Land-Based Casinos
Aside from being built to be places of entertainment, casinos can also be very enthralling based solely on the news and gossip they produce. The Australian example that comes to mind is that of the on-going casino wars between Crown Casino and Star City, two of the three most prestigious casinos in the country. These are serious casinos with serious high-rollers and serious stakes, so it’s unsurprising that the rivalry is making such (serious) waves. Million-dollar revamps, security, and biometrics are just the beginning of the measures taken in a bid to lure in more tourists.
It is undeniable that the upper echelon of Australia’s gambling establishments: Crown Casino, Star City and Jupiter’s Hotel and Casino, is an unmissable part of the Australian experience.These complexes offer an all-round experience, and this has naturally bred a great deal of competition between them. So let’s take a look at these land-based giants.
• Crown Casino and Entertainment Complexin Melbourne
This is the largest casino in the southern hemisphere, located on the south bank of the Yarra River, in Melbourne.
Crown provides the six main casino games of Blackjack, Craps, PaiGow, Poker, Baccarat and Roulette and Rapid Roulette in which all gaming takes place on a personal electronic touch screen connected to a central roulette wheel. There are endless rows of slot machines.
If you are not a gambler, there are many other attractions at Crown Casino, including shopping, night clubs, restaurants and bars, sports watching, a movie theatre, bowling alley and arcade, laser tag, and live shows. There is a lot to look at, including the main foyer ceiling lights and waterfall, and the flame show outside the casino:along the river promenade, there are eight huge columns that serve as fountains by day and shoot fireballs at night. They are very spectacular to see, so take a stroll along the waterfront around this time. There are also various exhibitions in the atrium through-out the year.
• Star City in Sydney
This is the second largest casino in Australia. It overlooks the stunning Darling Harbour.
The casino features four gaming floors - recent rebuilding works have added extra gaming areas to the main floor. The amount of poker tables has been steadily increased and now stands at 30. Expect the usual entertainment complex attractions and splendour. Further entertainment is provided by the Lyric Theatre, which contains an amazing 2000 seats.The casino also boasts a large variety of restaurants,including five star fine dining and eight bars which have live entertainment on weekends!Both bars and restaurants are open 24/7, so there is entertainment to be had any time you like.
• Jupiters Hotel & Casino on the Gold Coast.
Located at Broadbeach, Gold Coast, this casino is set near one of the longest strips of vibrant, pristine, beach in the world. The hotel is thoroughly eco-friendly yet stylish. There is a variety of 5-star accommodation options and a 24-hour casino. The huge gambling complex features hundreds of table games and Slots, and many Poker tables. There are also seven restaurants (everything from Italian to exotic international cuisines) and eight fashionable bars.
The entertainment on offer is truly first-class: there is a theatre, fitness centre, live music shopping arcade, hair salon, swimming pool and spa!