Arriving Macau - Las Vegas influence

Teased by MK's post, I paid a two day visit to the Chinese gambling city Macau. I lost count of how many times I have been there. The recent de-monopolization of casino operation rights supposedly brought out the big guns from Hong Kong and Las Vegas and rumored to have turned the economy upside down - gaming revenue has sky rocketed while the labor market has swung decisively one side due to the sudden rise in demand for casino personel. Anyhow, from Hong Kong by jet foil, it takes less than an hour to get there, so I set forth to see for myself.



Indeed huge casinos have popped up everywhere, Macau is so different from my last visit. The question it begs: is Macau turning into Las Vegas? Surely it cannot host a LV style strip, cause the traditional casino area - between the peer and Hotel Lisboa - is already packed with commercials and residental buildings. But that didn't stop casinos from rising in front of children's playgrounds.



That's right, that's a Rio, same one from Nevada. There's a miniture Wynn too, looks exactly the same as the one in Vegas...



... complete with a big fountain in front.



Other Vegas brand names include MGM...


... which looks different but the trademark feline is preserved, opening soon, meow.



For full size replica, you need to get off the strip and visit Taipa where the Venetian is a mirror image and just as imposing as the original.



While you are there, visit LV inspired theme'd Casino resorts New Centry, they've got Roman characters posing as Greek figures.