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Siena? Who went yesterday?

 
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LilyJDragonfly



Joined: 03 Mar 2009
Posts: 425

PostPosted: Apr Fri 22, 2011 5:52 am    Post subject: Siena? Who went yesterday? Reply with quote

So what's the word? Is it like stepping into the future? A glorious trip back to the glory days? Killer promos for the opening?
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remano



Joined: 20 Dec 2005
Posts: 717

PostPosted: Apr Fri 22, 2011 10:58 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Ask and you shall receive. The casino was scheduled to open at 5 p.m. last night so I stopped and after work for a quick walk-through at about 5:10. They were close to opening, but didn't quite make their deadline. There were lots of dealers and pit people huddled up for last-minute instructions, the tables were in place, but there were no chips in the racks, cards in the trays or signs on the tables. The main bar was not open. They were just finishing an attractive new entrance from the parking lot directly into the center of the casino floor so there is no longer a need to walk down to the sidewalk entrances at the corner of the building, which is a big improvement in my opinion. Everything inside, from the floors to the walls to the ceiling, to the machines and tables, is new and clean.

The casino floor occupies the same space as the former casino. There are two table gaming pits surrounded by slot machines. Lightning over the slot area is subdued. I am not a slot player so I can't evaluate the inventory, but there seemed to be a good variety of new machines. Also, they are not as densely packed together as in the old casino. Video poker on the floor seemed to be less than optimum. My standard measure is jacks or better, and the only pay tables I could find were 5/8. There were deuces wild and bonus varieties also, but my assumption is that their pay tables were equally reduced. The bar top machines were not in service so I don't know if they will be any different.

The gaming pits are brightly lit by the large, circular hanging fixtures that could be seen in some of the construction photos. One is toward the west end of the floor, kind of in the coffee shop end of the casino. It has six tables, two on each side and one on each end. These all appear to be configured either for blackjack or pai gow poker. The larger pit is in the center of the casino floor, basically where the old pit used to be. It has 10 tables, four on each side with a roulette table at one end and a craps table at the other. There is a Let It Ride table, a three card poker table, blackjack and pai gow tables and a full sized baccarat table. There might have been another carnival game in there, too, (like casino hold ‘em or something) but I did not make note of it.

One of the pit bosses told me that they planned to start with five dollar minimum limits. They plan to be dealing at least one game of single deck blackjack (double on 10 or 11 only) and one shoe game (double on any two), dealer always hit soft 17, and deal the other games as the market demands. I did not see any rip-off "blackjack pays 6:5 tables," thank
God. The roulette is a single zero layout. Craps odds are 3/4/5.

I did not have time to play so I can't comment on the attitudes of the dealers, deck penetration, drink service and so on. The upscale restaurants were not yet open. The coffee shop area, in my opinion, is much improved. Where it used to take up more floor space than really needed, the seating area has now been compressed into the river front end of the space. This opens up areas for a Peete’s coffee counter and a sushi bar next to the casino floor. The menu looked like typical coffee shop fare, and the prices were typical coffee shop prices, no bargains but once they get established they might have daily specials like most coffee shops.

In sum, at least from a brief walk through it looks like the casino is what the new owners said it would be, that is, an attractive, comfortable boutique casino. Now, if management will just treat players fairly and if the rooms and other amenities measure up as well the Siena just might be around for awhile, at least if they can survive the second tier location. Time will tell.


Last edited by remano on Apr Fri 22, 2011 12:37 pm; edited 1 time in total
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LilyJDragonfly



Joined: 03 Mar 2009
Posts: 425

PostPosted: Apr Fri 22, 2011 11:48 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

Rockin! Thanks.... when we head up there in June, we'll have to go have a looksee. We never did get there during our Summer o' Reno Fun...
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Dave



Joined: 18 Dec 2005
Posts: 212

PostPosted: Apr Fri 22, 2011 11:44 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Thanks for posting the review Remano. That is great. I will be anxious to check it out in person and I hope they do well!
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BC Dave
Site Admin


Joined: 18 Dec 2005
Posts: 1592

PostPosted: Apr Sat 23, 2011 5:18 pm    Post subject: Three cheers! Reply with quote

Three cheers for the new Siena. Good luck to them. (Except when I'm in the casino....then may they have extraordinarily bad luck!)
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stan_allen



Joined: 19 Dec 2005
Posts: 1129

PostPosted: Apr Mon 25, 2011 9:08 am    Post subject: I wonder if the execs read this site... Reply with quote

New Siena, I think I can speak for all of us when I say that we're rooting for your success - yes, we'd like to win at your tables, and come away with your money - but we applaud your presence, and thus far, it sounds like a terrific effort.

Keep it up! Help bring back the glory days of Reno!
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remano



Joined: 20 Dec 2005
Posts: 717

PostPosted: Apr Mon 25, 2011 9:11 am    Post subject: Reply with quote

I want to expand on an earlier comment in my first post, name.y, "if management will just treat players fairly...." I think that is the key to Siena's success or failure. After all, the physical improvements and remodeling are nice, but at its core the Siena is still just another casino. The table games are the same as you can find at casinos all over the country. The video poker is not quite as good as some other casinos in Reno offer. It's impossible to tell what the odds are on a slot machine, but if they tightened up the VP it's a safe assumption that they did the same to the slots. So, it's up to the management to give people a reason to want to go to the Siena instead of a hundred other casinos. Management has to come through with a personal approach, good comps, good service and amenities, and special events and other entertainment or the Siena will again become just another place to gamble.
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stan_allen



Joined: 19 Dec 2005
Posts: 1129

PostPosted: Apr Mon 25, 2011 10:46 am    Post subject: Once again, the Simpsons know all... Reply with quote

Remano has quite deftly played the "Bad Cop" to my "Good" one. He is right, of course, that now that the infrastructure is there, there's got to be some motivation for players - I'll give 'em major kudos if they can stay away from the sinful 6:5 pseudo-blackjack game, but not having much/any 9/6 Video Poker is a bit of a letdown - it's the little things that will keep people coming back, so while I want to wish the new owners the best, I'm reminded of Lisa Simpson's response to Homer's finally returning home after having been kicked out for a while by Marge: "We're really glad you're back, Dad! (much quieter:) ...Now, don't screw it up."
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lvbear584



Joined: 07 Jun 2006
Posts: 140

PostPosted: Apr Tue 26, 2011 2:37 pm    Post subject: Siena comments and observations Reply with quote

Black wrought-iron fencing now surrounds the parking lot, keeping the lowlifes from the slums to the east and south somewhat at bay. A definite improvement. The casino is beautiful; hard to believe it was the same fraying, maintenance-deferred dump it had turned into before its closing.

The pit seemed friendly and relaxed on my first visit, though I was down four figures before winning back most of it and deliberately quitting a loser. It might be dealer-dependent, but I will definitely be back.

New players' cards are being pushed hard. They claim they did not buy the customer list from the old owner, so any derogatory remarks about patrons may have disappeared. They hired back only four or five people in the whole place. Many new hires are people who had left the casino industry, but have now returned. It might take them a few months to refresh their skills.

Reno for me is getting thin in remaining playable stores. I'm really glad Siena is back. I don't know if it can survive after the newness wears off, but I hope it can. One big advantage for it is that it probably has little or no debt to carry.

---------------------------------------

Opinions and Commentary on the Gaming Industry: www.TheBearGrowls.com
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steve



Joined: 18 Dec 2005
Posts: 47

PostPosted: Apr Tue 26, 2011 8:29 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

I'll be in town Fri and sat. Will definately go check it out.
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LilyJDragonfly



Joined: 03 Mar 2009
Posts: 425

PostPosted: Apr Thu 28, 2011 12:13 pm    Post subject: Reply with quote

Steve, post a trip report!!!
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