I took a trip recently and I’m really quite disappointed at how the pictures turned out. Only these tiny few were any good. First up is a pair of shots taken from a very crowded bus ride. This is the Winstar Casino in Thackervill, OK. It would be the last place you could get off the Interstate before crossing the Red River into Texas.
As with all casinos in our state, this is owned by one of the Native American tribes. It’s one of the most extravagant. Aside from the massive hotel, the side facing the road is actually a parking garage with various architectural facades emulating famous places in history. There’s an Imperial Roman entrance, a section that resembles Westminster Palace in London, etc. Most of these facilities dotted around the state are complete towns, with gas stations, grocery stores, etc.
My host took me over to South Padre Island, but it was a dreary ugly day. This shot of the beach facing out onto the Gulf of Mexico turned out okay. I was told it’s rarely ever calm; this is actually rather tame waves for Padre Island. The dunes are active and always moving just a little, and it requires a bit of work to keep the access ramps clear and usable.
There are really very few places to stop and get out in the built up area of the island. One section costs quite a bit just to drive into it for parking. It’s a total tourist trap until you get out away from the buildings. Thus, I ended up with this long shot down the beach back to the facilities. I did try to shoot from the car, but nothing turned out. I’m really disappointed by the photography on this trip.
Those different facades are crazy! They look like totally separate buildings. I wonder if that’s sort of a tacky approach in the architectural world. Casinos are supposed to be fun, so it makes sense to be playful with the building like that.
It’s tacky, and typical of casinos in general. Calling it “playful” is being nice. Then again, I confess that buying gas or groceries as a casino facility is a far better experience than most competitors.