The Palladium, a theatre/showroom more than double the capacity of their existing Sala Gala nightclub, was completed in 1987 and would host some world famous stars.
Of course, in places such as Las Vegas the shows, spectaculars and conventions held in such showrooms generate an enormous amount of traffic for the gaming rooms, but the majority of the audiences are walk-in, or are brought to the casino complex by organizations that have an interest in promoting that resort’s primary activity – gaming.
No such conditions applied here. To fill their showrooms Casino Mallorca had normally to rely on tour operators or other organizations that had no interest in their clients entering the gaming rooms after the show. Often bus departure times would be conveniently timed to limit the possibility that at the conclusion of the show their clients’ holiday budgets would be diminished by play on slots and tables rather than spent on their company’s facilities.
Through the years the Directors of Mallorca’s casino strived to overcome the disadvantage of the location and emphasise the undoubted quality of the product on offer while staying alert to the possibility that a modification of the law and a change in attitude of the authorities would permit a move to a more accessible, visible and marketable home.
The long awaited moment arrived when Gran Casino Mallorca’s owners since 2004 Grupo Nervion announced the immanent transfer of the casino to Porto Pi Centre on the Paseo Maritimo,
Palma, a large shopping mall and amusement centre on the South West end of Palma’s maritime parade and only a short walking distance from the Port where major cruise vessels arrive.
It was hoped that the new location’s doors would open in time to catch the high season of 2011 but this calculation had not considered delays due to late objections by self interested groups. Neither had it predicted the difficulties the construction company would have to convert what was previously part of a cinema complex to a gaming establishment.
The official inauguration finally took place on 3rd October and opened, to the public in general, the following day. I visited soon afterwards at the invitation of the present Gaming Director, Pedro Roca and congratulated him on overseeing the move which all concerned with the casino had desired for so many years.
There can be no doubt that the positioning of the new Casino Mallorca offers great possibilities. Porto Pi is one of the capital’s most popular shopping malls and the close proximity of the Cruise Liner Terminal offers the potential, during the high season, of thousands of foreign visitors per day. Having recognised that fact, it unfortunately also has to be said that the distribution, design and décor of the new complex has somehow failed to capture the full potential offered by the re-location.
There have no doubt been limitations imposed upon the Casino Directors by local Authorities, the Administrators and important commercial tenants of the shopping mall, as well as the
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