Andorra, a tiny nation sandwiched between France and Spain, has given itself until November 27 to review the appeal of companies opposed to its issuance of a casino license to a locally-based company, Jocs SA. The original deadline to decide the appeal was October 29.
The prime minister of the principality, Antoni Marti, said the government needed more time because of the volumes of documentation that came with them.
The Andorra Game Control Board selected the winning bid for a boutique integrated resort last summer from 13 bids, with the largest being the largest casino developer in the world, the Genting Group. Jocs SA, in partnership with Novomatic Group, proposes a €15-million casino resort 160 employees that it projects will attract 200,000 international visitors annually and create €90 million in economic activity. The principality has a population of 80,000.
The losing bidders have accused the bidding process of being conducted improperly. One accusation is that Game Control Board Director Xavier Bardina interfered in the selection process. Five of the erstwhile bidders, including Genting, Casinos Austria, Partouche and Barrière filed appeals, and demanded a new, more transparent tender process. Four of them asked that the decision be annulled.
That decision will be made November 27 by the Andorran parliament.
