Seabankwas the only bidder for a strip of land offered by Malta’s Institute for Tourism Studies and says it wants to build a casino and the island’s largest mall.
Seabank says it wants to start work on the project on October 3, which would occur ahead of the actual completion of the institute’s new SmartCity campus.
Malta’s Planning Authority still must review the project, but Seabank’s ambitious schedule suggests a quick review is likely, and Seabank anticipates receiving the necessary regulatory approvals to start work soon.
The Smart City campus isn’t slated for completion until 2019, and the proposed shopping mall would occupy about 80,000 square feet, making it the largest on Malta.
Reports indicate the Big Bon Group will be in charge of mall operations and will recruit prominent retail brands as anchor retail stores.
Seabank plans a June 2018 opening of the mall.
The proposed Hard Rock casino and hotel would be three stories tall, with 25 table games and 375 slots, plus a poker room, in the about 6,500-square-foot casino.
The hotel is to have 260 rooms and 110 suites, and include a concert venue for up to 2,500 guests, and Seabank wants to target gamblers with high net incomes.
