With an increase in the number of restaurant chains that are buying out casino property's in Las Vegas, you would think that gamblers were a hungry lot.  It must be all that spent energy used on complex betting strategies, not to mention the endless activity of sliding chips on the table.  Whatever it is, the bottom line is that another restaurant chain is ready to capitalize on the ever-booming gambling industry in Las Vegas.  This time around it is Hooters, having bought out the former Hotel San Remo and remodeling the entire structure into a $130 million casino and resort hotel.

But what Hooters founder, Ed Droste, is saying makes his casino different than the others is that it has personality.  The "other casinos" he is inadvertently referring to are the Golden Nugget, which was bought by Landry's Restaurants, and the Aladdin, which was bought by Planet Hollywood, and scheduled to be opened in the Summer of '06.  While Droste may have a point in saying that his restaurant has a unique and recognizable theme, he might be going too far by saying that his casino will have more personality than others.  Hooters is known more for girls in tight shorts with boobs, which does not exactly say anything for personality.  And as for the competition, there is plenty of personality in Planet Hollywood.  Just what Landry's does with the Golden Nugget Casino is anyone's guess.

To be fair to Hooters, they do well in creating a relaxed, playful, sports-minded atmosphere, which has obviously been a recipe of success for the chain.  Hooters now has over 400 restaurants in forty seven states since its humble beginnings in Clearwater, FL back in 1983.  Add one more to the list, because yes, the Hooters Casino has a restaurant as well. The facilities include close to 700 hotel rooms (all with orange lamps and high top bar tables), 700 slot machines and over thirty table games.  And yes, there are Hooters girls too - Over 250 of them out of the current payroll of approximately 1,100 employees.  At 30,000 square feet, the casino is adorned with cedar wood, and you guessed it, orange.  Located on Tropicana Avenue, the casino held its grand opening last night.  Now comes the test of time to see if the casino can be successful as the restaurant chain itself.