Jim,

In today's time, almost all of them are similar construction.

I wouldn't call it water in the basement though. Most generally there is a channel or hole with water in it. They put in a barge or two or three that just floats. They build the casino portion of the complex on the barge and the rest of the complex is over dry land. The way the do the building, you most likely will never see any water or have any idea that it is there.

Greg