Rolling the dice at the Crown casino
MELBOURNE (JP): Director Martin Scorcese portrays a gambling world ridden with violence in Casino, but such savagery is nowhere to be found in Melbourne's Crown Casino.
Situated on the north bank of the Yarra River, the Crown is more filled with exhilaration than gangsters. Courtesy and hospitable personnel welcome guests to this three-year-old casino, dubbed the largest in the southern hemisphere. (The MGM in Las Vegas is the world's biggest.)
All visitors are warmly welcomed, no matter what their background and provided that they are 18 years old of age or over. Even for a stranger like me, my first trip to Melbourne was filled with smiles regardless of the time or place.
Unless inappropriately dressed, security guards kindly usher betters to the games of their choice. More than 2,500 video machines are on offer as well as 250 gaming tables, including baccarat, blackjack, roulette, craps, big wheel, pokies, pai gow, sic bo, Caribbean stud, sportsbook and tab. Chip prices range from A$2 to $50.
A stroll through the two-story gambling arena is like a journey through a labyrinth. I could not stop turning my head to stare at the crowd and listen to the mutters, cheers and certain expressions that I had never heard. Everybody looked to be enjoying the lively atmosphere, available 24 hours a day.
A couple leaned against a pillar in a deep kiss, shielding themselves under the shadow of the post. Nobody cared. Asians were also surprisingly well represented.
Barry Chen, the casino's tourism coordinator, said that Asians make up 40 percent of the Crown's visitors. "Some of them are Indonesians," he said, adding that it is difficult to estimate how many people come in to play everyday.
Chen, a 29-year-old of Chinese descent and a six-year resident of Melbourne, said that Asians usually spend more than Western people. When asked to explain, he simply said: "Asians have a different point of view about gambling from Western people who go to casinos for fun and entertainment."
His observation became obvious. One Asian couple I noticed stuck close to a spinning roulette wheel without taking their eyes off the ball. The man placed a bet based on his partner's request, which followed what she thought was a trend. One $5-chip after another went up in smoke, but they refused to give up.
One of my touring mates, Ben, left the casino empty-handed after playing blackjack, his favorite, on his first visit. Ben, who works at a well-known travel agency, set a date for revenge. He returned to the Crown two days later and, after playing until after midnight, he romped home with more than $400.
"I never miss a casino when I visit Australia, but not because I have a lot of money. It's a service to my customers," Ben told me the morning after.
The Crown, however, cautions against excessive gambling, which can lead to emotional, personal, family and marital problems. The casino provides a free, confidential service that offers information and/or independent professional counseling to people who want to put an end to their gambling habit.
Hudson Conway Ltd., the owner of the casino, recorded $36 million in net profit last year. This figure, said Chen, excludes the 30 percent of the gross profit that went to the government's coffers.
The company is completing a $1.6 billion five-star Crown Towers hotel and entertainment complex located on 5.6 hectares across from the Yarra River and the temporary Crown casino.
Destined to become one of Australia's major tourist attrac tion, the new Crown will offer an array of facilities, including a casino with 350 gaming tables and 2,500 video game machines. It is due to open to the public early next year.
"Crown Towers is the acknowledged catalyst for Melbourne's rejuvenation in preparation for the 21st century," said Susan Fuller, Crown's marketing and communications manager.
After a couple hours of chatting, Chen finally gave me, a gambling novice, a shot at the roulette wheel. I felt the thrill of trying my luck and hoped to multiply my $25 bet. As my chips slowly ran out, though, I realized that luck, like gambling, simply offers no guarantees. (amd)