Inside Asian Gaming

APRIL 2018 INSIDE ASIAN GAMING 21 “Nepal is a land-locked country and all the supplies, from the building materials to food and drinks, are basically sourced out of India,” explains Executive Assistant Manager – Hotel Operations, Rami Obeid. “It has to come through customs which is a very slow and complex process. “There are a lot of supplies we simply can’t get so people like our executive chef are forced to work with what they have, within those limitations.” Despite this, the final product is surprisingly impressive. Tiger Palace stands out for multiple reasons, among them its grand marble lobby and poolside Cabana Avenue bar and grill, but most notable is its attention to detail. The hotel rooms, for example, incorporate ceramic floorboards and high-end finishes that Bolsover says will last for “10 to 15 years,” before the maintenance capex cycle begins in earnest. It’s also evident that Silver Heritage, which previously ran a “mini casino” near the Indian border for nine months in 2012/13, understands its target market. That means a stage behind the sunken casino bar featuring regular Bollywood performances from the resident dance troupe (we’re told such entertainment is “expected”) and a children’s arcade and playroom that Obeid says will expand soon. “What Tiger Palace has done is really appeal to the taste buds of their target market, being India,” offers Adjikari. “One thing that the [floating] casinos in Goa have demonstrated is that going there is a family affair – it’s not just the big-spending players going to a casino. “I think when you have something to offer for everyone – and it does seem like Tiger Palace is going that way – there is a real attraction. Proximity, geography, the fact that there are not many casinos in India and that they aren’t going to increase any time soon, I think there is a lot to like about it.” COVER STORY