Star Wars have given fans a dream destination unlike any before. It is Las Vegas but with the amusement, drama, and enjoyment aspects stretched manifolds. It is the well-loved Canto Bight, the capital of Cantonica. A hotspot of glamour in the desert planet. The artificial ocean by which it lays is the largest in the galaxy.
Cantonica itself is located in the sparsely populated Outer Rim Territory of the galaxy under the Corporate Sector. The terrestrial planet with a breathable atmosphere allowed Canto Bight to be founded here. The commercial aspect underpinning governance ensured Cantonica to develop was the ideal location of a casino city.
Tourism and Attractions
This coastal city houses a multitude of racecourses and casinos attracting wealth from across the planetary systems. It was the splurging destination of gamblers and tourists, war profiteers and politicians. Unlike horses that we find in our courses, Canto Bight had fathiers races (non-sentient quadrupeds used as mounts) manned by child workers where spectators would try their hand at games of fortune. Large bets were placed on these races ensuring sustained popularity of the game.
The most important aspects however remain the multitude of gambling dens where day and night bets are placed. The most eye-catching casino happens to be the Cresent Royale. Luxury hotels are located in the same complex. Besides entertainment, the capital city offers exquisite bites at Café Raduli in the Old Town. Coupled with twenty-two restaurants at the Canto Casino and Racetrack, Canto Bight serves the fanciest cuisine.
Governance
This tourist spot and gambling destination are under the fiefdom of the aforementioned corporate sector. Under this system, companies had the absolute power to govern the planet. The law keepers of the city are the Canto Bight Police Department.
History
Once, a smuggler and a gambler by the names Lando Calrissian and Brushaun played a card game in the city. The gambler lost. By the time of the Galactic Civil War the city was already being credited to having the “most luxurious casinos”. Ronen Tagge’s penthouse parties took place on the shores of the Cantonica Ocean. Agents Rose Tico, Finn, and BB-8 took refuge at Canto Bight at the time of the resistance war to recruit Codebreaker.
The Master was needed to throw off the hyperspace tracker. After being captured by the CBPD on account of traffic violation. DJ agreed to help them in return for his freedom. While at the PD they met They got away through the famed racecourse. Child jockey Temiri aided their escapade on the promise of getting a resistance ring. He let loose a flock of fathiers causing a commotion. The operatives themselves fled on fathier-back after ensuring the success of their mission. The stampede, however, led to a considerable loss to the economy and business. They exited Canto Bight on a luxury yacht.
Creation
Designed after Dubrovnik in Croatia, Canto Bight has created Star Wars: The Last Jedi. The environment was an amalgamation of the essence of Monte Carlo, James Bond, and To Catch a Thief creating the perfect atmosphere for a gigantic casino city, put immaculately by director Rian Johnson. Parts of the shooting of the episode was at Dubrovnik (in March 2016) which let its charm blend in seamlessly.
The final appearance of the city is indebted to drawings by Ralph McQuarrie for Jabba’s palace in the 1980s. This was adopted by the design team to give Canto Bight an aura of Star Wars, commented President Kathleen Kennedy. She felt the originals they came up with were not good enough.
Besides scores of canon appearances, Canto Bight has featured in several other fictional works, most notably in the LEGO Star Wars universe.
Parting Words
Star Wars has given us a world of impossibilities, but Canto Bight is a rather real and believable one as it portrays not just the desires but also the behaviors of people around us. There are even a few independent casinos at NonGamStopBets.com with similar designs and themes. It provides scope to study the entitled lives of the ultra-rich and privileged cloaked in the palatable domain of fantasy.
A casino city is perfectly associable with the spending habits of rich galaxy explorers. It also allows vicarious enjoyment of the games of gambling and racing and betting on an epic scale that our physical world cannot provide. Yet, it is attractive not just for mere tourists but also provides a fantastic setting for an intergalactic mission.