The Stage

Casinos proliferate in Aberdeen

Published Tuesday 27 January 2004 at 12:05 by Jeremy Austin

Aberdeen has approved plans for a new seafront casino in the city and is soon to consider a second, raising the prospect of a total of six venues operating in the city.

Permission has been granted by the city council to Edinburgh-based Noble Leisure for a development on The Boardwalk at Codona’s Amusement Park. Director Mark Noble said that the proposed casino was designed to complement existing leisure outlets near to the site. The second, forthcoming application is for a development at the former Amadeus nightclub. Plans for two new city centre casinos have already been agreed. These will operated alongside the two existing International and Gala casinos.

The prospect of four new sites in Aberdeen comes as the government prepares to relax restrictions on the gaming industry. Developers are keen to ape the transformation of Atlantic City on the New Jersey coast, from a nondescript town into a mini-Las Vegas after a similar relaxation of gaming laws in the US.

Noble explained: “With a building of this magnitude - 55,000sq ft - it would be prudent to have the permissions in place in order to expand the business in line with the government’s new proposals. These proposals are clearly intended to help facilitate the larger entertainment centres.

“Aberdeen beach is the designated leisure centre within this city and it is important that its attractions continue to evolve and expand the customer base.”

There are currently about 120 casinos in the UK and this is expected to rise to around 500. Local authorities throughout the UK are considering the new gambling laws as a way of transforming rundown areas. The example of Atlantic City has been used to convince civic leaders in resorts such as Blackpool that embracing casinos could stimulate economic recovery.