Macau outstrips The Strip

Las Vegas has arrived.... This is from the Taipei Times.... Macau outstrips The Strip Since Macau became part of China, gambling in the former Portuguses enclave has taken off in a big way, outdoing even Las Vegas Auge cheer breaks through the cacophony at Sands Macau Casino as the 4 million pataca (US$518,000) blackjack jackpot is won. Lights flash, music plays and hordes of tourists, mostly from China, gather around to congratulate the beaming winner. Later, by the huge cocktail bar, two scantily clad Western girls gyrate on podiums to the "muzak" of a house band fronted by two equally skimpily attired female singers. Overhanging the slot machines and the baccarat, roulette and card tables, a gigantic video screen the size of a tennis court flashes pop videos and ads for other casino attractions, including the upstairs buffet in a restaurant as big as two soccer pitches. Gambling Macau-style has changed dramatically since Sands, a subsidiary of the Venetian company that owns its namesake hotel-casino complex in Las Vegas, opened in May. Taipei Times - archives