Life on the German-Czech border and the people living in Rozvadov between everyday life and all-in are the focus of the arte documentary format “Re:”, which will be broadcast today at 18:00 on mdr with the title “Las Vegas in the Czech province”. The episode produced by arte and mdr focuses on the most important poker tournament of the year in Rozvadov – and it doesn’t take place at King’s Resort!
King’s Rozvadov in front of and behind the scenes
The report “Las Vegas in the Czech province” tells of the change that the 800-soul village of Rozvadov has undergone since the fall of the Wall. At this point, the “Iron Curtain” was symbolically cut on the German side by Foreign Minister Hans-Dietrich Genscher. Before 1989 and afterwards, Rozvadov was the largest Czech border crossing and famous for traffic jams up to 40km long and trucks on the streets around the clock.
When, after the fall of the Wall, considerations were made to worsen the traffic situation even further with the construction of a new industrial area on the soil of the Czech village, the then mayor Bořivoj Vrabec sat down with the investor Leon Tsoukernik. Instead of an industrial area, the two thought of a casino instead.
This has changed the lives of the population in the province profoundly. Not only did poker tourists suddenly come to the village, but public projects, buildings, and public coffers were also significantly supported by King’s Resort. In addition, every resident of Rozvadov receives an annual payment of €400 from King’s. – And finally, with the Czech Republic’s accession to the Schengen Agreement in 2007, the border crossing disappeared and with it the traffic from Roßhaupt, as the village in the Pilsen region is called in German.
Rozvadov’s (King’s) protagonists have their say
In the report, the most important people around Rozvadov and King’s Resort have their say. Among others, the former mayor and pioneer of the casino Bořivoj Vrabec and also his successor Martin Abel. He is looked over the shoulder during his daily business, or representative occasions such as the 140th anniversary of the fire department, as well as during the preparation of a very special event…
