Casino coming to Gustavia ????????

[LMAC]

While talking to a friend of ours today on the beach in SBH, he said his maid told him that this past week the council and President Magras approved the construction of a casino with a restaurant to be built in Gustavia. It was the understanding that the casino would split 50% of the profits with the new SBH govt. To say the least we were surprised. Would the SBH members on the island please check their local sources to see if this true. Is this the price that everyone pays for independence from France?

Lance

 

[andynap]

Of course it will be very chic. This is a bad omen if true. Considering all the gambling on St. Martin is on the Dutch side, I always thought the French were opposed to it on the island.

 

[rivertrash]

Let's just hope the information is incorrect. There is no way a casino could be good for the island or those of us who love it and love to be there. Things would change, and not for the better, IMO.

 

[JEK]

Nothing about it in the weekly, French or English. Hopeful.

 

[LMAC]

Tim and Nick the Dog please check with some of your friends.

Lance

 

[ckoretsky]

Say it ain't so!

 

[tim]

Hmmmm.... St. Barth, the Monte Carlo of the Caribbean - not too bad.

Hmmmm.... St. Barth, the Atlantic City of the Caribbean - YUK!

 

[onebigdawg53]

It would be sad, if this is true. But, I would not be surprised. The island with their new organization has to replace the subsidies that they've lost - so here we go - a Casino. And I suspect that what we have observed in the last couple of years, a tendency to cater to the big spenders and the "Bling" would lead me to believe that a Casino was not too far behind. So, we've already had
fractional ownership (time shares), the disappearance of numerous and reasonably priced rooms (St. Barths Beach Hotel, Le Manoir etc). The next revenue raiser had to be a Casino. God bless them (and us).

 

[Eric]

Wait a minute...I forget...do I hit a 13 if the dealer is showing a 6?

 

[tim]

A casino to be built in Gustavia with parking where????? I'm not sure that makes any sense, but stranger things have happened. As far as the need to build a new resto, I expect there will be lots of existing restos on the market after this season. Most of them I've seen are struggling.

I've got a thought. Le Diamant is big enough and hardly ever does any serious business in its existing incarnation, so it's a perfect venue for the casino conversion. There's also plenty of parking area for the tour busses from St. Kitts and Anguilla!

 

[JEK]

I think this is the annual incarnation of the Pizza Hut rumor

 

[onebigdawg53]

I think this is the annual incarnation of the Pizza Hut rumor

Hope you're correct. But if you're not? BTW welcome back from your trip.

 

[tim]

Locate the Casino Contest

We may as well have some fun with this rumor. I have actually thought about this a little, and there is a perfect spot in Gustavia for an upscale resto and casino. See if you can guess where it is based on these clues:

1. It's the absolute most spectacular site in the ville.

2. Some form of the government already has possession of the property.

3. Parking shouldn't be a problem.

4. Agent 007 will feel right at home based on its history.

Okay, I'm going to bed now. We'll see if there's a winner when I wake up for my bike ride. Bonne nuit.

 

[JRII]

Re: Locate the Casino Contest

O.K I'll bite? The site of the former Fort?

 

[Myrllyn]

Re: Locate the Casino Contest

Fort Oscar perhaps. God knows what they do up there besides fly the flag!

 

[tim]

Re: Locate the Casino Contest

Casino Oscar right on the top of this hill from the 1969 photo before Fort Oscar or the Hotel de la Collectivit

 

[Rosita]

Re: Locate the Casino Contest

people can only DREAM about CASINO and PIZZA HOT for St-Barth!

 

[PIRATE40]

Re: Locate the Casino Contest

...The Queen hath spoken.....

 

[bto]

Re: Locate the Casino Contest

Voila! Bon....merci rosita!!

A casino just doesn't seem to fit, does it? I would be disappointed bien sur but can't fathom it happening...I know, MikeR, I know......

 

[MIke R]

Re: Locate the Casino Contest

I agree Bev - but never say never....especially given the speed of which things are changing down there.....from my view all bets are off as to anything happening or not happening... absolutely nothing would surprise me either way at this point in time

you wanna hear about how many days in the 80's we all sat around Select with the local people and toasted the fact that St Barts would " never in a million years allow crusie ships in?"....and many more examples of prognostications which were dead wrong???