The Stage

Blackpool ‘hugely disappointed’ over casino decision

Published Tuesday 30 January 2007 at 18:05 by Alistair Smith

Officials from Blackpool have spoken of their “surprise and disappointment” at losing out on the chance to host the UK’s first super-casino.

The Casino Advisory Panel has recommended Manchester as its preferred location for the Las Vegas-style resort and the final decision will now be taken by Secretary of State for Culture, Media and Sport Tessa Jowell.

Commenting on the announcement, Steve Weaver, chief executive of Blackpool Council, said: “We are surprised and hugely disappointed by the panel’s recommendation but we are not giving up. The decision that the panel is proposing is an enormously missed opportunity for Blackpool to become a world-class resort destination. A regional casino would be a catalyst for substantial change in Blackpool. We are also the people’s choice nationally, having received well over twice as much support as any other location.

“Of all the other locations on the regional casino shortlist, Blackpool has no other realistic alternatives for regeneration. The proposed regional casino would be a catalyst for regeneration, creating a sustainable economy, capable of delivering all-year-round jobs and prosperity. The future of the town now looks far more uncertain with no easy answers.

“We are convinced that casino-led regeneration remains the best and right solution for Blackpool. We will therefore seek to influence the final decision which lies with the Secretary of State who can increase the number of licences. Should we be unsuccessful in this, our strategic aim of casino-based regeneration remains the same and we will pull out all the stops to ensure Blackpool benefits from the second wave. Our ability to deliver our vision of the ‘New Blackpool’ will be severely constrained without a regional casino but we will continue to pursue the improvements we have already started with, the new sea wall, tramway, shopping centre and development sites that will put us in a good position to take advantage of a regional casino when we do get a licence.

“The final decision will now be in the hands of the government and I urge them to look again at Blackpool’s bid and the town’s need for a significant catalyst to kick start regeneration and reverse the growing decline.”

Representatives from Blackpool’s fellow front-runner at the former Millennium Dome also voiced their anguish on missing out on the opportunity to host the super-casino.

David Campbell, president and chief executive of Anschutz Entertainment Group Europe, said: “We are very disappointed that the London Borough of Greenwich has not been recommended as the location for the first regional casino. We are taking time to examine the findings in full and considering our position.”

It is understood that both Blackpool and the Greenwich bid could be considering legal action against the CAP’s decision.

Meanwhile, Manchester, which was deemed by many as a rank outsider in the race to secure the CAP’s approval, will now embark on a tendering process to discover which casino operator will work at the east end site.

Councillor Richard Leese, leader of Manchester City Council said: “This is fantastic news for Manchester and the region. We have always believed that Manchester offers a robust test bed for the successful implementation of this major leisure and tourism development.

“The casino will be located at the heart of a city-region with a population of 3 million. Manchester has an unrivalled track record in the delivery of major regeneration schemes so we are confident we have the expertise to deliver a world-class venue, creating thousands of new jobs for local people.”

While Kerzner International is considered by many to be the favourite to secure the rights for the Manchester site, US-based company Harrah’s Entertainment - the world’s largest casino operator - has already declared its intention to get involved in the tendering process.

“My colleagues at Harrah’s Entertainment and I appreciate the Casino Advisory Panel’s hard work and dedication to the difficult process of selecting the location for the country’s only regional casino,” said Andrew Tottenham, managing director of European Development for Harrah’s.

“We look forward to learning the details of the public tendering process necessary to objectively select the casino operator, to ensure the local community of Manchester will realise the maximum benefit of this planned development. We feel strongly that Harrah’s Entertainment offers the most complete package for the UK as we have a proven, worldwide track record of responsibly operating successful casino integrated resort complexes.”