Dearest Friends of the Buzz,

The following is my humble opinion on my humble site:

And now as the violins fade up and out... I have to announce that this site is done when the domain name expires. I know, I know, I'm sad too. At least it's a great portfolio piece and I've achieved one of my goals - I learned a lot about website development. I'll continue to create and study more online. Please wish me luck! Since I'm a project manager by trade, it's proper to wrap things up with lessons learned.

Remember, remember just last September.
Triple Crown took away all your comps!!!

Here we go:

Cripple Creek is rated as the “Best Day Trip” but there's a curse to it ... people only think of coming up only for a day! Most tourism seeks to get people to stay longer. Hey, there's some good press in the biker magazines, right? I had some ideas for the Chamber of Commerce. I am a member after all. But they declined to let me speak. It's ok. I have a website :)

I created this site not because the town needed one (or asked me). The official site is really good and I've received a couple of newsletters over the years. Plus there are a lot of other sites here for everything including mines, museums, shops, casinos, etc. Plus everyone has facebook pages. Geeez, there really are a lot sites. The problem is that all the sites become a jumble because nothing ties it all together in a giant "Welcome to Cripple Creek" bow! That's what this site sought to do - unite. If you want people to know about you – make it easy to find - and include everything. Website 101.

The official site mentions the casinos. The casino sites might mention that there is a town. Do you see the disconnect? Cripple Creek is a unique, family friendly town in an unique geographical area with a lot of history going for it – it's the World's Greatest Gold Camp. The casinos are decidedly anti-family and apparently anti-history and anti-town. It's no wonder there's no movement forward. It's stuck. And boring. Once you've taken the train and walked a bit (do buy some fudge – it's delicious) you're done. That is if you're a family. You are not welcome around casinos with anyone called “under 21”. Turns out it's the the best day trip because it's only worth a day of your time.

Remember, remember just last September.
Triple Crown took away all your comps!!!

Casinos started off extremely family-friendly in Cripple Creek. I know because I visited in '91 and then almost yearly; sometimes with kids along. There were arcades and other stuff to do. Over time it's been phased out. I don't know why except I was told by a high-level marketing exec at triple crown (a reliable source) “casinos only want gamblers”. I was stunned. What? That only works in an established gambling town like Vegas. No, wait – the kids and I loved going to Vegas. That doesn't make sense. Gamblers are families. If I'm going to go gamble, I want value for my money that means it's a family affair. Especially these days. And yell at my kids, make us feel uncomfortable? You've lost future customers. Don't you know kids are the gamblers of tomorrow? You can either enchant them now and welcome them in the future or scare them off forever. Not only bad for casinos but bad for the town.

So explore Cripple Creek. Learn the rich gold-rush history but that's about it. Want to gamble? When the casinos cry so loudly about doing so badly it gets translated into “machines are as tight as...” (I have to come up with a really good analogy here – currently it's inappropriate for a PG audience) and you're not winning. I gamble because I like to win and I used to be able to do that. At least a little but no more. Casinos actually think I'm crazy to want to win or to think I will. Did you hear Big Jim's recent comments? He said it's $40-50 bucks of entertainment. That's fine but provide more otherwise what's the point. It's a long drive to Cripple Creek and it costs money regardless of whether I take the bus or drive. I won't win and there's nothing else to do. Why should I go to Cripple Creek?

Remember, remember just last September.
Triple Crown took away all your comps!!!

I thought we had a sign at the state's border that said: “No Whining!” Can we put one of those up? Our casinos are a bunch of whiny cry babies. That's right, I said it. I was personally wrecked in the recession – my job went overseas and savings is long gone – and the casinos are complaining??? When the great people of the great state of Colorado voted to allow casinos to operate, it was done for economic development. Casinos were suppose to boost the economies of their surrounding areas, right?

What is concerning is that the casinos dare to use the recession as an excuse for their problems. The thing is, if they had sought to understand how the recession affected their customers and then took steps to address specific issues – I would buy it. But that isn't the case – at least studying how they market. Adding salt to my wound, last year, Triple Crown simply wiped out all my comps. That hurt.

To make me feel better, I got another stuffed animal from Bronco Billy's. Really? Gee, thanks.

Last year there were cars in front of Bronco Billy's. This year it's a mini-bike. Just saying. And I could go on and on about all the casinos. Cheap, crappy, who cares promotions. Who's in charge?

This summer marks 20 years - where's the celebration or even mention of it? It seems like it should be a big deal ...20 years

There's a rule in business that you need to know your customers. Which brings me to my theory about the smoking ban. Here it is... are you ready? The casinos secretly supported the ban. Smoking is bad for their property. They had to make it look like they were against it for solidarity with their customers but they're fine with the dog … er, I mean smoking shelters and had those ready to go. They're fine treating customers like second class citizens. I can not believe that an industry able to secured a 5% tax decrease from the state couldn't have worked out a compromise about smoking???? Sorry, not buying it. They wanted the smoking ban. Smokers be damned. Now they want to blame the smoking ban. See? Whiney, cry babies.

btw: the Governor of Colorado is AWESOME!!

They thought they had it all figured out with electronic cigarettes. And the thing is casinos were right. E-cigs are the answer for those of us who want to quit icky cigs but still smoke. I thank Cripple Creek casinos for introducing me to the electronic cigarette. I was able to quit smoking traditional cigs and that is thanks to the casinos who carried them. It just didn't happen overnight. Couldn't you have given it some time? Colorado is now completely non-smoking but the only thing available are traditional cigarettes? Wouldn't it make sense to offer alternatives? I thought so but no. And don't ask anymore. The answer is no. No is spelled n-o. It makes me think if casinos had been in charge of cell phones, we'd all be on land lines.

So anti-family, obnoxious complaining, obvious downsizing, ridiculous tax cuts, questionable practices, and you wonder why casino business in Cripple Creek is down? If I see it, what are smart people thinking? Here's where (hopefully) smart people join the conversation. These thoughts remain as long as the site remains. The contact form remains as well.

Remember, remember just last September.
Triple Crown took away all your comps!!!

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