Three U.S. operators have expressed interest
The tender for a casino license at the site of Athens’ former Hellinikon International Airport is about to be published, according to naftemporiki.gr. The website called the project in Athens “one of the biggest … delay-plagued privatizations in Greece.”
The delays could soon come to an end with publication of the tender in the EU’s Official Journal, which reportedly could happen any moment. Once the tender is published, bidders will have 60 days to submit binding offers.
In addition to a gaming license, the concession will include licensure for a resort hotel, a conference center, a concert hall and other facilities. The concession covers 20 hectares (almost 50 acres) on the former airport site The entire complex is expected to cost €8 billion (US$9.1 million), with the gaming concession alone coming to more than €500 million (US$566 million).
So far, three U.S.-based global operators are said to be in the running for the airport license: Hard Rock International, Mohegan Gaming & Entertainment and Caesars Entertainment.
The airport development will reportedly be the nation’s biggest coastal resort and the first integrated casino resort in Europe. The plan for a casino complex at the former airport was approved in February 2018 by the Greek Council of State. The project has faced several delays over the past few years, sparking heated disputes between its proponents and environmentalists and archaeologists.
In a statement on the project, the Hellenic Gaming Commission said the IR plan “reflects the collective vision and commitment to collaborate on the further development and implementation of a sustainable tourism destination” and predicts it will “transform the wider area of Athens and improve the lives of millions of residents and visitors of our capital city, enhance the Greek tourism product and become a growth engine for the Greek economy.”
Commissioners “envisage a world-class integrated resort casino operation as an important part of the Hellinikon, a project destined to transform the wider area of Athens and improve the lives of millions of residents and visitors to our capital city, enhance the Greek tourism product and become a growth engine for the Greek economy,” the statement continued.
