Great looking room. Everything still new as it just opened several weeks ago. TV's all around the room with any sporting event you want to see. Electronic waiting list board, automatic shufflers, player card scanners at tables, etc all equal very professional and enjoyable play.
30% of the players grinding out a living at low / no limit stakes ($500 buy in) with over half of those being off duty dealers. Then we had the other 70% as tourists in the no limit game. Do the math with those percentages. Not too tough to figure out who is who :)
They also spread low /limit games as well as a mixed game. No idea on the smaller limit game but the the mixed game had some local recognizable faces who play daily.
They also run 2 tourneys a day for around a $60 buy-in. I would normally rather go to an opera or watch grass grow than play a low limit poker tourney, but I did, and oddly I won one. They are, as most are, minefields. One re-buy within first hour with no add-on.
It was clear that they brought in some good dealers to open this room. I recognized some from other rooms from the past. In 50+ hours in 5 days, I saw no mistakes at all. Solid dealing with good interaction with all levels of players. All would immediately ask an unknown player if they had a players card.
Dom-You have made a friend. Matt-Thanks for the info. Justin-I rarely spoke with you but you have game. Rick-You are good people. Good group of dealers/people here. They would all speak to the regulars, the tourists, and keep the game flowing very well.
It appeared the cocktail waitresses were assigned strictly to the room as I saw the same crew all week. They were always seemingly there, and would be lightning fast with service. As an upper 30's married guy, it didn't bother me a bit that one was a 12 on a 10 scale. Along those lines, some of the poker room floor staff even puts her to shame. Bottom line is there is plenty to look at in between hands. I rarely drink as I play a lot of hours, but the few I had were very good. The red bull flows here-and they even put it in a glass...
A little background on me before I cover this...I started playing 7 stud several years ago, and moved onto no limit 1-3 or 2-5 hold 'em full time. I play 3 times a week in St Louis or New Albany, and I've played twice a year (week at at time) for several years in Vegas. This is the BEST staff I have ever seen. Some I remembered from the Mirage where I had logged most of my Vegas time. From the first day, my last name could have been Harrington or Reese the way I was treated. Yes I 'lived' in the room for a week, and made some friends who work there, but I saw the exact same treatment by staff to the railbirds who would come in and play 2/4 or 3/6 limit for their first time in a card room. They have the ultimate understanding here that there is way too much competition to not treat the people well. I would challenge the Bellagio poker staff to come visit the TI poker staff and bring a notebook. Troy-you have a great future is all I'm going to say. Robert, Danette, Al, Michelle, and others were first class as well. This is how a room should be run.
$1 an hour on your players card which is swiped at your table. I saw sandwiches out on occasion, and people were running over to get them.