The first version went up around 1880, shortly after Romania became a country. It lasted 12 years, and was wiped out by a storm. The replacement was a nice enough meeting place, but after the turn of the century it was agreed that a grander facility was in order. After a few stops and starts, a new place was opened in 1910. In no time, it became a magnet for tourism ... and criticism. But it really helped cement the idea that this was the Romanian Riviera, and hosted big parties opening up the tourist season.
The casino made it through the first World War, but wasn't so lucky for No. 2. The Communists turned it into a House of Culture until it went empty, but in the last few decades there have been attempts to bring it back to its former grandeur.
Finally, around 2018, the money and the planning came together. The good-sized construction project started in earnest, with the hopes of finishing it for 2024. Based on some video taken some years ago, this might turn into a special place again.
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