Bait and Switch at The Bank - Las Vegas Nightclubs - Message Board, Forum & Trip Reports

Bait and Switch at The Bank

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  • Bait and Switch at The Bank

    Well - I had posted on here awhile back about the absurd deal offered to my group for this past Saturday night at the Bank in Bellagio. Unfortunately, as many times as I've been before I likely won't return solely based on the way the situation was handled.

    To make a very long story short, I came in town this past weekend with 10 guys total and had been working for weeks to set up different clubs and table options for the group. Ultimately, the amount of money spent wasn't as much of an issue as the venue and amount of alcohol provided (saying this group drinks a lot is a heavy understatement). Without really even looking for a deal, a host at the Bank (still debating whether to throw his ass under the bus and name) mentioned he could get a buy 3 get 1 with 1.75L bottles for $545 at a friend rate.

    I have done table service many times in Las Vegas and at all the big clubs. If somebody offers you 4.5L of Goose for $1635, you take it without question. Needless to say, this was weeks ago and while I was skeptical:

    1) I confirmed with the host an obnoxious number of times
    2) I have used the guy before on smaller couples type trips

    While talking to another promoter at Haze about Sunday night, we chat about my Saturday and he tells me that they are screwing me and not to believe him, that I should look elsewhere. I call my guy at Bank one last time Thursday night (day before we leave for Vegas) and ask him to confirm with the venue one last time. Sure enough, those 1.75L bottles magically turned into 1L. My thought at the time was to say piss it and stick with my other preference at Tryst but the Bachelor said he just wanted to keep the same venue because he loved Bank (guy had only been on Sundays before). We planned on sticking with the b3g1 for the goose, a case or so of beers and a plethora of shots plus the celebratory champagne.

    We stayed with the b3g1 plan, arrived Saturday night at 10:27, handshook with the host (who only put us in a table line then walked away), and waited for about 25 minutes. Once we got to the front, "Name and how many" - gave the guy my info. Walked over to his manager and comes back to tell me: "We don't have a table for you, please step out of the line."

    Excuse me? I've been standing here for half an hour, I can SEE my name on that damn clipboard and you don't even offer the courtesy of talking with me about it? After I finally pull the guy aside for 2 seconds (and texting my host to get the f* over and help us), he tells me its going to be a b6g1 if we want to get in. Six bottles? At a club that isn't even featuring a DJ? I know its Memorial and all but I got quoted inside tables at Tier 1 clubs for less than that. Give me a break.

    Our host finally arrives and says he is BBM'ing with Johnny the GM to resolve the issue when one of my friends, who is literally just standing there starts getting manhandled by the line bouncer as clipboard bro tells him to kick us out. I'll be patient for certain things but at this point I said screw it, told the host this was extremely inexcusable and walked out of the line.


    The ONE plus of the night? He did pull me aside after and give me my handshake back. All in all, something I would expect but calmed me a little in either case. I furiously texted/called every other host the group showed interest in but at that point, half the group was so angry at being pulled across a rope they would have rather sat in Revolution Lounge than deal with another wait and apparent bait & switch maneuver.

    I really don't want to bash an entire club because of one experience but I've never been treated like that, especially at a club that was manufacturing a line to look busy in the first place. If you were in town this weekend, you'd believe the lines I saw at places like Tao/Marquee/XS were the biggest I have ever seen in 20+ trips. Thank god the group I had knows how to make the best of a situation and we ended up having a ridiculous night.


    Bye bye Bank - it was nice knowing you.

  • #2
    Wow! Sorry to hear about your ridiculously unprofessional experience getting service at Bank. Was this a direct host for the Bank?

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    • #3
      Please post the name of the host. He certainly deserves props for returning your handshake tip, but the folks on this board need to know to avoid him/her.

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      • #4
        Whoever your host is, I say throw him and his name under the bus. the JC forum seems to love giving their business to those who are honest, so this guy shouldnt get any of the JC business. That sucks how brutal they were to you guys. Definitly makes me never want to go to the Bank.
        Bottoms UP tops DOWN

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        • #5
          That is some bullshit. I would have been pissed. You should post their name.

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          • #6
            It's stories like this that make me avoid The Bank at all costs...

            There's too many top caliber clubs in Vegas that do it right, every night... and I know hindsight is always 20/20, but when you hear about service like this (and this unfortunately is not an isolated case) it makes me cringe.

            Sorry you had such a bad experience, but in the sentiment of other replies, I thank you for telling your story.

            And by all means, let us know who it was.
            "Bringing a girl to Vegas is like bringing a warm beer to a bar that serves FREE COLD BEERS... and everyone sitting there just spilling Cold Beer all over the place and you have to pretend you just loooove your warm beer." - Andy Haynes

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            • #7
              I would've been screaming bloody murder, considering how outrageous the lines were this past weekend. I agree with all the other posters, you should post the hosts name.
              Past Trips
              2010-April 30-May 3 (Mayweather-Mosley Weekend)
              2011-May 25-June 1 (Memorial Day Weekend)
              2012-May 4-May 9 (Mayweather-Cotto Weekend)

              Twitter

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              • #8
                If something sounds too good to be true, it probably is
                Wolfpack is ready 7/21-7/25

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                • #9
                  Happened to me before at the bank. "deal" changed at the clipboard...NOT COOL. Will not retrun

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                  • #10
                    Sorry to hear that. Avoid The Bank!
                    Get in where you fit in

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                    • #11
                      I'm not a fan of the Bank. Last time we stayed there for an hour at most whilst trying to organise an alternative venue.

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                      • #12
                        Originally posted by royale View Post
                        Wow! Sorry to hear about your ridiculously unprofessional experience getting service at Bank. Was this a direct host for the Bank?
                        Host name: Nick Baker.

                        Yes he worked for Bank directly, which honestly is why I was so concerned when speaking to the host at Haze (same ownership company).

                        The part that hurt my heart and stomach the most? Got in touch with Patrick Frank again after the fact Saturday night only to learn that our original plan for 4-5 bottles and a handshake would have gotten us a dance floor table had we arrived early enough. All tables were filled up after things hit the fan at Bank.

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                        • #13
                          Dunno who Nick Baker. google search of Nick Baker... couldn't find much except these deleted but google search cached craigslist entries

                          FREE GUEST LIST-BILLBOARD PARTY & Girls Open Bar @ THE BANK NIGHTCLUB
                          May 21, 2011 ... My name's Nick. I run the Guest List and am a Jr. Host for THE BANK NIGHTCLUB inside Bellagio. ... it really is the best place to be on a Sunday night in Vegas. ... +Night you'd like to come to BANK -email to NICK BAKER ...

                          Not knocking on Jr hosts since everyone needs to start somewhere and maybe Nick is a standup guy, but prefer to use someone more senior.

                          Comment


                          • #14
                            Originally posted by Drew View Post
                            Dunno who Nick Baker. google search of Nick Baker... couldn't find much except these deleted but google search cached craigslist entries

                            FREE GUEST LIST-BILLBOARD PARTY & Girls Open Bar @ THE BANK NIGHTCLUB
                            May 21, 2011 ... My name's Nick. I run the Guest List and am a Jr. Host for THE BANK NIGHTCLUB inside Bellagio. ... it really is the best place to be on a Sunday night in Vegas. ... +Night you'd like to come to BANK -email to NICK BAKER ...

                            Not knocking on Jr hosts since everyone needs to start somewhere and maybe Nick is a standup guy, but prefer to use someone more senior.
                            +1 to that. Next time try working with: Norman Ly
                            Hes the Director of Customer development and can quickly get issues resolved

                            Comment


                            • #15
                              From what I was just told, he is a promoter, not a host. Basically he is one of the low men on the totem pole.

                              Doesn't make what happened right, but you can't expect a "deal" on Memorial Day Weekend when others are willing to pay much more, especially if you're working with someone who doesn't have the power to make it happen.

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