Airport runs in Vegas

[Patrick del Poker Grande]

Alright, so let's say I'm going to Vegas this weekend and I'll be the first of my buddies to get into town. I'll be playing at the Bellagio. Would I be able to make it from my seat at the table to my car in the parking lot/structure, to the airport and back to my seat in time so that they won't pick me up and I lose my seat in my game?

How much time will they give me at the Bellagio and how long does it take to make this airport run, assuming my buddies are waiting for me on the curb when I get to the airport?

[Wired Jokers]

This is a really silly question, unless your friends are either 1) disabled or 2) so dim witted they don't know how to function in the real world.

Your buddies need to pull the cork out of their collective asses and spend $18 (including tip) for a cab fare from the airport to the Bellagio.

You will make more money at the table then your buddies would save in picking them up.

(Please note this is a tongue-in-cheek post). /images/graemlins/smile.gif

[dld]

I think the trip would take to long and you would have your chips picked up. If your worried about getting picked up I would advise you to have your buddies take a cab or grab a shuttle.

[Patrick del Poker Grande]

There's no Bellagio shuttle to the airport and I know cab fare isn't that big a deal. Let's just stick with this, even if it's for fun - call it a challenge. It seems to me that you should be able to make the round trip in 15-20 minutes once you're in your car. Google Maps agrees with me - it says 7 minutes one way. Add a couple minutes for lights/traffic (assuming non-terrible traffic) and 12.3 seconds for buddies to get into the car. Am I off on this? If it's 20 minutes, then that leaves 5 minutes each way from the table to the car if they give you half an hour and 12.5 minutes if they give you 45 minutes before picking up. Who can tell me how much time you get?

[stabn]

[ QUOTE ]
There's no Bellagio shuttle to the airport and I know cab fare isn't that big a deal. Let's just stick with this, even if it's for fun - call it a challenge. It seems to me that you should be able to make the round trip in 15-20 minutes once you're in your car. Google Maps agrees with me - it says 7 minutes one way. Add a couple minutes for lights/traffic (assuming non-terrible traffic) and 12.3 seconds for buddies to get into the car. Am I off on this? If it's 20 minutes, then that leaves 5 minutes each way from the table to the car if they give you half an hour and 12.5 minutes if they give you 45 minutes before picking up. Who can tell me how much time you get?

[/ QUOTE ]

You get an out button when a new dealer sits down and you are gone. I believe you get 15 minutes after your second out button before they pick you up.

[kenberman]

I think you are being optimistic.

First big variable is time of day...this is going to matter.

Also, you assume your friends are already at the airport, bags in hand, waiting for you to pick them up. if this is not the case, your time will skyrocket. you know your buddies will claim they are "waiting for you on the curb", but they'll be lying, and you'll have to wait for them.

I've only done that cab ride a few times, but I think it's more like 10-15 minutes, once you are in the cab (granted, those were Thursday nights).

I want to say Bellagio gives you an hour of absentee time. it was enough time for me to go to the Chinese restaurant down the hall, and eat a non-hurried meal consisting of hot and sour soup and lo mein. so that was more than 30 minutes, probably 45.

[AngusThermopyle]

[ QUOTE ]
You get an out button when a new dealer sits down and you are gone. I believe you get 15 minutes after your second out button before they pick you up.

[/ QUOTE ]

So you wait until a new dealer sits down, then play a hand and leave. 30 mins till next dealer and first button. 30 more minutes until dealer after that and second "gone button". 15 more minutes gives you roughly an hr and 15 mins.

Traffic very time/day-of-the-week dependent. But you aren't going too far.

[ricochet420]

Im not sure it could be done? Took us a while to get from the mirage to airport? Then again I am a slow walker, and we parked in valet. So that took about 5 to get the car.

[Patrick del Poker Grande]

Alright, let's clear up a few variables. Let's say I can count on my buddies to be on the curb and the time of day is something like 1:30-2:30pm.

Does anybody actually know for sure how much time you get at Bellagio? I've heard everything from 15 to 75 minutes now. I'm thinking it's probably 45 minutes plus or minus for good timing with dealer changes.

[canis582]

I was just there, its two absent buttons, three on busy weekends.

[oddjob]

airport shuttle to strip is $5. they will drop you off at the hotel of your choice. piece of cake. i use this everytime i go to vegas.

[sfer]

Is it 1.5 hours (3 dealer downs) before they pick you up? If so, I say yes.

[AllVegasPoker.com]

The Bellagio is pretty good about giving players a liberal amount of time away from the tables. For example, it's never been a problem for me to get up for an hour or so to grab a bite to eat. Some vegas casinos do have a "40 minute" rule, but I don't think the Bellagio is one of them -- and, if it is, then I've never been subject to the rule during my hour long breaks.

With that said, I'm still not sure an hour is long enough to make your run. To do this, would require the stars to align so to speak.

Your friend would have to arrive on time, the plane would have to get to the gate on time, your friend would either have to have no checked bags, or if he did then his baggage would have to come down almost immediately. There couldn't be any screw ups at the airport with respect to meeting each other, etc... but here's the kicker; traffic. On a Friday/Saturday night (and sometimes Thursday) the strip will be PACKED. I mean bumper to bumper. So, you would have to plan on taking the airport tunnel to I-15 North, and then exiting at Flamingo. There's a back entrance to Bellagio off Flamingo, and I think this would be your best bet.

Still, I'm not sure an hour is enough time. I say go for it. Worst case scenario they pick your chips up.

[swede0530]

Sounds like you are trying to set up some kind of prop bet.

Good luck but I'd say traffic gets you. Can you come the back way and take a left onto the strip at Bally's to get into the Bellagio on your right or will you be taking the highway and is there a seperate entrance to parking from that direction?

[Patrick del Poker Grande]

Alright, I forgot to mention this will be Thursday afternoon (some time 1:30-2:30pm) and I know the traffic on the strip is bad pretty much any time of the day, but is it that bad then?

My friends will be on the curb, as I intend to make them call me when they land and that's when I'll leave (or when my blind gets to me). I won't be going based on scheduled time of arrival - I'm not going to play that game. They will have only carry-ons and they'll be in the car within 20 seconds of it coming to a stop by the curb. The carry-on only clause and 20-second time limit are enforced by penalty of a kick in the nuts to any offendor. The only variable here is the traffic.

Thanks for all info on shuttles, cab fare, etc, but at this point, I'm actually purely interested in whether or not I could pull it off and not the fact/implication that I'm miserly.

In fact, let's call this the first annual Bellagio-McCarran Relay Time Trials. The contest is a time-trial race against the clock. The first leg of the race is on foot from a seated position in the Bellagio Poker Room to a car waiting in a self-park parking space. From here, the contestant gets in the car and drives it to the Arrivals gate at McCarran Int'l Airport, where, upon arrival, he gets out of the car, does one lap around the car, gets back in and drives back to the Bellagio. Upon return to the Bellagio Resort Hotel & Casino, the contestant has the option of self parking or dropping the car off at the valet and then walking (he may walk briskly, but no running) back to the seat he began the contest in, where time will be stopped and compared to the time it takes the floor to pick up the contestant's chips from the table. Successful competitors will have a time lower than the floor's time.

[Joe_d72]

I live in las vegas so I will give this a try after my class tonight and let you know how it goes. There is only one way to come back from the airport if you are going to do this and that is tunnel to the 15 off flamingo and to the valet on the side of the hotel. But leaving the Bellagio to go the airport im not sure maybe Harmon or Trop to Pardise. I dont think you will have a problem at all .

[Patrick del Poker Grande]

[ QUOTE ]
I live in las vegas so I will give this a try after my class tonight and let you know how it goes.

[/ QUOTE ]
Awesome. Ask the floor how much time you get when you go too.

[Dynasty]

You're going to get killed on time going out of and back into the Bellagio garage. Traffic on the Strip is notriously slow and you'll hit a couple lights before you get the opportunity to get off.

You'll have 45 to 75 minutes to do this. After you leave, you get 1 button from the first new dealer, a second button from the second new dealer, and then the third new dealer should have you picked up after 15 minutes. So, leave after playing one hand after a dealer sits down.

[Boris]

It's way simpler to have your buddies take a cab. It's not that expensive.

[PuckNPoker]

Dont go on the the strip, right or left from the Bellagio, when coming out of the bellagio go straight into Paris entrance.. head straight back (off to the right of the Valet area) and at the stop sign turn right.. you will now be behind Aladdin in an alley.. head down until you hit a light, turn left, turn right for the airport at whatever light (cant remember the street), coming back, take the same route. Assuming you can either find a parking spot in the Bellagio garage or the valet isnt busy I think you will have plenty of time.

[Rube]

I saw a guy do this at the Mirage on a Monday afternoon. He waited for a new dealer, played on hand, then made it back in 65 minutes. He was dropping someone off, not picking up.

I agree with others though, totally lame, just make them take a cab.

[M2d]

have a buddy drive back from the airport. then, you can adjust your jump off point dependant on the amount of traffic into the garage.

[Patrick del Poker Grande]

[ QUOTE ]
It's way simpler to have your buddies take a cab. It's not that expensive.

[/ QUOTE ]
Yes, we've been over this and I agree completely. It's more of a challenge than a convenience/money thing. I just want to know if it could be done. Let's forget about all optimizations of money and convenience. It's all about the time trial.

[RollaJ]

[ QUOTE ]
Alright, so let's say I'm going to Vegas this weekend and I'll be the first of my buddies to get into town. I'll be playing at the Bellagio. Would I be able to make it from my seat at the table to my car in the parking lot/structure, to the airport and back to my seat in time so that they won't pick me up and I lose my seat in my game?

How much time will they give me at the Bellagio and how long does it take to make this airport run, assuming my buddies are waiting for me on the curb when I get to the airport?

[/ QUOTE ]

Give the guy sitting next to you $5 to take away an absent button when the dealer changes /images/graemlins/smile.gif

[Boris]

Bellagio parking lot to E. Harmon to Paradise to Airport. Repeat on return trip. May the force be with you. I think you have a pretty good shot if you do it at 1:30 in the afternoon.

[Kripke]

[ QUOTE ]
Add a couple minutes for lights/traffic (assuming non-terrible traffic)

[/ QUOTE ]

This is what some people would call an unwarranted and wholly unjustifiable assumption. /images/graemlins/wink.gif

[Sparks]

[ QUOTE ]
Would I be able to make it from my seat at the table to my car in the parking lot/structure, to the airport and back to my seat in time so that they won't pick me up and I lose my seat in my game?

[/ QUOTE ]

No problem.

Sparks

[BeerMoney]

I think you can do it. And, with all of this talk, I am expecting you to try it.

[Patrick del Poker Grande]

[ QUOTE ]
I live in las vegas so I will give this a try after my class tonight and let you know how it goes. There is only one way to come back from the airport if you are going to do this and that is tunnel to the 15 off flamingo and to the valet on the side of the hotel. But leaving the Bellagio to go the airport im not sure maybe Harmon or Trop to Pardise. I dont think you will have a problem at all .

[/ QUOTE ]
So what's the final verdict on this one? This is (maybe) going down tomorrow. Did you come through for me, Joe?

[benfranklin]

I find it curious that no one has commented on the lack of concern for other people affected by this plan. Sitting out for an hour or more (for an airport run, dinner, whatever) is very inconsiderate of others at the table, players on the wait list, dealers, and floor people.

A question for all here: how do you really feel when you are at a table, or on the wait list for a table, and a seat is empty for an hour? No flames (about being a spoil-sport, grouch, etc.) allowed unless you first answer the question honestly.

[Patrick del Poker Grande]

[ QUOTE ]
I find it curious that no one has commented on the lack of concern for other people affected by this plan. Sitting out for an hour or more (for an airport run, dinner, whatever) is very inconsiderate of others at the table, players on the wait list, dealers, and floor people.

A question for all here: how do you really feel when you are at a table, or on the wait list for a table, and a seat is empty for an hour? No flames (about being a spoil-sport, grouch, etc.) allowed unless you first answer the question honestly.

[/ QUOTE ]
Yeah, yeah. I actually thought of this, but just didn't say it.

[Joe_d72]

39 mins and I got some bad breaks, yes you can do this.

[SCfuji]

patrick,

you want to optimize your time so if you get dealt ONE hand after a new dealer sits down and take off, you will get that half hour + two more buttons (1 hour) before they pick up your chips. thats roughly 90 minutes. depending on the traffic, your trip should take around 30-45 minutes if your friends are smart and good and waiting on the curbside for your arrival.

[PhatCasino]

the big factor is the belliago parking garage........................ stuck behind one slow car finding a spot and your screwed...

is a fascinating theoratical tho..

You can also, leave the table & get put on the waitlist for the next table b4 u leave, that way youve done some time and u can relax when u get back

[SCfuji]

or just tip the floor a five spot and tell him your situation. im sure your chips wont go anywhere.

[cardcounter0]

The Bellagio poker room is not right next to the front door. So you have to get from the poker room to the exit (and back again on your return trip). Naturally you will be stuck behind the lookie-loo tourists stopping to look at every slot machine and blocking the entire aisle. Are you prepared to knock people over to get out of the Bellagio quickly?

Then from the entrance to the parking garage. Then in the parking garage, you will find yourself following the guy you likes to do his used car shopping by driving thru the garage slowly. Hope you have a strong bumper on your car to push Grandpa's jalopy out of the way.

Then the standard strip traffic, airport hassel, etc. that everyone has already discussed.

I assume you will valet park on your return, it is faster, but you are still going to have to wait for the valet, and then your sprint from the front door to the poker room again.

[SpaceAce]

Assuming your friends are at the airport, luggage in hand, your mission will be a piece of cake. You should be able to do this in under an hour, no problem.

SpaceAce