SEARCH NEWS:

 

Kerzner Poised to Develop U.K. Resort Casinos

PARADISE ISLAND, The Bahamas -- (PRESS RELEASE) -- Kerzner International Limited (NYSE:KZL) a leading international developer and operator of destination resorts, casinos and luxury hotel properties, today announced that it has been appointed the preferred developer with respect to the development and management of gaming, hotel and entertainment facilities in two key markets in the United Kingdom. The proposed sites for the projects are the Scottish Exhibition + Conference Centre (the "SECC") in Glasgow and Sportcity in East Manchester. Over the course of the next several months, the Company will enter into negotiations of binding agreements for both of these projects. These developments are part of major regional regeneration projects supported by the respective council for each city. Each of these projects was the subject of a competitive bidding process with up to a dozen major U.S. and European gaming companies tendering proposals in each instance.

In addition, the Company announced that it has entered into a binding agreement with affiliates of Anschutz Entertainment Group for the development and operation of a casino and hotel resort facility at the Millennium Dome in London (the "Dome").

These three proposed developments, which are subject to the passage of gaming legislation in the U.K., are all expected to meet the 'Resort' or 'Regional' Casino' criteria defined by the Department of Culture, Media and Sport and the Parliamentary Joint Committee which recently reviewed the draft Gambling Bill. The three developments are subject to certain conditions, including the passage of gaming reform legislation and the receipt of applicable regulatory, municipal, regional or other approvals. If all of the necessary conditions are satisfied by 2005, the Company would expect these development projects to be completed during 2007. The Company expects the total capital commitment for the development projects to be approximately $1 billion.

Scottish Exhibition + Conference Centre, Glasgow

In October 2003, SEC Ltd announced a master plan outlining the future of the SECC in the form of a major development. This project, named "QD2" because it marks the second redevelopment of Queens Dock in Glasgow (the first being the construction of the SECC in 1985), plans to transform the SECC's 64-acre site into a complete exhibition, conference and entertainment complex. The SECC is currently the largest integrated conference and exhibition centre in the U.K.

The QD2 project will involve over $1 billion of new investment, and includes the construction of a purpose-built arena. SEC Ltd has appointed the Company as preferred developer to build Scotland's first destination resort casino as part of the overall development. Construction of the proposed $300 million resort casino and hotel complex is projected to be completed in 2007.

< Gaming News