First, I want to emphasize – again – that the new Stations players club IS an upgrade in many ways, particularly the fact that their cashback/free play/or comps option adds .3%. No local competitor pays more. (Be careful – I see some reports that state wrongly that the Station option pays .33% – an easy math mistake to make because of the unusual way they award points. (See my earlier blog entry discussing the percentages.)
Some people are still complaining about the reduction in comps, but I believe the Stations management is aware of this. They already have offered a multiple-point day and I expect them (or at least hope) to have more of these in the future.
One of the most frequent questions I get is about old points. Supposedly old points have been automatically increased 40% so they have the same value in the new system as they had in the old one. However, this didn’t always happen, it seems, so if you think your points did not get this boost, you need to talk to someone at a players club desk, preferably a supervisor. And you may need to talk to more than one person. The changeover is so complex that even some employees don’t always give the “right answers.”
However, do remember that the club changed once before, on Feb. 14, 2008, from a comps-only-for-points to a free-play option. This is causing a lot of confusion. Those old points earned before that date will get the 40% boost, but they still can only be redeemed for comps, not free play or cashback. Points earned after that date should get the same 40% boost and can be redeemed for free play or cashback There may be confusion here if you have both kinds of old points.
Someone asked about the expiration date on the new players club cards. I talked to one employee who said that also is a very confusing situation. One sure thing is that your points don’t expire until 13 months have passed with no activity. That’s in the official rules (with a note that they may change this criteria at their discretion.) It may be to prevent people from keeping higher tier cards when they have dropped to a lower tier, but is anyone (cashiers for the higher-tier buffet lines?) going to look at that expiration date? Time will tell.
Speaking of tiers, there is also confusion in this area. I was told that there are two tier qualification periods: January through June and July through December. And once you earn your tier amount, you immediately go to that tier and stay there for the rest of that period PLUS the next period. For example, you make a tier anytime between July 1 and December 31. You remain at that tier through June of the next year. And there is a rollover feature. If you earn more status credits in one period than you need for a tier level – but not enough to get to the next tier – those extra credits will “roll over” and give you a head start the next qualification period. The same points, however, will roll over only once.
Hopefully I have addressed the issues you all brought up in the Comments. If you have other questions, I guess the best advice I have now is to ask at the players club desk!
Sorry, Jean, but I take exception to your statement, “No local competitor pays more.” At Boyd’s Suncoast, which is not too far from Red Rock, their Emerald card pays 3x points every day and seniors get 7x point for video poker and 9x points on slots every Tuesday and Thursday. Plus, they give great monthly comps: free dinners, slot play, show tickets. Stations doesn’t even come close.
Yes, I do have a grudge against Stations. I used to go there quite frequently. Until their bankruptcy proceedings, when I noticed their machines turned noticeably cold. They stopped giving away decent comps, too. So, I switched casinos. Now that the proceedings are over, they want us locals back. A recent article in The Sun stated that they reinstated looser video poker payoffs, with the implication being that they DID tighten up their machines. (As a side note, I never noticed a change in the posted paytables. Is that legal???) Sorry, but I’ll continue to frequent places like Suncoast where my play is appreciated.
Stations may love us locals, but they treat us like crap.
New point earned after 2008 DID NOT receive ANY boost.
We just lost point equity!
Jean, I would hope that Harrah’s will see the light re the rollover of points. I am “high end” Diamond, usually earning around 30,000 points or so – roughly 20,000 points more than it takes to become Diamond. So it would be nice, and perhaps an incentive, to strive for Seven Star – IF the points were rolled over. Seems Harrah’s is making a mistake by not doing so.
Another comment on Harrah’s (Caesar’s), if you will excuse me. Harrah’s is probably making a big mistake by either (a) not reducing the amount of play needed for 7 Stars; or (b) not increasing the amount of play needed for Diamond; or (c) they need another tier in between. There’ just too huge a gap between Diamond and 7 Star.