Control Board recommends OK for Venetian gaming salon

Thursday, Jan. 13, 2005 | 10:47 a.m.

The Venetian and Wynn Las Vegas will raise the bar in their use of private gaming salons to attract high rollers, a gaming regulator said.

Bobby Siller, a member of the state Gaming Control Board, praised executives of Las Vegas Sands Inc., Wednesday before a unanimous vote recommending approval of the Venetian's plans for a private gaming salon.

"This was the first presentation that really offered an aggressive, effective marketing approach," Siller said of the Venetian's Paiza Club salon plan.

The Control Board's recommendation will be considered for final approval by the Nevada Gaming Commission later this month.

Two months ago, Siller expressed disappointment in the effectiveness of private salons when Caesars Palace and Mandalay Bay appeared before the Control Board on a licensing renewal for their salons.

Siller said he wasn't being critical of Caesars Palace or Mandalay Bay.

"I think the whole concept of how the regulation is to be used has evolved," Siller said. "The Venetian guys get it. And a private salon is also part of the Wynn Las Vegas plan and I think these two will use effective marketing to raise the bar in the use of these salons. I think we'll see an increase in revenue and with that revenue, an increase in taxes generated that will help the entire state of Nevada."

Members of the board noted that the Venetian's plan for the Paiza Club is the first cross-marketing effort between the resort's properties in Macau and Las Vegas.

Frederick Kraus, vice president and general counsel for the Venetian, told regulators that the resort hopes to open the Paiza Club by March.

The club would be located on the 36th floor of the resort and would be amid 24 high roller suites, ranging from 2,800 to 7,900 square feet.

The salon itself is only going to cover about 500 square feet -- enough room for three table games and capable of holding four slot machines.

Kraus said persons invited to become Paiza Club members will be presented with humidors filled with amenities appreciated by the member, including cigars and teas.

"It's a rich Asian heritage that we want to reproduce," Kraus said.

The Paiza Club name is a tribute to a historic link between China and the Italian city of Venice. In 1266, Kublai Khan was said to have given Italian explorer Marco Polo a foot-long golden tablet known as a "paiza" that served as a VIP passport in his travels throughout China.

Las Vegas Sands, which opened its Sands Macau casino in May, will offer high rollers who would qualify to play in a private salon a membership in the Paiza Club. Under state regulations, a salon player must offer $500,000 in front money or have a $500,000 line of credit to be eligible to play privately.

Salons are controversial because companies can offer gambling behind closed doors. But state officials approved allowing them because they feared high rollers would play elsewhere if Nevada's casinos couldn't offer them the opportunity to gamble in private.

The Las Vegas Sands salon request included a proposal for a second salon off the main casino in the event that the Paiza Club room already was occupied by another player. The second room, which is expected to be ready for play by Chinese New Year next month, would be operated as a public lounge when it isn't used as a private salon.

In other business, the Control Board recommended approval of several licenses for American Wagering Inc. to operate race and sports books or kiosks in several casinos. The Gaming Commission later this month will review the licensing recommendations for the Las Vegas company at the Avi Hotel & Casino in Laughlin, the Silver Club Hotel Casino in Sparks, Parkers Model T Casino in Winnemucca, the Pioneer Crossing casino in Fernley, the Longhorn Casino in Las Vegas and the Bighorn and Mahoney's Silver Nugget properties in North Las Vegas.

Several attorneys who frequently represent casino clients before the Control Board congratulated board member Scott Scherer, who is attending his last session in the two-day meeting which concludes today. Scherer is entering a private law practice in Reno. Gov. Kenny Guinn has yet to announce a replacement for Scherer, whose term officially ended in December.