Poker Rooms Reviews and information: Gold Coast

Phone: (702) 367-7111
Web: www.goldcoastcasino.com
Email: goldcoastcasinohost@coastcasinos.net
Address: 4000 W. Flamingo Rd.

Gold Coast Poker Room Information

Tables: 8

Texas Holdem: Yes
2/4 Texas Holdem w/ 1/2 Kill.
$3.00 / 10% max rake.

4/8 Texas Holdem w/ 1/2 Kill.
$3.00 / 5% max rake.

No-Limit Holdem: Yes
1/2 blinds No Limit Holdem.
$100 minimum / $100 maximum buy-in.
$3.00 max rake.

Stud: Yes
1-5 Stud.
$3.00 max rake.

Omaha: No
Tournaments: No
None yet, although management said they would like to get something together for early 2005.

Weekend Wait-Time: 5 minutes or less.

Smoking Allowed: No
No smoking in "room" -- However, since it's not really a room, but rather just a roped off area in the casino, it's very easy to step outside the rope.

Review - Gold Coast Poker Room

Total Rating: 2.20

Room Quality Rating: 1
First things first, the Gold Coast does not have a poker "room" -- it has a roped off section on the casino floor. I'm a little sick of seeing so many Las Vegas casinos do this, so that's the first strike. A poker room should be an actual room with walls. Not a rope around a couple of poker tables.

Speaking of the poker tables -- these are the worst tables I have ever played at. The table tops are made out of some sort of vinyl material. This stuff is slicker than oil. Seriously, I have played on air hockey tables that are not as slick as these poker tables. Chips and cards go sailing across the table, completely out of control. It took real skill not to muck a hand into another player's cards because the table was so damn slick. But that's not the worst part.

The worst part about the Gold Coast poker tables is the black hole. Around the rim of the poker table there is about a 1/8" gap in certain sections. Through this gap falls anything from cards to chips. It's ridiculous. I was scared to take my chips out of the rack for fear I would lose them in the gaping black hole. I also had to play catcher when my cards were dealt becuase if I didn't catch 'em they would go flying into the crack. I've never seen anything like this. At least the tables have auto-shufflers. The poker tables are definitely strike two.

There are no easy-to-see televisions around the "room", and nothing else that gives the room any style. The chairs were also uncomfortable. I think they were brought down from the bingo hall. Strike three.

The Gold Coast poker room is terrible right now. I was told that the current location is the permanent location of the poker "room", so there are no plans to improve the atmosphere. However,
there is some hope. The poker room manager told me that the tables should be redone within a few weeks, and that new "poker chairs" are on order, and expected soon. I was promised that the new poker chairs are top of the line. To me, that means as comfortable as Bellagio's poker chairs. We shall see.

If you're looking for a nice Las Vegas poker room, stay away from the Gold Coast.

Competition Rating: 2
Competition is relatively soft. My table was loose-agressive, with players 3-betting only overcards or small pairs that couldn't beat the board.

Dealer Rating: 1
Dealers were the worst I have ever experienced in Las Vegas. I sat through three different dealers. None of them knew how to properly setup side-pots, or monitor the kill pot. Players constantly had to keep an eye on the dealers. These stupid dealer mistakes, even for a brand new poker room, are inexcusable.

Cocktail Rating: 5
You can get drunk fast at the Gold Coast poker room. There is a bar about 20 feet away from the poker room, and the cocktail waitress flies around bringing drinks faster than I could drink 'em. The waitresses are also above average looking, and very friendly. I usually order cherry Cokes. At the Gold Coast, the waitress put in more cherries than I have ever seen (about 8). Then, she asked me if I wanted more!! I loved it. Great cocktail service!

Management Rating: 3
The room manager took the time to answer my questions and was friendly. I don't know how well he manages a list, because there was none.

Comps Rating: 4
The Gold Coast poker room offers above average comps. Just sign up for a player card and you get $1.25 per hour for the first 4 hours, and then $1.00 per hour for the next four hours. You can earn a maximum of $9.00 per day in player comps. This is a relatively generous reward system.

There are no other jackpots or bonuses offered at this time, but I was told that specific hand jackpots are in the works (e.g., $500 for quad 8's).