Residents object
The chairman and CEO of Philippines casino operator Bloomberry Resorts Corp. says he is committed to developing a second casino in Quezon City, north of Metro Manila, over the objections of some residents.
Razon told the Manila Standard, “It will push through. We will start construction sometime next year, for completion after two years.”
The land, acquired from the National Housing Authority in 2015, is located in Quezon City’s Central Business District.
The Standard reports that a group of “concerned citizens” wrote an open letter to Philippine President Rodrigo Duterte to halt the casino, saying its proximity to several schools would put young people at risk.
Despite Razon’s statement, Quezon City officials say there been no application yet for a casino in that community, reported the Philippine Daily Inquirer.
Bloomberry, operator of the Solaire Resort and Casino in Manila’s Entertainment City, previously pegged the casino’s budget at PHP20 billion (US$388.4 million). The Asia Gaming Brief reports that the mass-focused property would also include a hotel on a 1.5-hectare (3.7-acre) tract on Vertis North.
