The WHALE watchers are out in full force, but what looks like water on their faces is really sweat, and may soon turn to egg if their expectations fall short. Opulence is the name of the game now in Las Vegas hotels (now you $20 players are history). Suites that keep big-time gamblers in big-time luxury while they're here in Vegas. In Vegas there are few stories as big as a good "Whale" story (a whale is a very high-roller) the most famous of the modern Vegas era is still the Kerry Packer story. In 1995, Kerry Packer, an Australian billionaire, won over $6 million at the MGM, playing Baccarat, he tipped the dealers and cocktail waitresses almost $2 million, they took home almost $10,000 each for that day!) and brought their quarterly earnings way down and he was staying at the Monte Carlo at the time!

The high-rollers, the gamblers that can boost a casino's quarterly earnings or drop them dramatically in just a few hours of play. These players often frequent the $100,000 limit tables as tourists sometimes just feet away, in tank tops and bermuda shorts, search for a $5 blackjack table on the weekends. And for that $100,000 a hand Bacarrat player, the suites of the top Las Vegas casinos make their millionaire guests feel right at home. "We have four $750,000 suites, 3,500 sq.feet each that are never rented out" said Michelle Knoll, Marketing Director at the Monte Carlo, "I'm often asked how much a suite could be bought for and all I can answer is "play $10,000 a hand average bet for a few hours and we'll light the fireplaces, turn on the tub and chill the Dom Perignon".

But the $750,000 pricetag at the M.C. is just a nice room compared to the L.V.Hilton, Caesars Palace and now the Bellagio's pricetags. But you can bet with a $1.8 billion pricetag, $315 million went to buying a few "paintings" alone, the Bellagio will be incredible. Their high roller suites are an estimated 8,000 sq.ft.each and cost around $4 million a piece. Although, much to Steve Wynn's chagrin, he's being forced to exhibit his art to the public for free, four hours a day, five days a week, if he wants the $15 million and $3 million a year tax exemption. They won't even let him charge the $10 per person entrance fee to pay the costs of insurance, security and although most art museums all charge an entry fee having Van Gogh, Cezanne, Monet, Renoir and Pablo Picasso in Las Vegas is still considered by the State of Nevada as just another "advertisement" for Las Vegas and the Bellagio, might as well poke holes in Van Gogh's STARRY NIGHT and put neon lights on it and little white lights in the background for the stars. (oh ya,and make em blink too.)

Could you imagine the look on Wynn's face as a family of 6 from Texarkana in their $12 Wal-Mart fashions stroll through "the paintin' section", kids slurping on a $1.50 icecream cone, mom's screaming "Billy Jr. wipe that off the damn picture and wipe your nose, yah go ahead, use your sleeve, hey honey, take a picture of me and the Van Joe." The Bellagio at over 7 million sq.ft. and boasts a 9 acre lake, complete with dancing waters, will have plenty of casino space to make up the cost of the art. Mandalay Bay, the Venetian, The Paris, along with the new Aladdin coming soon, with over 20,000 rooms to fill, projections still have the Bellagio booked through New Years, at half the original price of $300 a room (I swear the Vegas papers quoted an unbelievable $155 a night) and all us dealers can say to everyone here in Vegas is "GOOD LUCK!" and to Steve Wynn, you should have bought the whole damn state if you expected these idiots to get it right the first time."

Check out our Banners and Page Personalities page.
Get you're GameMaster Online page stuff now!
Collect 'em all!