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London Club Brings 'European Gaming' to Las Vegas

The idea is to offer the ambiance - and appeal to international high rollers - that many of the casinos in London and other parts of Europe provide. It's managed by London Clubs International, which owns 40 percent of the Aladdin.

The London Club at the Aladdin occupies 35,000 square feet on the mezzanine level. Although it has large glass windows that afford a view of the sprawling main casino, many of the gamblers on the main floor are probably unaware of the London Club's presence.

The atmosphere is decidedly non-Las Vegas. Although jackets and ties are not required, guests are asked to wear "appropriate dress." Appropriate means no tank tops, bathing suits, T-shirts or flip-flop shoes.

Dealers are much more dressed up than you'll find in other Las Vegas venues. The men wear a short black jacket, known as a mess jacket, with a white shirt, white tie and black vest. The women wear a long, gold-colored gown, with optional jacket.

"The dealers were hired for their personality," said Fred Lewis, the Aladdin's public relations manager. "We want them to have the London Club attitude, not haughty but dignified."

The main room of the casino is built with faux stone columns and a high ceiling with real-wood beams. There are plenty of easy chairs and love seats. It's an atmosphere that encourages visitors to sit down and relax, even if they're not gambling.

Perhaps the strongest contrast to all the other casinos in Las Vegas is the quiet. The emphasis is on the table games. There are about 80 slot machines - far more than a London casino could legally have - but they are grouped in one small corner and their noise does not permeate the rest of the space.

Stakes at the games are high, but not prohibitively so. A typical blackjack game, for example, has a minimum bet of $25 and a maximum of $5,000. But the pit bosses, Lewis said, have the authority to raise the maximum bet levels upon request.

An elegant restaurant is tucked away behind the casino. The prices are not cheap, but they're not any higher than those at the several dozen gourmet restaurants that are all the rage at the newer Las Vegas resorts.

The menu emphasizes international cuisine. There's a page devoted to specialties from Asia, one for Middle Eastern foods and another for European fare.

When it comes to wine, the restaurant tries to satisfy a wide range of tastes, and budgets.

"We can offer excellent selections for as little as $30 to $45 a bottle," said the sommelier, John Sarabia. "We can also decant a $3,500 bottle and know that both are priced well below 80 percent of the wine cellars in Las Vegas."

There's a small non-gaming area that's reserved for members of a private social club, called the St. James Club. The rest of the complex, including the restaurant, is open to the public.

For those who want to visit the London Club without mingling with the masses on the main floor of the Aladdin, there is a private entrance with a dedicated elevator and a reception desk where hotel guests can check in.

The London Club is a bold, expensive and attractive gamble that Las Vegas will appeal to more than just the fanny-pack crowd. Although it should be especially interesting to international visitors, Lewis expects the venue to also draw plenty of Americans.

"Many Americans have been to London Clubs in other parts of the world," he said.

London Clubs has six casinos in London, two in Egypt and one each in Lebanon and South Africa.

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