Progreso, Yucatán — Luck wasn’t a lady at the new casino. Ten days after its opening, the controversial gaming hall shut its doors on Tuesday.
The employees didn’t see a payout, either, neighbors told Punto Medio after saying they heard verbal arguments Monday night inside the modest complex near the pier.
A lack of interest by both locals and tourists was cited in the casino’s short life. The swift closure took many people by surprise.
As recently as Monday its Facebook page was cultivating new sports betting customers, and on the premises was raffling off 43-inch flat-screen televisions from China.
Called Caribbean Casino, despite its Gulf locale, the establishment was padlocked today. Artisans with kiosks that shared the casino had to break the locks with tools to access their spaces.
Exterior signs were also removed and its windows were blacked out early Tuesday morning, reports Progreso Hoy.
Before the casino came, the complex was mainly a handicraft market, tucked off Calle 80 in a building owned by the taxi union. The future of the crafts stalls is unclear.
The casino wasn’t nearly as sleek as the ones in Mérida, but had 40 gaming machines — some obviously second-hand — plus betting tables and a cocktail lounge.
Local media was never quite clear on the casino’s owner, only saying it was a private company based in Sinaloa. Earlier reports questioned whether the casino had proper licensing to operate.
Sources: Punto Medio, Progreso Hoy
