Santos: “We need this competitiveness”
Brazilian political candidate Washington Quaquá supports a casino in Restinga de Maricá because of its potential to attract foreign investment, create jobs and revenue and increase tourism. Quaquá was the mayor the city from 2008 to 2016.
According to Games Magazine Brasil, Quaquá, candidate for federal deputy and president of the Partido dos Trabalhadores or Workers Party in Rio de Janeiro, Quaquá said he will do his best to bring a casino to the port city.
“The resort will provide qualified employment for the people of Zacarias and will help the Indians,” he said. “It will generate 3,000 five-star hotel rooms.” Quaquá said he’s enlisted Brazilian Senator Lindbergh Farias, also a Workers Party member, to support casino development. He said Lindbergh “kind of was against the casinos … but I said, ‘Lindbergh, you’re going to help me.’” Farias eventually came around.
“Maricá is in the spout to win a casino,” Quaquá insisted. “The people of Las Vegas want to come and invest here.” He said he’s worried that Maricá could miss out if it doesn’t mount a full-court press. “By law it will only be possible to have two casinos per state, and for sure one goes to Barra da Tijuca and another to Rio, and we will not have anything for Maricá.”
Games reported that though Farias voted against a bill authored by Senator Ciro Nogueira that authorizes online and casino gaming in the country. Now as he actively campaigns for reelection, he has changed his opinion.
Meanwhile. Bob Santos, Brazil’s secretary for Tourism Promotion and Qualification, said casinos have “much value to add, although it is still a legislative agenda.”
Speaking at the 46th ABAV Expo, a tourism conference in São Paulo, Santos, said that “the tourism development scenario accompanies two major revolutions: the one of the digital era and that of the search for the value of experiences.
“The great challenge is not only to follow the trends and adapt to them, but to understand the impact and effect of this in people’s lives.” Of casinos, he said, “Just look at the outside and realize how much they move in tourism. We need this factor of competitiveness here.”
