Casinos Austria International (CAI) opened it’s latest casino on July 29 with a official opening ceremony and reception complete with local dignitaries, gaming authority representatives and select guests. The Gran Casino Los Angeles is located in the capital of the Bio-Bio province in the southern part of Chile. The Vienna-based CAI was awarded the license to develop and operate the casino in 2006 and expands CAI reach further south than ever.
“We are very excited about our new casino,” said the general manager of Gran Casino Los Angeles, Gabriel Benvenuto. “The interior has been inspired by the amazing natural surroundings around Los Angeles. With its original woodwork and modern, spacious design, Gran Casino Los Angeles is a great new attraction in the heart of the city.”
Benvenuto went on to say, “Our dedicated team of local employees has been extensively trained.” So far the casino opening has added more than 100 jobs into the local economy and it is expected that it will be a popular new tourist attraction for the region. More jobs will be added later in the year when the complex completes the rest of the project, including a five-star 90-room hotel, spa facilities and a conference center.
The completed casino floor included 12 gaming tables (roulette, Caribbean Poker, blackjack, punto banco and mini craps), a 40-seat bingo room and 200 slot machines. Other amenities to be found include a restaurant and bar for guests to enjoy while they gamble the night away.
CAI and its partners operate 54 land based casinos in 18 countries and 13 shipboard casinos. CAI’s parent company, Casinos Austria AG, operates all 12 casinos found in Austria. The company won the Empire Events Gaming Awards 2008 in London for the category of Casino Operator Europe. The company’s growth has been record-breaking recently with 2007 seeing revenues rise more than 10% over the previous year and it’s guest numbers rising over 5% in the same period. CAI recently signed a letter of intent with Diamondhead Casino Corporation to partner in developing, building and operating a destination casino resort in Diamondhead, Mississippi in the US.
