Finally made it to San Jose's Casino M8trix the other day, and I've got to admit the $50 million card club on North First Street does bring the swank a lot more than Garden City, its predecessor on Saratoga Avenue, ever did.
I'm not much of a gambler -- probably because I'm not often a winner -- so the table games don't appeal to me very much. But I liked the interior decor, which includes a light sculpture and a glass floral mural, and the array of TVs and beer taps at the Zone 8 sports bar were more attractive to me than the gaming areas.
I'm on the fence about the tower, which at night looks like a game of Tetris brought to life; it could turn into an icon or an eyesore. Let's just say it's an interesting introduction to San Jose for people coming south on 101, especially coupled with the giant "Cavalia" tent nearby.
But I just can't get past the "8" in "M8trix." Booze and gambling have their place, but reinforcing horrible "textese" spelling is where I draw the line (And, yes, I was the kind of kid who objected to the backward "R" in Toys R Us, too.)
I understand the lucky significance of the number in Asian cultures and that M8trix has a big Asian customer base. But the name -- which belongs firmly in the late 1990s -- makes Cache Creek sound timeless. And if you're going to go with the "M8" pronunciation, you don't need the extra "t," right? Shouldn't it be "M8rix"?
End of rant. I wouldn't want people to think I'm a h8r