At the start of the witching hour and at the stroke of midnight tomorrow the newest and largest casino in Britain will open its doors to the general public. In the heart of London’s West End and with around 100,000 people in the neighbourhood each day – the casino is near theatres and Chinatown, Covent Garden and Piccadilly – the Empire is accustomed to attracting the crowds. First opened as the Empire Ballroom in 1884, the venue has been a music hall, a cinema and a nightclub. Its latest transformation, billed as being a touch of Vegas in the heart of London, is a glamorous £15 million (US30 million) makeover into a casino.

Gaming tables (around 30), slot machines (around 100 including 20 £4000 jackpot machines), two restaurants, five bars and an ice cream bar plus Vegas style dancers are expected to help open the casino market that lags behind the USA and France. In Britain only around 3% of the population are casino visitors (US 27%; France 16%) but the new legislation should see that number rise. London Clubs International (LCI), now part of the Harrah’s Entertainment empire, is sure that its new leisure casino concept, where gambling is just part of the entertainment, will open a new market of locals and international visitors.

The glamour image that casinos once enjoyed is being recreated at the Casino at the Empire. A massive ‘Fire and Ice’ chandelier and crystal decorations add sparkle and the Paul Steelmen Design Group, famed for The Mirage and Sands Macau amongst other projects, has created a sumptuous setting for the UK’s newest casino. The Casino at the Empire covers over 58,000 sq ft and has a VIP lounge with balcony where film stars attending premieres at the Empire Cinema next door can go to be seen - a definite dash of glamour for London’s newest casino. (E-05.29.07)

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