Harrah's Opens Major Casino in Glasgow
While trends in Las Vegas casino construction and marketing head one direction, in the United Kingdom goals are entirely different. Harrah's Entertainment, one of the casino giants largely responsible for turning the Vegas Strip into an elitist playground, has opened the Alea Glasgow, a $50 million casino venture whose management insists the place will cater to middle- and working-class people.
Although no expense was spared in creating luxurious conditions at the Alea, a spokesman said the casino was not "exclusive", and would welcome the crowd looking for an afternoon pint, as they are "open for everyone".
Sales and marketing manager Nicola Mackenzie said: "As far as we're concerned, the days of casinos being the domain of men in tuxedos are over. There's no formal dress code. As long as you're smart and tidy you will be more than welcome. We want to be as welcoming as possible to everyone."
Among the breaks with traditional casino design are the large and numerous windows, featured to give splendid views of the Clyde River. Typically, casinos have no windows to create a timeless effect, encapsulating gamblers so they might play longer.
The Alea had hoped to be the first British supercasino, with unlimited slots and table games, but lost its bid for that. Currently, the casino will be limited to 20 slot machines, along with limited roulette and card games, the same as Glasgow's five older casinos. But the Alea is prepared for much more if restrictions should change in the future; there is room among the restaurant, conference area, and three bars to install many more slots and tables, and a third floor could easily be added.
Clearly, Harrah's is preparing for tomorrow as well as today. Expectations of changing regulation in the United Kingdom is behind every aspect of the Alea, and, considering the worldwide trend toward loosening gambling restrictions, this may be a wise bet.
