are going.  Most people I’ve heard from either don’t use the machines, bring their own pods from home or, if they’re staying in the Augustus Tower, just wait until 8 a.m. and pour themselves a free cup either at Seven Stars or Diamond Registration.

Staffing Cutbacks Continue
The four Caesars-owned casinos in Atlantic City eliminated several hosts.  (Reports ranged from up to five at each property, at least one of whom had worked at Harrah’s Resort for more than 20 years.)  In addition, several managers were let go, leaving those remaining to take on additional responsibilities at another casino, as well.  [Trump’s casinos in Atlantic City made similar cuts.]  Meanwhile, out in Las Vegas, one reader reported that breakfast service two days at Harrah’s Café was “horrendous”.  “When I asked our nice waitress about it, she said Harrah’s had expanded the number of tables she covers from four to eight last month.  This is terrible.  It took us an hour for breakfast!  Further, on a trip in October it took a slot attendant almost 30 minutes to come to my friend’s aid.  The EZ-Pay ticket stock was depleted and he couldn’t cash out.  The attendant told us that he had half the casino.  This was around 9 p.m. on a Sunday night.”

No Resort Fees at Cosmopolitan!

Cosmopolitan continues to not follow trends of other strip properties in awesome ways.  This time we see that they're not going to have resort fees and don't plan on it.…

Great Gift Wrap Up

This past weekend in Las Vegas was Caesars Great Gift Wrap Up.  I received an invite to come last year to get some goodies, but I'm on the low end…

Seven Stars Insider – December Edition

Here’s the latest edition of Seven Stars Insider.  This is an easy read and an excellent resource for Harrah’s players.  Head over to Seven Stars Insider to sign up for the newsletter.  There is lots of new and useful information in this edition (some of which I’m going to reference in future posts), so read on for all the goods.

Seven Stars Insider – December 2010

NOTE: While this newsletter was originally designed exclusively for Seven Stars members, there is useful information for anyone who has a Total Rewards® player’s card and/or plays/stays at a Caesars property.  Please feel free to pass this on to your friends.  Back issues of the Seven Stars Insider newsletter are available online at http://sites.google.com/site/sevenstarsinsider/.  You will need Adobe Acrobat to view them, but this is a free program available at www.adobe.com.

Hail, Caesars Entertainment Corp.!
In the works for a while now, Harrah’s Entertainment is now officially Caesars Entertainment Corp.  Market research showed that, not only did Caesars have better name recognition as a brand, but the Caesars name connotes a more upscale, classy product – particular important, Harrah’s found, in the international marketplace where they are behind Wynn and MGM in developing properties outside the United States and Canada.  However, if you’re looking for Caesars Entertainment’s Web site, don’t go to www.caesarsentertainment.com – it’s the site for a Bangkok brothel!

Failed IPO
Owners of Harrah’s Entertainment (now Caesars, see above) shelved plans for an initial public offering last month, because investors weren’t buying into it – literally and figuratively.  The company’s revenues have shrunk in the first nine months, and Harrah’s/Caesars lost money.  According to one news report, “Harrah’s was too expensive for a company whose fortunes are so tied to the troubled American consumer.  At times, investors may be gullible and their memories can be limited.  But they are sufficiently aware to see through stories that don’t add up.”  Ouch!

Bye Bye Harrahs

No, I'm not talking about my stay at Harrah's last week.  It's official, Harrah's is changing their corporate name to Caesars Entertainment Corp. Harrah's will continue to be one of…

Highs and Lows at Harrah’s

It's been a long week in Vegas. I've split time between the Mirage and Harrah's. I'm still at Harrah's and wanted to share some of my ups and downs. There…