Gambling Blog

Casinos in the states of Missouri and Illinois have maintained that they will be able to keep visitor numbers high over the coming year despite the news that a new $507 million casino is to be opened in downtown St Louis.

To be operated by Las Vegas-based gaming giant Pinnacle Entertainment, the

will boast a 24-storey tower housing hundreds of hotel rooms and conference facilities in addition to a 75,000 square feet gaming floor.

The new complex is currently being designed by Marnell Architecture, the firm behind the Bellagio in Las Vegas, with an opening pencilled in for March 2008.

Despite the impressive blueprints,

general manager Todd George stated that the new venue is about much more than simply “bricks and mortar”.

“Our product is the experience people go away with,” he told abc News.

The news comes as rival Las Vegas operator Wynn announced that it is to focus its attentions on Macau in 2008, with a further 85 gaming tables and 551 slot machines to be introduced to its casino in the former Portuguese colony over the coming weeks.