Foxwoods Resort Casino's High Roller Lounges

As a former Promotions Department employee at Foxwoods, I have worked as a Customer Service Representative in these lounges in addition to working at the Wampum Rewards booths located throughout the casino.

Wampum Reward Booths

One of the Wampum Reward booths is located in the Rainmaker Casino near a fancy staircase taking patrons to the World Poker Tour poker room, booth 1, which has four terminals and a department office but is barely open due to lack of staffing.

Booth 2 is located across from the California Pizza Kitchen restaurant in the Great Cedar Casino has five terminals, a designated handicap terminal, and is the "main booth" with a department office.

In the Atrium of the Rainmaker Casino is a very large Wampum booth, booth 3, with six terminals including a designated separate handicap counter. This booth is within close proximity to booth 1.

In the Grand Pequot Casino slot area near the entrance which is located near the esculators taking patrons to the restaurant level of the Grant Pequot Tower is booth 4, the least busy of the booths with four terminals and a department office.

Right outside the Bingo Hall is the bingo "float" booth, newly expanded with five terminals and a designated handicap area. This booth is typically a zoo during busy bingo games especially Mystery Envenlope games.

The Promotions Department and Customer Service Representative department has merged and become the Marketing department, a more ambigious name than the previous title. I suspect the two departments merged because the casino wants to save money and ensure extra staff at Wampum booths during slow times are ushered up to a lounge where it is busier.

Before proceeding, one should understand what amenities are offered in these lounges.

Lounge Amenities

They all feature a large buffet area, a comprehensive bar, and entertainment mainly consisting of a combination of large and small television screens with cable television often showing sports games, and sometimes there is a live piano player.

Many of the lounges have comfy cushiony chairs and small tables or small tables with traditional chairs and smoking is allowed in all parts of the lounge.

The 21st floor and 8th floor loungues lounges have majestic views of the southeastern Connecticut countryside and doors which go out to decks but these doors are locked at all times to prevent the occasional gambler who lost too much of his money and wants to end it all.

Often these lounges have a salad area with different types of salads such as seafood salad, potato salad, fresh fruit such as cantaloupe in addition to really good jumbo shrimp and cocktail sauce.

A lunchmeat area features turkey, ham, Swiss cheese, American cheese, and roast beef.

Two large buffet trays divided into two usually have food such as steak, fish, chicken wings, finger foods appetizers, rotisserie style chicken, rice, and mashed potatoes.

A basket with bread is usually available along with fresh pizza.

Two different types of cake, chocolate chip cookies, and brownies are also available.

Do not forget about the bars at each lounge which offer top quality alcohol free of charge although bartenders appreciate gratuities since their pay is low just like bartenders outside the casino.

Be warned that top shelf alcohol has higher alcoholic content than that found in the bars off the casino floor and thus it is easier to get drunk in the lounge on a lesser number of drinks than with lower grades of alcohol.

The bartenders are nice and will offer suggestions to those looking for something different but will also accommodate special drinks.

Access to Lounges

Of course outside of each lounge is either a podium or large desk where a staff member, usually someone from the "Marketing" department but occasionally a casino host or Marketing supervisor is stationed to serve as the "lounge monitor".

Smoking is not allowed at these employee desks and the employee would appreciate it if customers either gave their cigarette to their friend temporarily or held the cigarette at arm's length away from the desk.

That employee is told to ask for each player's Wampum Rewards card and valid identification and to swipe the card at a swipe box connected to the keyboard which prompts the computer to pull up the patron's record.

Valid identification is matched with the card and patron's record to ensure someone does not "share" his or her cards or pick up random cards on the casino floor, both have been known to happen.

The program on the computer will list all the casino lounges for the employee and tell him or her which ones the customer is allowed to access.

Access is usually determined by computer which searches for customers who meet certain criteria based on average bet, length of play, trip frequency, and the type of games the customer plays whether it be baccarat, poker, slots, bingo, or a mix of all of them.

Of course, casino hosts or executive hosts (a host's supervisor) can "add" someone into the casino which happens usually because of six main reasons:

1. The computer goofed and did not put someone into the system who obviously has the play to qualify or put someone into the system for some lounges and not others when the player qualifies in most of not all lounges,

2. The customer has lost a great deal of money in one day or during the current trip (a.k.a.: a visit consisting of more than 1 day with the customer staying at one of the casino's three hotels or a nearby hotel) and the host wants to "reward" the player,

3. The customer is a "shark" and has a history of high gaming at Atlantic City, Las Vegas, or other casinos and is very likely to do a lot of gaming at Foxwoods,

4. The customer is a "visitor" of a spouse, friend or family member who does a lot of gaming and does not want to escort their friend into the lounges when they are playing tables or slots, a rule that the casino does enforce unless the employee at the desk knows the customer or visitor personally,

5. The customer's ratings are close to qualifying and the lounge is slow,

6. To help make up for bad customer service the customer may have experienced elsewhere in the casino as a "one time" only deal a host may make with a customer rather than giving the customer a non-gaming comp which could be used at a casino restaurant or shop.

Many patrons think the employee at the desk can make exceptions and let unqualified patrons in. Unless the person is a casino host (usually they have a beeper clipped to them) or member of the player development department (wearing a gold plate) they are not authorized to do this.

Talking with Marketing Department represenatives, I found out the casino is tightening rules and is claiming they are watching all employees at cameras placed near the employee desks. The casino is telling employees that their colleagues have been terminated for allowing unqualified patrons in, for not asking for identification for patrons who have not previously entered the lounge that evening, for allowing more than the qualified number of guests to accompany a qualified patron, and for letting in "high roller" players who typically have the play to get in before checking the player's account to ensure their play continually warrants this lounge access.

You have to remember the world's largest casino simply cannot afford to let "extra" people in the lounges, after all when the lounges close all the food is thrown into large garbage cans and lounges that have less people means less tips for the hard working waitresses and bartenders.

Great Cedar Casino Slot Lounge

The low quality lounge at Foxwoods is the "C2" lounge one located in the Great Cedar Casino (a.k.a.: Casino 2) High Limit Slots area which has a back door to the hallway across from the Cedar Steakhouse.

Lounge visitors here tend to be lower end slot players.

Customers are required to have made a minimum bet of $50 at a table game for 4 hours of play if entering Monday through Thursday and a minimum bet at a table game of $75 for 4 hours of play if entering Friday through Sunday. For special holiday weekends, a $100 minimum bet for 4 hours of play is required.

Of course, after having a conversation with a casino host, he admitted most eligible lounge customers make higher bets and play for shorter periods of time.

The same ratios do not hold true for poker players. They used to be given lounge access but since have been shut off since the casino does not find these types of customers to be profitable.

Access to lounges for slot players is based on a theoretical win average which calculates the denomination machine you are playing, your average bet, your average length of play, and the amount of coins circulating through the machine whether it be yours or coins you have won from the slot machine.

Food is not allowed to leave the lounge at C2 but customers can take drinks back on the casino floor.

Customers in all the lounges have been seen putting food in backpacks and have been caught by waitresses, bartenders, Marketing associates, casino hosts, etc.

These people usually are approached by casino hosts or security officers and told they cannot bring food outside the lounge.

Only a very limited circumstances do hosts allow food to be brought outside the lounge such as it going to a sick player but Food and Beverage staff members are told they cannot make these exemptions whatsoever.

The two medium quality lounges in Foxwoods are the 8th Floor Lounge off the 8th Floor concourse near the elevator bank of the Great Cedar Hotel and the 21st Floor Lounge near the junction of the main concourse and the elevator concourse on the 21st Floor.

Because of their feel, I believe they are the best lounges in the casino.

Since both casinos are not directly off the casino floor, food and beverages cannot be removed from these lounges.

Great Cedar Casino Tower 8th Floor Lounge

The 8th Floor Lounge is divided into three main areas: the bar, a seating area with fireplace and buffet area, and another seating area divided off from the first by a large wall.

Views of the Connecticut skyline can be seen on the 8th Floor lounge with views of the nearby parking garage.

Unlike the Cedar Lounge, the bar area is bigger with more seats and you do not have to worry about there being enough room between the bar seats and the table and chair areas.

The lounge features a piano and a pianist plays on Friday and Saturday nights when the lounge is the busiest.

With a glass wall between the employee desk and the buffet and entrances with no doors, this lounge has a particularly "open" sort of feel which leads 8th floor hotel guests to believe they have access to the lounge, which they don't unless they meet the established criteria.

Some hotel guests specifically request not staying on the 8th floor for this reason.

Great Pequot Tower 21st Floor Lounge

Visitors to the 21st Floor are greeted by a large mural of people playing cards around the card table all dressed in tuxedos.
Inside the lounge, beyond its wooden doors lies a hidden oasis of food, TV's, a bar, buffet, and excellent views.

There is a special room off the 21st floor reserved for state police, liquor gaming commission members, and other special guests with its own big screen television and commanding views.

At both the 8th and 21st floors, the average table bet for admittance is $100 for a minimum of four hours of play Monday through Thursday and is $150 Friday through Sunday for four hours of play. On holiday weekends, $200 average bet for four hours is required.

Typically table players visit these lounges but they both have a good mix of table players and slot players.

Newport Club Lounge

High end table game players often visit the casino level of the Grand Pequot Tower Casino for the Newport Club, a special high roller table area with special rooms with baccarat and other table games.

Those who consistently show high levels of table play can earn the ability to obtain a Newport Club card in replace of the Wampum Rewards card.

The Newport Club card must be renewed on an annual basis and a casino host or player development must review play before renewing the card.

After playing table games with high minimum bets, such players are promised a unique lounge experience in what is dubbed the "International Lounge".

It is called this because of the fact Chinese food such as noodles, soup, and fortune cookies can be found at the buffet area.
A regular seating area is featured along with an area slightly elevated with views of the Newport Club casino.

While this is the highest lounge in the casino, it is also one the most try to sneak into especially the Chinese who like to pass their Wampum Rewards cards to family or friends so they too can access the lounge.

This lounge tends to be extremely busy when there is an Asian show going on at the Fox Theatre.

A $150 minimum bet for four hours on Monday through Thursday or a $250 minimum bet for four hours Friday through Sunday is required to enter the Newport Club lounge. On holiday weekends, a $350 minimum bet is required.

High end slot players often enjoy playing in the Grand Pequot Tower's High Limit Slots area, the nicest and most modern of all the high limit slot areas in the casino.

This casino is "Casino 6" also called the "new casino" since it is the newest casino to be built to Foxwoods which started work before the Mohegan Sun opened and had construction halted until Foxwoods could measure any effect the competition would have on their business, the fact there was enough business to allow both casinos to open enticed Foxwoods to complete their expansion

The 6B a.k.a. Club Newport longue is located right off the high limits slots area. Those who consistently have high levels of slot play can obtain the status of obtaining the official Club Hampton card in place of the general Wampum Rewards card.

The Hampton Club card must be renewed on an annual basis and a casino host or player development must review play before renewing the card.

While this lounge has no windows similar to the Great Cedar lounge, the lounge is much nicer, more spacious, and has its own hallway to a set of restrooms.

Ironically, the Newport Lounge has no restrooms and patrons are forced to use the set in the back of the high roller casino or the set near the Grand Pequot Ballroom.

The Great Cedar High Limit Slots area has restrooms at the opposite end from the lounge while the 8th floor lounge has restrooms up the hall from the lounge.

The 21st floor lounge has restrooms right off the lobby area near where patrons register at the employee's desk.

Stargazer Casino

Last, but certainly not least, is the Stargazer Casino located on the 25th floor of the Grand Pequot Tower which features table games where minimums are usually between $200 and $300.

Private baccarat rooms are located off the Stargazer Casino while the casino has its own bar with televisions and of course an employee's desk up front next to a security guard.

Hosts admit this casino usually is dead or has only a few people, usually Hollywood stars who do not want to mingle with the common folk.

This casino features the top of the large spinning globe seen on Foxwoods television commercial and has a very fancy staircase which leads customers down to the Paragon restaurant on the 24th floor, a truly magnificent place to dine with its own bar and seating with an extraordinary view.

The Paragon restaurant is the most expensive restaurant in Foxwoods and usually requires reservations and its casual business dress code is strictly enforced so that customer's clothing style will match that of the classy atmosphere.

While the Stargazer Casino used to be like the lounges requiring one to qualify through ratings, now hosts will let customers in providing they are willing to bet higher amounts than down on the regular casino floor.

Expansion In the Works......

It is expected there will be more high roller casino space and lounges and Wampum Rewards booth locations in the new $700 million expansion Foxwoods is currently constructing and hopes to open by Spring 2008.

In addition to more slots and table gaming, the expansion will include additional restaurants, shops, two nightclubs and three general lounges, a performing arts theatre, flexible convention and meeting space, a new hotel tower with rooms and a spa, and a new parking garage.

The expansion is being built in the former Lot 9 customer/employee parking lot and on land located between Lot 9 and the Grand Pequot Tower.

During the expansion the casino entrance at Lot 9 is closed and large electronic signs alert motorists and direct them to use the Rainmaker Garage which usually has plenty of parking but has white 6 foot pillars in which SUV's and pickup trucks could easily hit those due to limited clearance.

Those looking to steer clear of confusing rotaries should take I-95 North to I-395 North to Exit 79A to the end of Route 2A and follow signs while those taking I-95 South should use Route 32 North to I-395 North.