Venetian unveils $30 million sportsbook renovation

LAS VEGAS, Nevada -- Cantor Gaming on Tuesday debuted its latest race and sports book in Las Vegas, a three-month, multimillion-dollar renovation of the previous facility at The Venetian Resort-Hotel-Casino.

The new sports book features a 100-foot-long, high-definition 4-millimeter black video screen, one of the world's largest. The 10,000-square-foot space includes surround sound, marble flooring, and 118 carrels, the most of any Cantor sports book.

"This is the next step in our expansion in Nevada," said Lee Amaitis, president and CEO of the Las Vegas-based gaming company. "This is the biggest and most impressive one we've built so far."

Amaitis declined to disclose the project's cost. The book also features the company's distinctive flashy red betting carrels, a VIP area, and separate betting windows and high-definition screens dedicated to horse racing.

He described the company's latest sports book as a "sleek and contemporary environment that offers the most sophisticated experience on the Strip."

Amaitis said his company, which over the last five has introduced several sports wagering products and new betting technology to Las Vegas, has also demonstrated it is a "true partner" by investing heavily in "bricks and sticks" books.

"It's a great draw," said John Caparella, president and CEO of The Venetian, The Palazzo Resort Hotel Casino and Sands Expo and Convention Center. "You've got to have a great sports book to draw them in from the casino."

He said a Cantor sports book was that great draw "to bring people into the casino."

The renovation marks the first phase of a $30 million Venetian casino upgrade.

Caparella said over the next eight months the resort will undergo 15 to 17 construction projects, including expanding the poker room, enhancing the casino's lighting and introducing themed bars. He declined to elaborate on what companies or brands would be featured.

The partnership with Cantor was formed in 2008. The luxury resort ran its former sports book with technology licensed from Cantor, making The Venetian the first Strip casino to offer Cantor's mobile gaming devices, including its e-Deck tablet, which allows wagers from anywhere on the casino floor.

The upgraded sports book also offers access to Cantor Gaming's sports betting application. The application for Google's Android operating system was released last week and lets customers use Cantor's In-Running system, which bets on situations during specific sporting events.

Cantor also began operating the sports book at Lagasse's Stadium at the Palazzo on Sept. 1.

"We were operating the sports books ourselves and had a partnership with them," Caparella said. "With the renovation plans, we handed over operations of the (sports) book to Cantor."

The Venetian remodel is the largest project Cantor has completed in Las Vegas. The company also runs sports books at the M Resort, the Tropicana Las Vegas, the Hard Rock Hotel and Casino, The Cosmopolitan of Las Vegas and the Plaza Hotel and Casino in downtown Las Vegas.

Amaitis declined to discuss the company's next project. He said the privately held company has had discussions about expanding in Northern Nevada

"I would love to be in Northern Nevada," Amaitis said. "I love Reno. It would be a great spot for us."