Stardust (was Re: Hotels/Motels)

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This posting is from: annie
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> I would stay away from the Stardust, there
> were a few problems there during the Imperial Court Coronation and the
> management did nothing and as yet hasn't reponded to any mails sent to
> them about the incidents.

I'm kinda feeling a need to defend the Stardust here, since I've stayed
there countless times and it's one of my favorite places to stay and
play in Las Vegas.

I stayed there for DLV 1998 and DLV 1999 and was in the casino, shops,
coffee shop, buffet, common areas, etc., and never as much as a dirty
look. Other DLV people have stayed at the Stardust and I have not heard
of any incidents. From my observation, I and the others were always
treated just as any other customer.

For the one major problem I did have (to make a long story long), they
corrected it as promptly and as best they could, and upgraded me to a
suite for the two-week N+I and DLV period. The problem involved a set of
major reservation and credit card billing screwups. The desk person and
the manager on duty went out of their way to make it right, put me in a
full three-room suite (no, not kidding, some of the people on this list
saw it) and gave me a slew of buffet passes as compensation.

The only time I felt uneasy at the Stardust was one evening at DLV 1997
when I was in there playing VP. (I was staying at the Riviera and walked
across the street to eat and play a while.) This extremely drunk 20-ish
guy kept sitting down next to me and telling me how much I looked like
the queen on the VP machine. (He did the same to a blonde GG a few
machines down.) His buddy was standing around with an "I'm not with
him" look. :)

I cashed out and left, and as I was leaving, two security guys, one in
uniform, one in a suit, were walking briskly toward that area, pointing
and talking into radios. I kind of assumed they ejected the guy. :)

> Hard to believe but the coffee shop staff actually snickered and
> gathered to look at a group of the girls sitting for dinner one night.
> Would have thought they would be better trained than that. OK, I'll
> concede the girls were in drag for the evening festivities but
> still......

I didn't see this, but it may be the case that they really did not
know what was going on, and their actions were from cluelessness and
curiosity, and had no ill intent. Many of the general public are still
totally unaware of what the t* community is all about.

Oh well, just my observations and opinions. :)

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This posting is from: Jamie
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Been to the Stardust a few times, but never while dressed. In my
impression, it's very "Old Vegas", still has the Mob aura to it, like
big bruiser bouncers, dealers who look like they stepped off the
Untouchables movie or TV set, and I know those girls in the bar were
hookers, you could just tell.

I don't think I want to chance it going there dressed. Stardust looks
like a real tough place.

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(This posting was entered by Jamie, an external user of MyDLV.)

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This posting is from: annie
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> Been to the Stardust a few times, but never while dressed.

{biting tongue resisting the urge of the worn-out line ... } :)

> In my
> impression, it's very "Old Vegas", still has the Mob aura to it,

Yes, very much pre-Disneyland. :) And yes, it does have trouble shaking
a very seedy reputation it had from the late 50's thru the 70's.

> and I know those girls in the bar were
> hookers, you could just tell.

Uh, I don't think the Stardust has the monopoly here. :) :) :)

> I don't think I want to chance it going there dressed. Stardust looks
> like a real tough place.

Seriously, Stardust is no rougher than any of the large casino-hotels.

It did have mob connections (the film "Casino" is based on the real-life
story of Frank "Lefty" Rosenthal and his days at the Stardust) but it is
now owned by the squeaky-clean Boyd Gaming Group as their flagship
property. IIRC, Boyd was allowed to buy and reopen the Stardust after it
had been closed for countless violations. Stardust is not alone in this
boat. Most of the legacy casinos (Sahara, Riviera, Frontier, Sands, DI,
Dunes, Tropicana, etc.) had real or reputed unsavory reputations.

As for going there in girlmode, it's been my experience for more years
than I care to admit, that if you dress and act as a lady or gentleman,
whichever you prefer, you will be treated as such. Large casinos did
not get that large by p*ssing off and driving away paying customers.

ObTrivia: Lefty Rosenthal's car was firebombed in the parking lot that
sits just outside what is now the Hidden Woman boutique. (This scene in
the film "Casino" was shot in the parking lot of Main Street Station.)

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This posting is from: Bev
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Hi

I just came back from Vegas on the 19th of Feb. they screwed up on
my suite and they scrambled to accomidate me.... I also got the 3 room
suite with 3 bathrooms and a sauna.... lol.... I was in drab bet a
crossdressers dream ....the mirrors were 24 ft in the bedroom... lol

Bev

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