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/Reuters/
- LOS ANGELES, CA - A touch of Las Vegas is heading east: Atlantic
City on July 3rd will open its first casino in 13 years, a billion-dollar
tower that dominates the landscape of a faded New Jersey seashore
town in need of rejuvenation.
The 43-story
Borgata
brings Las Vegas luxury touches to a gambling center that matches
the Nevada boomtown in visitors, but has stayed in its shadow
for lack of glamour and fame.
Borgata
could change that with its 2,002 marble and wood-lined rooms,
11 restaurants overseen by famous chefs, expensive shops and
theaters, and even high-speed Internet for conventioneers.
But it's
not easy to open a casino, even in a town that never sleeps.
Las Vegas's newest casino, the Aladdin,
went bankrupt in 2001, a year after it opened, and Atlantic
City's own Taj
Mahal went bankrupt in 1991, also a year after starting
up. Meanwhile, sparkling American Indian-run casinos are drawing
crowds in Connecticut, challenging Atlantic City.
"The
logical extension of Atlantic City occurred in Connecticut,"
said Bob Boughner, head of the Borgata,
which is a joint venture between Boyd Gaming and MGM Mirage,
two big casino companies new to the city.
In a recent
interview, Boughner blamed Atlantic City's dry spell on casino
operators whom he said failed to "reinvent" the city.
"They gave it a coat of paint and a clever ad campaign,"
he said. "That is not going to work
any more."
Gambling
and Not Much Anything Else
Atlantic
City and Las Vegas each draw about 35 million visitors annually.
Las Vegas, however, brings in more money, with hotels, food
and shows that provide about half the revenue for upscale properties
and keep gamblers in town longer.
Outside
the casinos in Atlantic City, the biggest attraction is the
boardwalk along the beach, but the sand dunes are held together
by partially visible rubber forms, and the sight of boarded-up
houses temper the feeling
of nostalgia.
The Borgata
is not the only new development, though.
There's
also a new convention center, shopping and other casinos that,
along with the Borgata,
will add about 4,000 rooms - a 35 percent increase - between
2001 and 2005.
Standard
& Poor's analyst Craig Parmelee predicted good business
for the Borgata,
which he said could weather some bad times thanks to a relatively
light debt load and two strong backers.
Rivals Park
Place Entertainment and Harrah's Entertainment could feel a
pinch, though, he said.
Investment
bank Thomas Weisel Partners said the Taj brought new visitors
to
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The
Borgata is a first class casino hotel resort and entertainment
complex consisting of approximately 4 million square feet, including
a 2,000 room hotel, 130,000 square foot of casino space, 8 restaurants,
a theater, an entertainment lounge, convention facilities, retail
space & a parking structure.
the city
in 1990, but also sucked business from rivals, whose profits
took two years to recover.
Park Place
spokesman Robert Stewart said he expected the impact of Borgata
to die down in a month or two, and all casinos should benefit
from the new crowd it draws.
"They
are going after a younger market," he said, "and they
are going after people who have said no to Atlantic City in
the past."
Harrah's
Chief Executive Gary Loveman also said the market would expand,
and his company would do well despite new competition. He compared
his modest casino in Las Vegas with the marble-clad Bellagio.
"In all of Las Vegas, the casino with the highest win per
unit is Harrah's Las Vegas," he said, "and it certainly
did not cost as much as the Bellagio."
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The
Venetian Opens 'Venezia' Hotel Tower
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VEGAS - The
Venetian Resort-Hotel-Casino opened the new Venezia
hotel tower comprised of an additional 1,013 luxury suites
and featuring a lavish pool deck, The Venetian's first
wedding chapel, an exclusive Concierge-Level featuring
a private lounge and a restaurant by Thomas Keller which
is scheduled to open later this year.
Additionally,
the Venezia opening coincides with the debut of The Venetian
Congress Center expansion of 150,000 square feet, including
three ballrooms, 64 meeting rooms and three permanent
boardrooms. To accommodate the new expansion, The
Venetian has added 1,000 more parking spaces.
Just
as the The
Venetian set a new standard for hospitality, luxury
and convenience, the new $275 million, 12-story, all-suite
Venezia furthers that legacy. As Las Vegas' only hotel
featuring a Concierge Level, this "hotel within a
hotel" promises to be both an oasis of tranquility
and an unparalleled forum for business and discerning
travelers. Guests will discover a new sense of refinement
adjacent to world-class gaming and entertainment.
With
the addition of Venezia, The
Venetian is now the third largest hotel in the world
by room count. "We are excited about the premiere
of Venezia and all it has to offer our guests," noted
Brad Stone, executive vice president of Las Vegas Sands
Inc., the parent company of The
Venetian. "This will be the only place in the
world where guests can encounter 18 fine dining restaurants,
the world's largest convention center and a world-renowned
art museum all under one roof."
Venezia overlooks a lavish pool deck reminiscent
of a Venetian garden. With breath-taking vistas, the pool
garden features a swimming pool, three spas and ornate
gazebos. Additionally, Venezia features The Venetian's
first wedding chapel, a 2,500-square-foot area seating
up to 160 people which can be separated into three smaller
chapels. Later this year, Venezia will be home to an exciting
new restaurant concept by acclaimed chef Thomas Keller.
Much like The Venetian's award-winning
suites, the standard luxury suite accommodations of Venezia
tower include elegant, modern Italian decor and average
more than 700 square feet, but their nine-and-half (9'6")-foot
ceilings allow for a greater sense of space. The standard
suite includes a spacious private bed chamber with draped
canopies, an oversized 130-square-foot bathroom finished
in Italian marble, and a sunken living room area furnished
with a convertible sofa, two upholstered chairs, a desk
and a dining table. The suite functions as not only a
place to relax or entertain, but as a place to work if
necessary.
The
standard suite has three telephones complete with high-speed
Internet access, data ports and a fax machine that doubles
as a copier and computer printer. Additionally, the suite
features a safe large enough for a laptop computer, a
fully stocked mini-bar and two 27-inch flat screen color
TVs - one inside a bedroom armoire; the other located
inside an entertainment center in the living room.
Included among the 1,013 new suites are
122 Concierge Level suites featuring unique amenities
and appointments that are built upon The Venetian's proud
tradition of unmatched service. These include private
access, an executive lounge to offer food and beverage
twice daily, high-speed Internet access, daily newspaper
delivery service, automatic turndown nightly with special
amenity and "goodnight wishes," bottled water
and European-style turndown mat, complimentary shoe shine,
silk hangers, plants in suites including a bud vase with
an orchid in the bathroom, and personalized business cards
and stationery will be given to all Concierge Level guests
staying three or more nights.
The
Venetian
Resort-Hotel-Casino, a recipient of the Exxon/Mobile
Four Star Award, AAA's Four Diamond Award and the Five
Star-Diamond Award by the American Academy of Hospitality
Sciences, is one of the world's most luxurious resort
and convention destinations. Additionally, the property
has been honored as "The Top 5 Catering Departments
in the World" by Meetings and Conventions Magazine.
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