It was to be expected that the impact of the Monticello Grand Casino on the casinos at Viña del Mar would be immediate, and that has proved to be the case. It is easy to see that for Santiago residents a journey of 70 kilometres along the PanAmerican Highway would be preferable to the 200-kilometre drive to the coast on slower roads. In Mostazal there is ample time to enjoy a few hours of entertainment before returning home.

The new Novomatic-Sun International gaming complex has a better and brighter product to offer within easy reach of the vast population of the Chilean capital. Just three months have passed since the casino was opened and now around 5,000 visitors arrive every weekend. This movement is reflected in the contributions being made by Monticello to the Municipality of Mostazal.

Local Mayor Sergio Medel estimates that the community will benefit from around 2 billion pesos (US$3.5 million) a year from the casino. “These revenues are destined principally for investment projects, bringing tangible benefits, rather than being spent on a variety of other things.” So far a new ambulance has been acquired and improvements made at local schools. The municipality is formulating projects to encourage tourism in the area, bringing additional money into the local economy. (E-04.17.09)

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