Yet this route from speculation to spectacle has not been as simple as it seems. During a routine weekly update, the once-legendary banner vanished, a selection of props changed location, and every corner of GTA fandom on the internet erupted in tandem.Īfter nearly six years of waiting, the Diamond Casino & Resort will land in GTA Online today, 23rd July, touting almost everything that fans had been clamouring for: high-stakes card games, penthouse suites, bottle service and even aircraft concierge.
That was true until 6th June this year, when something extraordinary happened. Alas, much like that decaying lot you see each time you return to your hometown - nothing changed.
Since its inclusion, gumshoed players (myself included) have obsessed over this eerily quiet corner of Los Santos, searching for clues behind the scenes and lobbying Rockstar to put together a grand opening. A rumoured playable location since players first got their hands on the game in 2013, I remember parking my busted Sultan on Mirror Park Boulevard and seeing the 'Opening Soon' banner for the first time - a beacon of hope back then for an ambitious multiplayer game that hadn't quite found its feet. For Grand Theft Auto Online diehards, there is nothing more infamous than the Vinewood Casino.
