Portmore's castle fits nicely

The first thing you notice when you walk through the door at the Acropolis in Portmore is how nice and clean and shiny new the place looks.

More than 60 gaming machines guard the walkway that takes you to a flight of stairs that leads up to a restaurant and bar that is even shinier. It even smells new - and that's because it is.

New look and smell aside, the Acropolis gaming lounge in Portmore is so much more.

Located at 67 Seagrape Road in a building residents call 'The Castle', across from the Portmore Mall, the Acropolis Portmore is the latest in a chain of gaming lounges already set up by Supreme Ventures in Kingston, May Pen, and Coral Cliff in Montego Bay. The Portmore version opened on July 7 and the community took to it like a duck takes to water.

"They have been very receptive," revealed Marshalee Mills, guest services manager. "They have welcomed us with open arms saying they have always wanted something like this."

balanced mix

Mills explained that a fairly balanced mixture of the young and more mature male and female patronise the Acropolis when its doors open each day, Wednesdays through Sundays, from 3 p.m.-11 p.m. But Mills explained that depending on how patrons in Portmore behaved, the current dispensation could change.

While Wednesdays and Thursdays are usually good days, business picks up considerably on Fridays and Saturdays during Happy Hour, which begins at 5 p.m., because, as is being discovered, the Portmore Acropolis is also a great place to just hang out. "People usually come in to lyme, plus we have an in-house deejay on Friday and Saturday nights," Mills explained.

Away from the heavy gaming that goes on on the ground floor, the restaurant upstairs serves up an appetising fare of meals including burgers, sandwiches, quesadillas, hot dogs, fish and chips, and any style shrimp. "Wings and jumbo hot dogs are among the favourites," Mills said.

The upstairs restaurant - the only one of its kind among the Acropolis gaming lounges - comfortably seats about 50, and the bar 15, and six big-screen television sets are strategically placed so patrons won't miss any sporting action going on.