MGM Grand gives sneak peek at Detroit casino

Justin Hyde

Tuesday, July 27, 1999 | 3:01 a.m.

DETROIT - It was showtime at the MGM Grand Detroit Casino on Tuesday as the $225 million casino opened its doors for a sneak preview.

Flanked by eight "Grandettes" - women in vivid, tight bodysuits who greet customers and serve drinks - MGM Grand Detroit President Lyn Baxter said the casino was ready to open once state regulators give the OK.

"Our goal is to take it a step at a time and to absolutely provide a product and service that makes the whole community proud," Baxter said

The approval of the Michigan Gaming Control Board is expected Wednesday. Baxter declined to say when the casino might open.

The three-story casino, built in a renovated Internal Revenue Service office, has two floors packed with more than 2,300 slot machines and 80 table games. The slot machines - some of which resemble video games more than one-arm bandits - play amounts from 5 cents to $500 a spin.

For high rollers, a special area is set aside on the second floor with table games that have no betting limits. Video poker games are crammed into every seat at the three bars just off the casino floor.

The interior is softly lit - like most casinos, there are few windows or clocks to let gamblers know what time it is - and decorated in an art deco style, aimed at evoking the feel of a 1930s theater lobby. Throughout the casino are framed photos of movie stars, and hundreds of real flowers and plants.

For customers who would rather eat than gamble, the MGM Grand offers a food court and buffet seating 500. For more private dining, there are two upscale restaurants, including a replica of The Brown Derby, the Hollywood landmark. Its menu features a three-pound Maine lobster for $59.95 and a variety of steaks.

While a throng of reporters milled about the casino Tuesday, workers were still assembling tables and testing slot machines. Dealers were run through practice hands of blackjack and baccarat.

Baxter said he expects more than 10,000 visitors a day; the casino will stay open around the clock 365 days a year. That has raised concerns that the 2,800 parking spaces near the casino will not be enough, leading to traffic jams, but Baxter said the location was "very convenient."

And he said Detroiters would not be offended by the 90 Grandettes that will walk around the casino.

"These are the icons for MGM Grand here in Detroit. They are grand ladies, if you will," he said. "They are a marketing image, they are a class image, and they are something we are all very, very proud of."