Competition for “super-casino” was hard-won
A winner has been announced in the race to develop a £450 million (US$646 million) casino complex on the Royal Pier Waterfront in Southampton. The casino—the last of eight big resorts to be licensed in the UK, excluding Northern Ireland—is due to open in 2021, the BBC reports.
The license provides for up to 150 slot machines and 30 blackjack and poker tables.
Global Gaming Ventures, Grosvenor and Kymeira also made a play for the license. Matt Tucker, chairman of Southampton City Council’s licensing committee, told the BBC the bidding war the “largest and most complex competition,” and enabled the authority to “negotiate the best deal for the city.”
“The regeneration of the waterfront at Royal Pier and Mayflower Park has been a longstanding aspiration for the city,” he said. “The casino will play a big part in making the redevelopment happen.” Tucker said the project will create at least 180 new jobs. The gaming authority will receive at least 2 percent of gross gaming revenues, and Aspers will contribute £50,000 a year for problem gambling programs.
The resort complex will include 730 apartments, up to 50 retail shops, restaurants and a 250-room hotel as well as a minimum 1,000-square-meter (10,760 square-foot) gaming floor.
According to the website CalvinAyre.com, Aspers will pay £100,000 to the local council on receipt of the license, and £150,000 when the project opens in 2021.
Aspers Chairman Damian Aspinall said he is “delighted” his company won the concession for a Southampton “super-casino.” In addition to its existing operations at Westfield Stratford in London and Milton Keynes in Buckinghamshire, it also operates gaming halls in Newcastle and Northampton.
