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I have felt unsafe in the parking garage before. But I generally just try to avoid it.


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Well, it's not really relevant how you feel or even if you haven't seen something that's uncomfortable. The fact remains that the area is dangerous, in both the immediate and surrounding vicinity.

While it's not in a war zone or in the worst area of the city, it's in one of the worse areas of arguably the most dangerous city in the US. If that's not dangerous, I don't know what is. But to each their own.

The long-standing consensus is that the room is neither professional nor of a high standard. I'm not sure why that's acceptable to the room director or to the casino. I'm guessing that the pay for dealers is much lower after tips than other establishments and that Baltimore's revenue demands are more onerous, which makes it hard to attract a competent workforce.

Didn't they remove the cage because the place is empty? Most people have already come to negative conclusions and have chosen to go elsewhere, and until the room takes an honest, factual look at itself the room will likely get worse, WSOP stop or not.

OK, so I just need to chime in - while not my primary spot, I have no trouble going to this casino for some fun, usually after another event in the city has brought this suburbanite in.

I think the claim about the "area" is not usually relevant for most visitors - you park in the garage, and never set foot "in the area". There have been garage robberies reported there, but the same can be said for MDL in the suburbs. (I'd be happy to view actual, hard data comparing the two, but anecdotally they seem similar.)

The only times you do walk in the area is if you're coming from a sporting event - and at those times there is nearly NO crime, due to people & police presence.

I have lived in & around BMore all my life, and I am very disappointed that the problems the city obviously has are persisting. But I don't think we should allow opinion-based fears to fan a potentially worse picture than really exists for most people. There are positive experiences out there, and I'm just trying to reflect that set.

I suspect if you are of the opinion that visiting HSB is dangerous, you will feel the same about any city-based event location. You are not alone in that feeling, I wish it could be different for you.

(But, BTW, the cage situation does totally blow...)

If that's the case, then your opinions aren't relevant either. Got any facts to back up your position?

They are relevant to the economy of their poker room if I or anyone else is unwilling to go.

If you feel comfortable driving around the surrounding areas to stop for gas, get food, change a flat tire, or whatever, then you are braver than me. I guess we just have to agree to disagree.

I don't think that the casino exists in a vacuum where you park, get out and drive away. I don't have any local crime statistics so it actually may be safer than Maryland Live, but I suspect that within a 1 mile radius the crime rate is pretty high. If I'm wrong, so be it.

Many others have already come to the conclusion that the room is bad due to bad dealers, bad floor people, bad food service, bad promos, etc... and go elsewhere. I'm the customer and if I perceive that other rooms have better service then I go there.

Would you be willing to say that the area is "as safe" and that the room has "as good as service" as MD Live or National Harbor?

I agree to disagree whether the area surrounding the casino is relevant to whether someone would visit the casino.

And yes, I would be willing to say that Horseshoe Baltimore is as safe as Maryland Live or MGM National Harbor.

While you are correct, I am with Rapini - I've never felt unsafe in the garage area. What have you seen that made you feel unsafe?

Consensus among whom? Do you have a list of all the players who've been at the room and how they feel?

The room has its problems but I've never felt it was the room that was unprofessional. I think the cage being closed is awful though but that's hardly the room's fault.

The room has actually been very steady this month. When were you last there?

MD Live & MGM have issues finding open tables & will soon Expand from what I’ve heard. HSB took tables out for offices for table game supervisors & floor people. I was just there 3 weeks ago. They were behind the 8 ball to begin with in that Love beat them to the game & then MGM opened. The Fights & Robbery’s in the beginning kept people away & that hurt Promo $$$ . HSB is in the worst neighborhood of all 3 & that does keep people away. On top of all of this when WSOP circuit is in town the tournament was ran terribly. This event should help Promote the casino & he’ll fill the room during & after the fact.


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Horseshoe shows 7 tables running and MD Live shows 24, with longer waiting lists even though the Horseshoe Baltimore is located in the largest city in the state.

People are choosing to go to MD Live rather than the Horseshoe.

I heard something about a floor manager who was causing all sorts of problems.

Within a mile there seem to be about 50 murders per year of the casino as best I could tell from the crime maps, but again, I know that we disagree whether that makes the area less safe.

Fixed your post.

Many thanks!

You don't think being in a high crime area increases the risk of crime? I mean what if a car breaks down, you get a flat, you need gas, need to make an emergency bathroom stop? These are risks that people should consider when carrying around thousands of dollars.

In any case, the poker room can't control these issues. Hopefully we can agree on these three points.

1. Attendance is low relative to MD Live
2. The service is bad
3. The comps have been poor

Let's pretend for a moment that HB is in a "higher crime area"--however you choose to define that--than MDL or MGMNH. Even if that were the case, I do not think that being in a "higher crime area" increases my risk of crime when I am on the casino property.

1. Of course. And that's exactly what I'd expect given that HB pulls from Baltimore and MDL pulls from both the Baltimore and DC areas.
2. The last time I was at HB was about three months ago. The service, i.e., the dealers and floors, was fine.
3. If I recall correctly, the hourly comps you get from MDL and MGMNH both are higher. The tradeoff is at MGMNH you can use your comps only at MGMNH for food and at MDL you can use them only at MDL. HB's comps are useful all over the country at CET properties.

While I don't play regularly at either, I have played at all 3 and do so every other month or so. I have walked from to and from Fed Hill-HSB numerous times, after midnight, without issue. Is it the smartest move? No. Did I feel I was in danger? No. I have never felt unsafe at HSB or seen anything out of then ordinary on property.

Each room has trade offs, pros and cons. MGMNH is nicer, with more games, better NL HE action, and better food than Live. Live typically offers more for repeat customers(players card perks), shorter wait times, a more comfortable room, and has better Hi-5 games than MGMNH. HSB has as good or better lower limit action, 0 waits, the 5-5-25 hi-5 game(if that still runs) May be the best in the country, great 2/5 when it goes, and it's close(in)to the city.

Apologies on the mistakes, my kindle hates typing.

Oh, and for what it's worth, I think Live is probably the dingiest of the 3. I'm more comfortable in the room, but to me it's a dump. I still go there, but it's still a dump.

There was a shooting in the parking garage. I don’t think that’s happened at the other two.


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While i am not at all defending the safeness of baltimore, i do believe there was a police chase that ended when the perp parked and ran into MD live

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To me, there is a difference. Ymmv.


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At the end of the day, players who can easily choose between both, as I can, choose MD Live.

You make good points and are obviously very intelligent, and you make it hard to create airtight arguments, but at the end of the day the experience is just lackluster for myself and others I've spoken with who have made the same decision.

I sure that if you lived equidistant to both you'd scrutinize the service a bit more.

In this case, consumers vote with their wallets however much excuses and/or counterpoints are brought up just as one could do with a failing restaurant or any business for that matter.

I think that the place is horrible and won't go unless the poker room manager can articulate some compelling arguments that acknowledge the teeming problems with the place.

What sort of "arguments" would you like to see from the poker room manager that would acknowledge problems with the place that would get him your business?

My guess is that you won't be giving HB another shot and you just wanted to throw shade at HB for funsies. You proved that to me when you lied in your initial post to make HB seem worse than it is. I don't think that's fair to HB or to the community.

I say the above in the interests of truth and fairness to Victor and HB, not because I love HB. The only time I go there is when I'm in Baltimore for something else or there's a tournament there I really want to play.

The fact that he made his account seemingly just to post in this thread and trash HS also shows how how reliable his input is

True
No worse than Live. Live still has food runners, the Shoe doesn't, agreed, but otoh the food at the Shoe is way better than at Live unless you go out to the mall yourself or somewhere like Cheescake Fact which takes 2:1 comps
Pretty sure that both casinos are $1/hr aren't they?

I've emailed Victor about a couple of issues and found him very responsive.

I live 10 miles from Live and 12 from HB. I play low stakes cash and tournaments and frequent both places depending upon comps, promotions, types of tournaments and how I am running at either place. No issues with dealers or servers at either place although they both could both use a few more of the latter. One thing I don't like is that Horseshoe will "guarentee" a low stakes tournament, but when they don't get enough players to meet the guarantee, run the tournament without it. Is it just me, or is this something like a bait and switch? I have seen many other casinos take the hit for much greater sums.