Visitreno

[Mammothgambler]

Hi everyone!

Well, I was hoping this would go away with the new year, but so far, no luck.

From a few days before Thanksgiving up until now, I've been stopped by security a total of seven times between the SL and the Eldorado and have been asked to show an ID. No biggie usually, but after a couple of times, it gets old!

Here's the story: The guard that stopped me the first time asked me a ton of questions regarding any knowledge of past trespassing charges at any of their properties, to which my answer was no. I explained that we recently moved here and I have been loyal casino patron in good standing on the corridor for many years. He radioed my info into his walkie talkie and got the all clear within seconds. I usually don't have issues with authority, but off the bat, I noticed that this guy's English is so bad, he might not even understand what's being said to him.

The few other stoppages have occurred with different guards not asking the trespassing questions. It was super annoying on one evening, where I was finally stopped inside the Brew Brothers at Eldo. My friend mentioned he noticed the guard trailing us from the front door, through the casino, and up the escalator. Weird!

Anyhow, back to the guard with not-so-good English: I've been stopped by him 4 of the 7 times! You'd think he'd remember who he stopped, but apparently not. Each time, he always tells the trespassing story. On the last conversation, I asked him if he remembered speaking to me the other three times, and he said yes, but was making sure that I wasn't the guy. I also mentioned that my casino experience at these properties is starting to get ruined as a result of all this, and it would be a completely different story if I was the guy, at which time he just snickered!

He practically walked away when I asked him if there was anyone in management I could speak to, and a detailed phone message with the security manager still goes unanswered.

Any thoughts on what to do here? I'm not the guy and I'm tired of getting messed with! Since our arrival here, Tessa and I have met many kind people and staff members, it's just this weird situation in the Carano Complex! Wondering if I should limit my business to just Harrah's downtown, or maybe start playing more at the Cal Neva. After all, Harrah's has been our dee-luxe apartment in the sky practically since we got here! I let these clowns know that I'm a tax paying, law abiding citizen and that I was sure there were staff members at other casinos and businesses downtown that could vouch for me.

Damnit, I'M NOT THE GUY!

Mammothgambler

[spdmrcht]

If you have a casino host, start with that person, they are the one's
that have the most to gain by your play, Talking to the badge hanger
is a waste of time. If you don't have a host go to the VIP office on
the main floor under the escalator to the check in. You must look
like some one they have had problems with in the past. From my
visits this is out of the norm for sure.

[BC Dave]

Hey Mammoth, I think your call to the security manager is a good start. And Spdmrcht's advise is spot on too. How about putting your complaints in writing and mentioning that your frustrations are beginning to appear on the internet. (Like here). Tripadvisor might also be a good card to play.

[JD]

That happened to me only ONCE... at the Cal Neva while having the then, 99cent breakfast. Two big guys came up behind me in what I can only describe as intimidating manner.

"Can we see your ID, sir?"

"Sure, but what's this about?"

"We have reason to believe you or person looking LIKE you has been banned from the premises"

"No problem. Here is my Oregon ID, My Cal Neva players club card, my Harrah's card, my Eldo card and Cindy Springer the Night Shift Manager HERE at the Cal Neva knows me from when she was GM at the Comstock. Here's my SL card, my ...... Would you like to see some W-2 Gs from here....I've got them stuffed in my wallet here somewhere...."

(Two big guys say, "That's not necessary, sir. Sorry, enjoy your breakfast.." while they hung their heads in shame. One elbows the other HARD.)

ME: I'll be in town for another week.... you might make a note of it.

[BC Dave]

Back in the late eighties or early nineties I would sometimes spend up to ten days at a stretch in Reno. I'd get the Cal Neva coupons for Canadians each morning which were good for a free breakfast, 2 for 1 dinner and a couple of drinks.

I presented one of these to a bartender one evening, on about day eight or nine, and he questioned me as to whether I was a local or not. I guess I was becoming an all too familiar fixture around there. I showed him my BC driver's license and he was happy with that.

[spdmrcht]

I had a the same thing happen to me on my last trip. I've been going
to Cal neva, for years. I play keno and they give me a couple drink
tickets with every 21 game I play. So I always have a few in my
pocket, and they date them with a rubber stamp. I've never had
one refused no matter what the date was, Until my last trip, I'went up
stairs to the bar on the over crossing and I gave the bartender
a 1$ and a ticket from my last trip. This bartender wouldn't take it.
said it was out of date. That's the first time that has ever happened?
I had never seen him before, a younger guy with a skinhead.

[BC Dave]

I've had a few of those "dated"paper drink tickets in my time. I've actually never tried to use one that was past it's date - Guess they just didn't linger in my pocket long enough. I still have one of the old classic plastic tokens and there's lots for sale on Ebay. If they're still honored this might be a good deal http://www.ebay.com/itm/20-CAL-NEVA-CASINO-DRINK-TOKENS-WITH-INDIAN-TRADE-MARK-/150750567946

[Mammothgambler]

OK, so here we are in almost May, five months into the new year, and unfortunately, the madness continues with this idiotic security guard at the Silver Legacy! What is it with this place?

I pretty much stopped playing at the SL in late February/Early March after I hit that last Blazing 7s jackpot, because I'm over getting stopped and carded all the time. Oh, but I have been still popping at random to utilize the weekly free play and food credit (although I also can't get over the repeated bad service and high prices at Flavors Buffet...jeez, how many people does it take to get a beverage, or even get seated, with billions of employees just standing around all the time?) The worst thing, though, is they just got rid of the Mansion promotion. I'm bummed...no more slot bungees. No more bottle openers, badge holders, pens, and hand sanitizer. Speaking of which, if anyone needs any of these items, message me - they are occupying a big area in my storage unit! And no more free play! The new promotion they have has brand new touch screens and appears to be a series of earning games that are a mystery at the moment (ie, nothing comes for free without having to play and earn credits).

Anyhow, I had to have a root canal earlier in the week and was coming out of Walgreens to fill my prescriptions when I decided to stop in and utilize my free play. Guess what? I got stopped again. By that same idiot...

Since my phone call/message to the security manager in January went unanswered, and this idiot apparently still isn't letting up, I just wanted to share the email I sent on Saturday to the complaint line, including a courtesy copy to everyone with the name "Carano" in it!

Again, how come this is the only casino in the world this is happening at??? Friends, please help spread the word: I'M NOT THE TRESPASSER!

Mammothgambler

-------------

Hi, I'm writing in with yet another complaint regarding unnecessary harassment/incompetence by your security staff.

I have been a visitor to your property for the past decade, and used to have many great visits with no issues whatsoever. However, I became a local to Reno in August 2012, and from November 2012-present, it's been nothing but problems at your property, simply due to the incompetence of one of your security guards.

Point blank, here is the situation: I apparently highly resemble someone who has been banned from your property for trespassing. I know that this can be a very serious issue within the casino industry, but the fact of the matter is that I am not this person. I am a tax-paying, law-abiding, professional citizen with no criminal record and no violations or trespassing charges anywhere in the world.

From November 2012 - present, I have been repeatedly stopped and asked for identification by your security staff, with an explanation along the way that I highly resemble someone who has been banned from your property for trespassing. Repeated identification checks have proven that I am not a trespasser, yet I am still getting stopped by this same security guard - he's Asian, has very bad English, and an extremely unprofessional attitude.

After several incidents with this same security guard, I finally asked him if he'd had any recollection of stopping me in the past, and got a reply something on the order of, "Yes, but I'm just making sure." I also explained that his actions were ruining my casino experience, that I felt like I was being harassed for no apparent reason, and that I was seriously thinking of taking my business elsewhere - to which he simply laughed!

What's worse is that I left a detailed telephone message regarding these incidents with the office of David Bennett, head of security, back in January, and I have yet to receive a response. It was a few weeks later when I decided to completely stop all gaming activity at your property, utilizing only my free play and resort/food credit offers moving forward. I was an almost daily player of your Mansion promotion, but that appears to be gone now as well, so I haven't been in nearly as much.

Last evening (Friday, April 26), I decided to stop in to check my account balance and utilize my $5 weekly free play offer, and lo and behold: immediately upon exiting the restroom on the left hand side of the property, I was approached by yet another security guard dressed in street clothes, and it was the same scenario: "Sir, we need to see your identification, as you appear to highly resemble someone who's been banned from our property for trespassing." I look over my shoulder to see who's checking my ID, and guess who it is? THAT SAME ASIAN SECURITY GUARD!

Just wanted to give a heads up that this individual has completely ruined my once pleasant experience at your property, and if anything, should be focusing on the real "troublemakers" at your property instead of harassing us tax-paying, law-abiding, hard-working, professional citizens who add revenue to your property on a daily basis - although that's a thing of the past now in my particular situation, due to this individual's actions. If he can't even remember who he's been repeatedly stopping, maybe he doesn't need to be in his current line of work. Further, I'm appalled at your supposed management staff in this department for not doing appropriate follow-ups - it's the furthest thing in the world from being professional, and it gives your company no credibility whatsoever. I've a member of literally every casino in Reno and Sparks, and have never endured such treatment.

Some other incidents regarding your security staff over recent months have included being stopped and harassed for having an open container of alcohol, when it was really Diet Rockstar Energy Drink (with no alcohol added-the can even says so!), and having to deal with some newbie on board who took a whole whopping ten minutes shuffling through the pages of my passport book before he finally found the photo identification page. Again - completely unprofessional!

I've also been a Gold Plus player at the Eldorado for quite some time, but I'm seriously thinking about not doing business there anymore either as a result of this, which is really unfortunate, as I love it - but last evening was the last straw, as far as I'm concerned. Regarding "the trespasser" - I hope you all find him, for both my sake and yours. I'm only wondering now how many other innocent souls are getting harassed in a similar fashion due to this individual's incompetence? Oh well, your property is on both TripAdvisor and Yelp now, with the complete story and one-star rating.

Thank you for your time.

[JD]

Mr. Carano, since your head of security department has never responded to the attached letters, I'd like to request a personalized letter from YOU that I might show to the ASIAN security guard that repeatedly continues to confuse me with some banned person.

I'd be more than happy to meet with you in person if your schedule permits so that I might present for YOUR inspection, all of my ID mentioned above.

Your intervention would not be necessary if only your Director of Security would respond.

It seems such a waste for you to spend so much money on promotions to get people IN to your casino, only to spend yet more to chase them away... in ERROR. Unless of course, you really don't WANT me in your casino.

[stan_allen]

I've nothing to add; you're spot on. This type of behavior by casino security is totally uncool, and discourages those of us who play by the rules from entering such establishments.

Get it together! You guys can't afford to alienate the few fans you have left!

[mycran]

My thought would be, if there is a next time,to politely demand to see his ID.Then write down his full name and ID number on a small notepad,smile, snicker,and say will see how this goes. I hope you get a reasonable response to your email.

[Mammothgambler]

Thank you for your suggestions, everyone. It turns out I got a call yesterday and am waiting to hear back. Just a quick heads up - I used the mainstream questions/comments/concerns area on the SL's main page when I sent that email (of course adding a few names to it!), and it appears to go straight to the marketing department. That means not only marketing people, but the casino hosts as well - those who I'm sure wouldn't want to lose a patron's business, as spdmrcht previously suggested. So, we'll see. Not looking for a handout or anything, just would like to be able to go in there without gettin' messed with! So, marketing department lines seem to be the key in situations like this. It was the same scenario at the GSR.

Yesterday was the funniest - I literally ran in the left hand entrance, won $3 on one of the 90 credit penny Double Diamonds with my $5 weekly free play, and was out the door within seconds. Aah, my first trouble-free trip there at the SL in months!

Mammothgambler