By: Las Vegas Now Staff
The Marriott is taking a rare step right now to maintain a valuable gaming license across the street from the Convention Center. The company's spent a lot of money – to open a casino for one day.
It cost the company $50,000 to set up a temporary casino. It's open to the public, but they aren't going to make that back today. But they will in the future.
The white tent on the dirt lot is a gambling hall. We invited some tourists inside; they looked confused and wanted out.
“It's kind of bizarre,” said tourist Marianne Harsch. Compared to what we are used to seeing on the Strip, that's saying a lot. “I doubt anyone is going to play here or even know it existed, so why play here?”
It looks like this casino is doomed, but that's part of the $50,000 plan. Here's what's going on. Marriott bought the site of The Beach. It demolished the building, putting the gaming license in jeopardy. To keep the license, the county required a one-day casino at a cost of $50,000.
“We are taking donations to help fund our new hotel, and so we will see how the day goes,” said Vice President of Marriott Development Mark Birtha. As employees tried their luck, he says in the next couple of years, it will be a full-fledged casino. “We are all excited about the development. We want to do on this site in the future, commemorate the experience and share what they are doing with the employees.”
It's a casino, only the visionary employees can appreciate.
It opened at 6 a.m. on Wednesday. County inspectors stopped by and it will be closed at 2 p.m., so if you want to try your luck – you have to make it there by then.
Email your comments to Reporter Ky Plaskon.
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