Krasnaya Polyana’s the name
The Russian government has found a new use for facilities built for the 2014 Winter Olympics in Sochi. Now more details are emerging about the plan—including the name, Krasnaya Polyana.
Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev has signed a resolution to create a gaming zone at Sochi, a city on the Black Sea. According to the Moscow Times, it was the brainchild of Sberbank, the largest savings bank in the country, which also built the ski resort Gonraya Karusel.
Sochi is a popular destination for tourists, but only in the summertime, when it attracts mostly Russians. Introducing casinos at the site may extend the tourist season and also bring in foreign tourists. Russia, which outlawed all gaming in 2009, has designated other gaming zones in the Altai Territory, the Krasnodar Territory, the Primorye Territory and Kaliningrad.
Krasnaya Polyana will replace Azov City, a designated gaming zone that will wind down its operations over the next two years. In May, Russian President Vladimir Putin signed an order allowing operators there to remain in business until December 31, 2018.
