New Location/Notes - (13) $1 : 99.95% PKM, 99.54% JoB, 99.17% BP Bally GameMakers to the left of the cage (SF = 239 for PKM)

Player's Club Update

OK, here are the details on the new program. Actually it is far more transparent than the old program, although likely less lucrative. Since the old program was a bit of a mystery, it's kind of hard to tell. You can pick up a brochure from the players club that provides most of the relevant information. There are five levels, FAN, SELECT, GOLD, PLATINUM AND MILLIONAIRE. The annual point criteria are as follows: FAN=0; SELECT=2,000; GOLD=10,000; PLATINUM=100,000 and MILLIONAIRE= as you might expect, 1,000,000. There is a graduated scale for point multiplication, starting with 1x for FAN and SELECT, going up to 2x for GOLD, 3x for PLATINUM and 4x for MILLIONAIRE. They have also introduced the concept of regular points and tier points, similar to many other casino companies. The multipliers affect regular points, but don't affect tier points. Tier points are what is used to establish your player level. Regular points are used to calculate cashback/comps. I confirmed that the point multipliers DO apply to VP. Cashback is $5 for 2,000 points for slots, $5 for 4,000 points for VP. For video poker that works out to a .125% return for single points, .25% for double points, .375% for triple points and .5% for quadruple points. There is no longer a concept of separate cashback and comp. You use your accrued points for both, however comp can be used at twice the value. For example, if you have points worth $5 in cashback, they are worth $10 in comp. I won't cover all of the benefits associate with each tier since you can easily get them from the brochure they will give you. However I will say that access to the players club starts with the PLATINUM level.

The Isle had implemented a new players program. I'm still trying to run down the details, but I do know it has four tiers. The top two tiers get players club benefits along with a higher point multiplier. There is now an option to turn points into play, but I'm still researching the details on that as well. I do know any accumulated comp ( of which we had considerable) went away with the new program :-( Once I've got everything sorted out, I will post the details. rob

New: (13) $1 : 99.95% PKM To the left of the cage

New: (13) $1 : 99.54% JoB To the left of the cage

Seems the Isle has backtracked, to our advantage. All 13 Game Maker new uprights to the left of the cage have both full pay Pick'em and full pay JOB at the dollar denom. The quarter paytables still suck, but at the dollar level things are looking up. BTW, if you play Pick'em one coin at the dollar level, it is better than the quarter game at 5 coins.

New Location/Notes - (13) $1 : 98.17% PKM To the left of the cage

New: (13) 25c : 96.69% PKM To the left of the cage

New: (13) $1 : 98.17% PKM to the left of the cage

More bad news from the Isle. It looks like management finally figured out that new Gamemakers that replaced the old coin droppers last November came with chips that had full pay games at the dollar level. About two weeks ago they took the 7 machines against the wall out of service, and this week they went back in service with new chips. Dollar Pickem is now the 98.17% version and the quarter play return is 96.69%. The slot tech I talked to on May 12th said the six machines in the center group are also due to be "upgraded" in the next week. In a little over a year video poker play at this casino has gone from by far the best in Kansas City to by far the worst (and the worst in Kansas City is really saying something). The play reflects this--the video poker section of this casino is mostly barren of players these days. Isle Management if you are listening, a bigger cut of the action is only good for you if people are willing to put money in the machine, right?

New: 13 fancy Gamemaker upright machines in the VP area to the left of the cage (seven against the wall and six in a circular formation right next to the seven). Various games at $0.05, $0.25, $1 (slot games only at the nickle denom).
Pick'em is offered in quarter and dollar denoms. All 13 machines offer full pay JOB (9/6) and almost full pay Pick'em at the dollar denom (1,195 for the SF vs. 1,199 for the true full pay version). Quarter Pick'em has been downgraded to the 96.2% version. With CB, $1 Pick'em is about a break even play. However if you are hoping to play break even and clean up on comps, good luck. There is no hotel and they've closed down the Farraday's restaurant. That leaves you with the buffet, which is mediocre on most nights, better on crab and shrimp night. If you've been there, you know this is not a glamorous casino. The attraction for VP players was the quarter full pay Pick'em, not the amenities. A better option now for quarter players is to play the dollar Pick'em offering short pay one coin. That makes it a 98.95% game, which is a full percent worse than you were getting with full pay quarters, but significantly better than the 96.2% return on the new quarter pay table.

Casino no longer has a non-smoking section.

*** MIA - *** (6) 25c 40/8 AA Game Makers in a row to the left of the main cashier windows.

Boothlings won't disclose comp balances or how comps are computed.