Does the casino offer gambling?
One of the first things that you’ll notice upon arriving in Avalon is the Casino Building, Catalina Island’s most recognizable landmark. The round, white building rises the equivalent of 12 stories, and is surrounded by the sea on three sides. Built in 1929, the Casino, which is actually not a gambling hall but is named for the Italian word for “gathering place” or “place of entertainment,” played host to dozens of big bands through the 1930s and 1940s. Guests danced the night away to the music of Glen Miller, Harry James, and many others over the years. Currently, the Casino building is home to the Avalon Theatre, where guests can enjoy nightly first-run movies in one of the great movie palaces of Hollywood’s golden era. Upstairs is the world’s largest circular ballroom, where special events, both public and private fill the calendar. The Casino is also home to the Casino Art Gallery and the Catalina Island Museum.
