Tropicana expands gaming area outside casino floor

The first reviews from passers-by, however, were largely negative — with several saying that the machines didn’t belong in what was designed as an festive gathering place.

One us$ 5 and one us$ 10 blackjack machine were stationed in front of the fountain in the open plaza section of The Quarter, in front of restaurants Cuba Libre and Red Square. Eight penny slots will be added along the wall and staircase, said Tropicana President and CEO Tony Rodio.

“It will be the only place this side of Nevada, literally, where you can eat, dine, shop and gamble,” Rodio said. “We did it in The Quarter because we get large crowds of people coming through here, and to not take advantage of that from a gaming standpoint was a missed opportunity,” Rodio said. The fountain, he said, “is the main gathering place of The Quarter, right outside of the restaurants, and we think it’s the best place to kick it off.”

Rodio said that if the initial test run of the machines is successful, gaming could be expanded to the square in front of Starbucks, a possible location on the second floor, and the enclosed room near the stairs that now functions as a Diamond Club Member Center.

Of course, adding gaming to an open environment also calls for more security. “It’s the state’s concern and our concern about underage gaming,” Rodio said. “We’re going to have a security guard presence here 24/7 who has to be in position to see any gaming device. If gaming is to expand to another section of The Quarter, we have to make sure there’s ample security.”