I mentioned recently that Fitzgerald's casino in Downtown Las Vegas was going through a major refurbishing and a name change to The D. Well, fortunes are looking up for the new owners!
I have to admit that on my last trip I stayed down the avenue at the Golden Nugget. But it appears I missed out on $27 room rates Sunday through Thursday. Bummer!
My friend Emma did stay at The D and found the rooms to be clean and nicely furnished, especially for the price. Apparently the room fees included a free breakfast. That's a nice extra.
What we both experienced was a very large crowd in the downtown area Friday and Saturday night. Unlike years ago, Downtown Vegas is now a happening place on weekends. There are live bands, kiosks with souvenirs, margaritas, and lots of twenty-somethings.
Unfortunately, that also means that inside the casinos the music is loud (very) because a heady crowd of young gamblers are there to party. It's kind of like Spring Break with no beach. That's good for the small casinos that need the play.
As a more sedate gambler, I could do without the dancing girls on platforms, but of course I've seen the same thing in a pit outside the poker room at Caesars on the Strip. So, as Emma mentioned, it's not likely to be our first choice to play craps since it's impossible to hear the call of the dice.
One of the things I love about craps is the occasional stick-person who has a personality that completely transforms the game into Craps Land where the calls are colorful, the jokes flow, and the dice run hot. That's a gambler's heaven.
Heck, even choppy dice are tolerable with a good craps crew! So, don't be afraid of the new D. Just be ready to party more than gamble.
Comments
You summarized the downtown gambling experience very well, Al. I’ve become more partial to downtown than to the strip.