[dewey089]

I appreciate that followup also. The most frustrating part of redeeming coupons is when for some reason they can't be redeemed.

The casinos that put coupons into such books as the ACG and their staff should understand that whenever someone with a coupon takes a journey based on the coupon, the advertisement has worked. And whenever that matchplay or other coupon promise is not kept (regardless of the fine print) they are fundamentally getting negative advertising.

The OP is pretty generous.
Had I had that experience, I would have never gone back to that casino.
I stopped playing for a good long while at Ellis Island when BJ Pete started making it a major task to use a matchplay, including violating the rule that the book is not necessary. I never stopped going there with my book and my card and taking a good bit of time to ask permission to use the card, to asking perhaps twice and then to taking the time it takes to take it out of the book without ripping, all on the BJ table. But until last visit I did not add to my visit the kind of VP play that I had always added after the matchplay.
I thought then that the bit of advantage saved by the casino did not offset my new frugal play style let alone the number the change in visitation by folks who read this board and ask "Is Ellis Island worth my time to visit?"

These sort of casinos like Ellis Island or the Plaza get as much bad press as recommendations so they need some lost leader to draw in players. When they frustrate the advertisement they have agreed to, (regardless of fine print) they negate the benefit.

I also recommend that the OP send to the Plaza a complete description of the event as well as a link to this thread. Folks in higher up positions don't always know when their employees are doing what they expect them to do. They appreciate being told, and they often respond with some perk to the writer for the time it took to write. I have had room charges forgiven when I pushed what I thought was injustice. And because of that response from higher ups, my attitude has also changed, and I am again willing to play or stay there at the casinos who played me badly because they owned up to it and made it right.

IN a similar vein, I generally make it a point not to gamble in places that don't allow a solo 50% rate on coupons. I go to Terribles because they do allow that. That is my own personal lobby.