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Manchester wins super casino bid

MANCHESTER, England – As reported by Bloomberg: "Manchester unexpectedly won the right to build Britain's first Las Vegas-style super-casino, securing an influx of investment and jobs as the government eases four-decade-old gambling restrictions.

"The five-person Casino Advisory Panel picked the city in northwest England from a list of seven locations including Blackpool, London and Glasgow. The proposed 5,000-square-meter (54,000 square feet) complex will house up to 1,250 slot machines with unlimited prizes.

"Prime Minister Tony Blair's government is relaxing curbs on casino gaming in an effort to spur employment, tourism and investment in some of Britain's poorest areas. Manchester, the third-largest U.K. city, may invite companies including Kerzner International Ltd., owner of the Atlantis casino resort on Paradise Island, Bahamas, Ladbrokes Plc and Hilton Hotels Corp. to submit bids to build and operate the super-casino.

"…The decision paves the way for 265 million pounds ($521 million) of investment in a leisure and entertainment development, creating 2,700 jobs, according to Manchester City Council.

"…Bookmakers had given Manchester little chance of winning the super-casino license, instead making London, which planned to put the complex at the Millennium Dome in Greenwich, and the northwest England seaside resort of Blackpool the frontrunners.

"…The Casino Advisory Panel recommended locations for eight large and eight small casinos. Great Yarmouth, Kingston-upon- Hull, Leeds, Middlesbrough, Milton Keynes, Newham, Solihull and Southampton were selected as sites for the large casinos, which can have a floor space of up to 3,999 square meters, of which between 1,500 and 3,499 can be gaming tables…"

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