Tag: Casinos View All Tags
Borgata Hotel
Illegal Betting Ring Busted Up at the Borgata Hotel & Casino
November 15, 2007 at 9:15 AM | 0 Comments
While we never encountered anything but good food, a relaxing spa treatment and a lucky pull at the slots during our stay, there were much more sinister things going on under the surface at the Borgata Hotel and Casino in Atlantic City.
Law enforcement agencies arrested 23 managers, bankers, casino employees and agents yesterday for participating in an elaborate illegal betting scheme.
The Borgata security and surveillance departments helped investigators watch six casino employees, reputed mob associates and others in off-the-books exchanges of cash and casino chips during illegal betting in the poker room.
Gamblers learned of the illegal gaming - which authorities claimed siphoned $22 million from legitimate casino games - by word-of-mouth.
Losing gamblers were forced to borrow money at 50 percent annual interest to cover their debts.
Leading this scheme were four mobsters (they still exist!) from a Philadelphia-South Jersey crime family. The four men were also arrested yesterday.
Authorities reported that the sting didn't affect anything on the casino floor yesterday. It was gambling as usual but we bet those eyes in the skies are keeping a very careful watch.
Related Stories:
· Alleged mob-run bet ring smashed inside Borgata [Philly Daily News]
· Fire Torches The Water Club at AC's Borgata [HotelChatter]
Casinos
The Venetian Macau Becomes World's Biggest Casino
September 5, 2007 at 9:44 AM | 0 Comments
A pinnacle of capitalism -- the world's largest casino -- is now located in the world's largest communist country, China.
On September 1, the Venetian Macau resort/hotel/casino/manmade city, opened its doors. The complex houses more than 350 shops along its faux Venetian rivers, 30 restaurants, 3,000 rooms starting at about $203 a night, and more than a million square feet of meeting space. Oh yeah, and there's a 15,000-seat arena. Further, The Los Angeles Times has this to say about the casino:
The Venetian Macao's casino is three times larger than the biggest one in Vegas. It has 150 V.I.P. tables in 50 private gaming suites and lounges, occupying a total space three times larger than a similar area at the Venetian in Vegas. Minimum bets at these salons start at $2,500, 100 times more than in the main casino.
Somewhere in Beijing, Mao Zedong rolls over in his mausoleum.
Related Stories:
· Vegas of the Far East [LA Times]
[Photo: Sydney Morning Herald]
Wynn
The Eerily Silent Wynn Macau Reviews
January 29, 2007 at 3:26 PM | 1 Comment
Former Portuguese colony, Macau, is emerging as one of Asia's new tourism hotspots. Gamblers can't get enough of this new Vegas, and when the Wynn Las Vegas clone, Wynn Macau opened last fall we figured we would be hearing plenty of tips, reviews, and scuttlebutt about the Wynn clone.
Alas, like most clones it appears that Wynn Macau is lacking a fully formed soul. Of course, it is visually stunning, just like the original and offers all the requisite luxury hardware you would expect, but it is the software that gets people griping. Early complaints we hear include, but are not limited to: the lack of a dedicated Wynn shuttle from the ferry building, the lobby bar shutting down at 10pm., and the overall level of service.
Nothing that the Wynn hotel maestros can't fix, after all the shell is there, sounds like this place just needs a dose of Steve Wynn himself. After all the benevolent, yet pedantic, dictator who loathes split infinitives surely despises long waits in hotel shuttle lines just as much.
The Google Earth shot above was obviously taken during the construction phase of Wynn Macau. It just reminded us so much of the early second Death Star shots from Return of the Jedi that we felt like sharing the irony. Yes, we know, these days Wynn Macau is fully operational.
Don't worry, Steve Wynn doesn't bite. Feel free to let the world know what you think of Wynn Macau in the comments.
Related Stories:
· Wynn Macau reviews [TripAdvisor]
· Wynn Macau [Google Maps]
