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.
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.
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