Sunday 13 January 2008

Montecasino comes to Life

As I explained in my last post, I played tour guide to my cousins who visited me from sunny Durban and Pietermaritzburg during December. I wanted to truly show them some good entertainment spots in Jozi so we took a drive to Montecasino, one of Johannesburg's top entertainment spots.22122007048

'Monte' as I fondly call it, is a R1.4 million premier gaming, retail and leisure complex located near Fourways which is in the north of Johannesburg. It is run by the Tsogo Sun, a well-known international gaming company in South Africa.

Montecasino's design is aimed at replicating an old world Tuscan hilltop village, and the architecture does bring the spirit of Tuscany to life with its artistically rendered decor. Montecasino has a casino area with more than 1,700 slot machines and 70 gaming tables, as well as the 5-star InterContinental Palazzo Hotel, which boasts a first class conferencing venue.

The Pieter Toerien's Theatre and unique shopping and dining experiences make Montecasino a must-see and it has become a famous hang spot for many a celebrity. A local radio station, Jacaranda 94.2 fm even broadcasts its live radio shows from within Montecasino, which keeps the complex well within the trendy scene in Johannesburg.

There is something for the whole family at Montecasino, with the Magic Company family entertainment centre, the 15-screen Nu Metro cinema complex, Boogaloos skate park and the star attraction, the Montecasino Bird Gardens.

I've been to a show at the Bird Gardens and it was awesome, considering the great things the nature conservancies nearby are trying to do for the wild bird life in and around the area. "Nunsensations" is also an entertaining musical revue that you can catch at the theatre in Montecasino if you're looking for light-hearted entertainment.

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The newly constructed Teatro was commissioned by Tsogo Sun at close to R100 million and is one of the 10 largest lyric theaters in the world. With this new construction came a host of famous eateries and the rugby field sized Piazza Hotel, and magical fountains, which is a real treat to watch in the evenings.

Montecasino is ideally located for everyone in Gauteng, situated only a few hundred metres from the off-ramps of major highways from Pretoria, the East Rand, the West Rand and O.R. Tambo International Airport.

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