Tijuana casino hopes to capture glory days
July 1, 2008
Thanks to a $26 million renovation, the Caliente property in Tijuana is hoping to reclaim its glory days.
From the moment the Agua Caliente Casino and
Resort in Tijuana, Mexico opened in 1928, wealthy sophisticates and Hollywood stars flocked south of the border to enjoy the hospitality and excitement,
gaming, spa, casino, spa, horse racing and world class
entertainment.
Now
Caliente’s history has come alive again for the 21st century with the grand
reopening of the new Caliente casino. With a $26 million renovation project
that has transformed the facility into a modern gaming operation, the
property’s owners hope to once again attract people looking for sophisticated
and exciting new entertainment.
“Caliente once again takes
its place as it did for many years providing the finest gaming and
entertainment in Mexico,” said Francisco Lecuona, marketing director for the
property. “We are pleased to welcome guests from both sides of the border to
see the new excitement Caliente has to offer.”
Covering
228,000 square feet, Caliente is now the largest casino in Mexico. Among
the new features at Caliente are the Las
Vegas style entryway, remodeled racing and sports
books, traditional bingo halls, gaming halls, sport betting, international
restaurants, shopping, and piano bar.
The property has 1,000 new bingo-based electronic
games, now permitted under legislation passed in 2004. The Class II electronic
terminals are bingo-based in that a player must align symbols, drawings, or
numbers. In order to play, patrons must purchase a card with a code that is
entered into the machine. When the player wishes to cash out, the card may be
exchanged for money.
Later this year, the Caliente soccer stadium will
expand its seating from 13,000 to 33,000 seats, making it Mexico’s newest
and most modern sports facility. In March 2009, a 425,000 square foot
entertainment center including restaurants, bars and nightclubs, amusement park,
a convention center and perhaps a hotel will be completed.
Caliente employs 8,000 workers, making it one of Baja California’s
largest employers.
When the Agua Caliente’s racetrack
opened in 1916, racetracks and other forms of gambling were illegal in the United States.
In the 1940s, competition from newly-approved American racetracks forced
management to look for new opportunities and led to the establishment of the
first race and sports books in Mexico.
In 1985, a new management team took over operations, and five years later in
1998, Caliente established traditional and electronic bingo halls.
By redesigning the facilities and expanding to offer new
entertainment options, Caliente hopes to attract a share of the northern Baja
California audience currently patronizing tribal casinos in Southern
California, as well as Americans looking for a new and unique experience.
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