First – this is the earliest I have started a TR and generally, I am lucky if I get it started on the flight out. I have a busy few days at work and a quick trip this weekend with the wife to Lake Oconee and wanted to get started and hopefully get me through the next 6 days.


This trip will be a little different from my usual trips to Vegas. I generally go alone or with a close friend/gambling enabler/degenerate or for work. This trip isn’t any of those things but will be a big one for me. It will take a little back story to have it make sense, so bear with me if this drags on as it was hard to write.


A few years ago, my dad and brother met me in Vegas and we had a great weekend. We didn’t get to see each other that often being in 3 different states at the time, so it was great on many fronts. It was just after I started getting comped regularly for nice meals (did Craftsteak and NobHill), Shows (Robin Williams), rooms and limos. They loved it and we planned to do it more often if not once a year. Since then, life took over for both my brother and I and we never got around to making another trip. We talked about it almost every time we talked or saw each other but we just didn’t make plans. My dad loved playing VP and played on the computer every day for hours. Over the last couple years, his health took a turn but we were always optimistic that he would get better and we always talked about him getting better so we could take another trip to Vegas. Well, he didn’t get better and passed away in Feb. I do not need nor want condolences, I’ve done my grieving now it is time to celebrate. He had no memorial plans and didn’t want anything, however I had to do something. I was going to make one last trip to Vegas with “him”. In the end, we decided that my brother, sister and I would take part of his remains to Vegas on our version of his Last Vegas. (There is a lot more to this story but that is where it ended up and finally scheduled). The plan is to enjoy many of the places we went and have many many many drinks in his name, then scatter his ashes throughout Vegas and hence the “Covert Op” title as you can’t just do that from what I found out, so we will have to be a little sneaky about it. (Thankfully, my brother has some connections in case we get in trouble for it.J ) I would be lying if I said I didn’t regret not making the time sooner in his life but we are going to make it a great couple nights and I hopefully he will be watching over us at the tables. Life is short, don’t make my mistake and put something important off until it is too late.


As I said, this is going to be a trip to celebrate so I expect to be enjoying the most out of everything. It is also my sisters’ virgin Vegas trip, so we are going to do a few things I haven’t done in a long time. I am trying to do everything I can to make it a special event for my brother and sister, and going forward they will be referred to as CS and MD. They will be out there on Wed and Thursday night, going back on Friday. I am staying the extra night in hopes of catching up with some old friends and meeting some new ones.


I fly out early on Wed the 20th and get in just before noon. Enough time to get checked in and make sure everything is set for CS & MD arrival around 2pm.




Accommodations:

MGM – Wed & Thurs nights - Room to be a surprise. I have a specific room booked but since it is a comp I never know if I am going to be bumped, so trying not to jinx it.

(updated) Cosmo - Friday night - booked into East tower, so I am closer to the action.

(updated) Planet Hollywood - Thurs & Fri. nights for the Freeplay

Still waffling on booking other rooms so, I will leave the previous rant until that is figured out.

????? – Friday night – I am still up in the air. Since I will be solo on Friday night, I don’t need the room we are hoping for, so deciding where to go from there. I have a room at MGM for Friday but I am looking at moving over to Cosmo (closer to the other parties). However, V/P is offering a better offer on the FP and F&B. I am also on the fence if I should book a room at Pho for the FP but I really don’t want to spread myself thin and I am going to be over-comped at MGM or even have to pay for a couple meals so it would be smart to focus play there. When is comes to rooms, I am as bad as PHHold waffling on going to Vegas. I will update before I leave.


Activities and Dinning:

• - Craftsteak - Wednesday Dinner
• - Carbone – Thursday Dinner
• - Brad Garrett – Wednesday Night
• - High Roller – Happy Hour Night Ride (Wed/Thur)
• - Downtown (Maybe) (Wed/Thur)
• - Drinks at Foundation Room/ Mandarin Bar or some great Vegas view bar.
• - I have a number of other ideas for CS & MD but need to see if they will happen.

Most of the above will be with CS & MD during the first couple nights. Then comes Friday and Friday night.

• - Meet up with VB members at Cosmo and hopefully attend the bungalow party for a few
• - Have drinks/dinner with other VB friends. – place TBD but Aria or Cosmo

Gambling:

From a gambling perspective, I am still on DSTP kick but MGM doesn’t really have it in the denom I like even if I keep asking them to add it. Still keeping fingers crossed.

• - Stick to 10 Play VP. May just be regular if I can not find DSTP VP (DDB/TDB). As always, I will start at dollars and move to quarters if the going gets rough.
• - This is the same as last trip but still haven’t had it. Hand-pay at 5 figures or better.
• - Go back to playing LIR at MGM.
• - Play some BJ as it was my dad’s table game of choice. I will probably need to buy one of those basic strategy cards. lol

As I have started off other trip reports …. I will do it again.

You must be a registered user with confirmed email address to view this content.
Register or Login

 

Awesome, Riders! We're planning on popping up to the Foundation Room Friday after dinner for cigars and drinks, probably head downtown after that. At least some of them will! Looking forward to following and crossing paths!

 

Thanks. Still think the FR is one of the best views in the Vegas. The Mandarin bar has a pretty good one too.

Ditto

 

I love your plan. It sounds like a great tribute for your father. Subscribed.

 

sounds like a great time! Have a good trip and best of luck to you!

 

Sounds like a great plan. It's always fun sharing some of the casino perks with friends & family. Almost like you can experience the Vegas virgin experience vicariously. Good luck!

 

Thanks. I think he would completely approved ... as long as we keep up a good drinking pace.

 

It will be a great time. Thanks.

 

Even better for me since I generally go alone. I hope to make a dent in any comps I can get. We will see how the Virgin (MD) handles it. Not really a drinker but myself and CS can hold our own and I if she tries to keep up, we won't see her after the first night. LOL

 

Looking forward to your VP pics... you always seem to have the best luck at VP. You might even pop your dreamcard cherry this trip!

Sounds like a great memorial-to-your-dad trip. I hope things go as planned and you have a great time!