not sure why you see it this way, people had similar thoughts about Mirage when Bellagio opened but since management moved to the new casino it was inevitable. If this is MGM Mirage's plan then I don't foresee a scenario where Bellagio maintains it's crown - either consumers leave and go to a new room (Echelon, Encore) regardless of what MGM does or MGM maintains the business and customers move to City Center.

It's a different situation. Bellagio will still be Bellagio. Unless they close the room or reduce the size, what are they going to do? City Center will have worse access than even the Venetian. And more than half the Bellagio customers are locals, good luck telling them they need to add another 30 minutes roundtrip to drive to City Center vs. Bellagio.

I haven't researched it, but will there be no access of Frank Sinatra? If that's the case, yikes! The thought of trying to get into City Center off the Strip makes my head hurt.

Clark, how do you think CC is going to impact business on the Strip?

?????? The renderings/map I saw had direct access to City Center from the highway, they are building an offramp for the Harmon overpass already. If anything I thought it will allow consumers to avoid the strip which will make locals more likely to play there.

I don't know about worse access, I asked where the parking lots are and the people at the showroom didnt know! One of the salesgirls said she thought its under the casino which is logical. The casino looks accessible from walking traffic on the strip but it will probably be a hike to get to the poker room since the casino is inset in the property; but I cant image that will be a concern since usually poker room traffic is not the walk-in type.

CJ - I dont recall if there was access to the facility through Frank Sinatra on the model (its not on the map), but I can see on the maps that there is easy access through Valley View.

That would certainly help. Didn't know they were doing that.

Next time you take the I15 check it out, it looks like the span is almost done minus the off ramp.

There is a garage being built on Sinatra for City Center as we speak. It was at the 5th floor or something the other day. If you're facing the property from LVB, it's off to the left side in the back.

Thats for the convention center & staff parking at City Center, each location will have its own garage. City Center is actually 4 condos, a hotel, and a convention center all in one master planned community. Echelon is being built the same way. The old method of singular resorts is being changed in Vegas with MGM and Boyd's new developments.

Here is a pic of that garage at least. Best I could come up with atm.
http://www.vegastodayandtomorrow.com...%20070901c.jpg

ive never tipped a floorperson at bellagio and ive never had problems getting a seat or any sort of unreasonable service.

im no high roller and usually play 30/60.

thing i dont like about bell is the regulars are annoying. but im pretty sure, in general, i hate all poker players and hope they are beyond miserable.

100% agree. During the WSOP it was a zoo everyday and she remembered my name (and I didn't tip her) and always dealt with 100/200 players whining and disputes with a smile.

-DeathDonkey

Back on the original topic, another example of the poker room being less than it should be is the felt on the tables being so worn. It's like they don't care that the poker room doesn't measure up to the standards of everything else on the property. Why wouldn't B management make everything about the room be first class just because it's the Bellagio? I realize they make money off the room regardless, but why have the poker room be one of the worst experiences at Bellagio?

???? The felt seems to be replaced as often as the felt on the BJ tables. Can someone confirm?

the felt on all tables have been replaced at least twice in the past year.

In rooms that use their tables the felt wears very quickly.

I may have as much time in Vegas as anyone who doesn't live there over the past 4 or so years. I started staying at Bellagio as the guy who got me started playing poker, played there.

I was always treated well as I progressed up the limits and really enjoyed the quality of the games. So I wound up playing mostly there. After the Wynn opened and the Bellagio upped it's poker rates, the Wynn became my home away from home. The rooms were bigger, brighter and nicer; and I was treated very well by all. The one big problem was the games. The 30/60 didn't run all that often and hardly ever after the WSOP. When it did it was populated with many of my 2+2 buddies that I have gotten to know over the years. While I'm always glad to spend time with them, it doesn't make for a great game.

So last weekend, I decide to head to LV and play some golf and it turns out that the Wynn is booked, but the Bellagio has rooms, so it's back there for the weekend. Yeah, those fancy new chairs didn't hold up so well, it's still a tight fit between the tables, the waitresses don't hold a candle to the Wynn girls and the customer service isn't stellar. But geez Louise, there were at least 4 juicy 30 games going at all times. At one point in time I mentioned to my friend (who is a poster here) that it was staggering to think of the EV that I gave up by staying and playing at the Wynn over the last year and a half.

Maybe the best solution for me is to stay at the Wynn, show my face in the poker room enough to stay in their good graces, then take a cab over to the Bellagio for my serious poker hours.

This is really the bottom line for me in Las Vegas. I've enjoyed playing at Wynn and occasionally have found a good 30 game. But if you play limit hold em above 15-30, Bellagio is the only place to play IMO - the action is just much better there than anywhere else in Vegas and it's not close. And I don't think the place is as bad as everyone makes out either - I've always been treated well there.

P.S. Mirage 20-40 is a fun game also with lots of action usually, but apparently only runs weekends now? At least that's how it was when I was there during the WSOP.

Jeff

Wynn hasn't even had 15/30 going the last few times I've been there. Apparently the game was built around me?

put me down on the list that wishes that the wynn could keep a 30 game going.

I did stay at mirage for a few nights last month and the 20/40 game was v v good but sometimes wasn't running. I couldn't figure out the schedule though because it wasn't going once during the weekend but there was a full table on a monday morning.

I played mostly $2-5 and occasionally $5-10nl. I probably asked for 4 table changes one day and every time they were very accomodating and took care of me right away. I didn't have a problem with them. It was just an uncomfortable place to play

- They were supposedly re-doing the chairs earlier this week, putting all new castors on so they would roll waaaaay better. I'll find out for myself this weekend.

- 2/5 and 5/10 play 10-handed, 10/20+ is played 9-handed.

- On the CityCenter front, the dirt is that there will be a brand new room, and it will have 30 tables.

- The additional 10 tables that were added a couple years ago are what make the low-limit section so tight. However that's the only real spot they have in the room for the games. Hell, the 5/10 is mainly played in the front corner. The tables close to the book are for 15/30 and 30/60 lhe and other mid-limit games. Low-limit overflow is put on the tables closer to the cashier where the daily tourneys are played.

- As for the personnel, unfortunately as with all other businesses there is a lump of coal or two, but they've done a great job in the past year getting good people as floors and shedding some of the dead weight. Personally outside of Matt I'd gut the swing low-limit podium. I hate Porn Mustache Man.

- And the felt's been replaced on several tables at least twice in the past 6 months alone. Seen them do it late-night.

While agree the damn tables are crowded because the stuff 10 instead of 9 players on small tables. They don't allow seats to be backwards....But the Bellagio middle limit tables (15-30, 30-60) are the juicest tables I have ever played. Only the Mirage offers any regular middle limit tables (10-20, and 20-40). The Venetian only offers middle limit during peak times. I am willing to trade off some of the complaints for a chance to play against tourists who don't know how to play but have money to burn

I guess I was there when it was at the end of its cycle (back in May). I'm regularly at another room that really uses their tables, the Borgata, and the felt always seems perfect. They must replace it much more often. I know it's a new room, but if the Bellagio table felt gets worn that much in six months, then Borgata must have replaced theirs several times already since the new room has been open. I've never seen it even show signs of looking and feeling old and used.

I'd probably say above 4/8 LHE...

Interesting to read these frequent Bellagio hater threads. Let me chip in with a slightly different perspective.

I've played at the B during my last ... erh .. 6 or 7 visits to Vegas. I'm a tournament player, and I've played the morning satellites, the weekly afternoon tournaments, and a few of the Bellagio Cups events.

I love that place.

There's a guy running the sats, Allen or Alan, and he's a sweetie ... remembers my name from year to year, courteous and effective in getting the sats going.

Dealers are many levels above the Borgata (or any other AC casino), I don't remember one single dealer mistake, and they don't waste time or lose focus by chatting with the players. This WSOP I experienced some pretty poor and unsavory dealers at the Venetian - not so at the B.

The tournaments have been flawlessly run to boot.

I realize I've been playing in the Fontana lounge the last couple of years, where the space is better than in the main poker room. But even in the poker room things have been nice and clean. Of course I haven't played after midnight ... that might be a different story.

Anyway, Bellagio is clearly my fav tournament spot in Vegas.