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New Spanish Casino Planned

It didn't come easy, but executives at Spanish slot manufacturer and casino operator Recreativos Franco can stop biting their nails and start popping the champagne corks.

The company was considered a favorite to win the rights to open a new casino in the heart of Murcia, Spain, but protests from residents and members of the Socialist party two weeks before a decision was to be announced almost derailed their plans.

Those who opposed the project were against the casino being located in Murcia's most famous restaurant and hotel complex, El Rincon de Pepe. Their concerns about traffic, noise, crime and the future of the esteemed restaurant led to a petition to stop the casino from opening.

Management at Recreativos Franco, however, insisted on the urban location because they were convinced it was imperative to the casino's success. "People just aren't prepared to leave the city to visit a casino," Casino Division Director Manuel Garcia Blesa said. "The last seven casinos opened in Spain have all been sited within urban areas, and three others are currently trying to relocate to urban areas. We wanted to continue that trend."

Faced with the unexpected opposition, Recreativos Franco turned to the aid of one of their most prominent consultants, Miguel Duran, a widely recognized public figure throughout Spain. Duran was sent to a public debate to ease residents' fears about the casino's impact. From that debate came two promises that led to the project getting back on track.

First, Recreativos Franco promised to maintain the famous restaurant and hotel along with its staff of 114, while creating another 114 new jobs in the casino. As of now, they plan to concentrate on running the casino and leave management of the restaurant in the hands of the former owner. A national hotel group will be brought in to run the hotel.

The second promise came in the form of a pledge by Recreativos Franco to invest 100 million pesetas (around $700,000) in a joint project with the city and regional governments to restore Murcia's Cultural and Civic Club, a 19th century building.

Recreativos Francos was able to persuade the regional government to put a ten-day extension on the decision deadline, but it wasn't smooth sailing yet. Local business interests in conjunction with a national hotel chain made a rival bid for the site. There were also suggestions that the casino would be better off located in another part of town. In the end, these factors didn't come into play because the submission deadline had already passed, but they were enough to create some last-minute jitters.

The new casino, Casino Rincon de Pepe, will have a 600-square-meter gaming room on the second floor of the present hotel. Current plans include the installation of 70 slot machines and 13 gaming tables, including two French and four American roulettes, four blackjacks, two Caribbean pokers and one punto y banco.

The folks at Recreativos Franco managed to dodge a bullet by weathering the unexpected protest and winning a battle for which they weren't prepared. They can now let out a collective sigh, wipe the sweat from there brows, and get back to business-as-usual.
Source: IGWB

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