Macau is like Hong Kong, a sort of special administrative region of the People's Republic of China. It seems to be completely independent and has turned into one of the richest cities in the world. In many ways Las Vegas and the casinos of Monte Carlo look a little dated next to the casinos of Macau. The casino development is staggering. In October 2007 there were believed to be 3,992 tables and 11,500 slots in Macau, huge increases from the previous year – and climbing. The Venetian Sands belongs to the Las Vegas Sands Corporation headed by Sheldon G. Adelson, who is the chairman and CEO. This is the second largest building in the world and the largest in Asia. It is a virtual city under one roof. It has 3,000 suites, 1.2 million square feet of convention and exhibition space and a 1,800-seat theatre. The building is large enough to hold ninety Boeing 747 jumbo jets and there nowhere else in Asia that one can find the combination of facilities, attractions and amenities than at this casino offers. It boasts a 15,000 seat arena that can be transformed and customized to accommodate any event providing world-class entertainment. I spent 3 days walking around goggle-eyed and unable to absorb everything I was seeing. And the place was full of tourists and visitors all busy gambling, eating, drinking and having a great time. What did it cost? Not nearly as bad as I thought it would be. A suite with a double bed came to HKD 2,238 or US$ 287 per night. The food in the restaurants was great and the shows we watched were stunning. The gambling? Like every other casino, but there are hundreds of tables and thousands of slot machines. I played a little roulette and some blackjack just to keep my hand in but most of the time I just gaped at everything. It was a fantastic experience and I’m dying to go back. Meantime I will stay home and gamble online on my laptop and try and raise the price of the air-tickets. Posted on: September 6, 2008
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