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The casino was sited to take advantage of the views of the international shipping channel and the cooling breezes blowing across the head of the island. It was built to replace the original 1884 casino building by Donaldson and Meier, which, with its sweeping verandas, gables, open porches, and observation tower, was a sophisticated use of Queen Anne in the best casino tradition. The present Renaissance Revival casino is constructed of buff brick with a terra-cotta tile roof and, with its open-air arcade and squared towers, bears a striking resemblance to the Women's Pavilion at the World's Columbian Exposition of 1893 in Chicago. When viewed from the south elevation, the lagoon setting completes the comparison.