A second casino, the Shambhala, is due to open in Russia’s Primorye economic zone, possibly as early as March, according to the director-general of the Primorye Territory Development Corp. The long-awaited casino will join Tigre de Cristal, the sole operating casino in the casino zone, which opened in late 2015.
“At the moment, the investor, Shambhala CJSC, has already completed construction and installation works and started to decorate the interior,” Olga Sun-zhayu told state news agency TASS. “The official opening of the gambling and entertainment complex will take place in the spring of 2020. At the first stage, the company will recruit up to 500 employees,”
The phased project will open with a 28,000-square-meter (300,000-squar-foot) gambling and entertainment complex. By 2022, the complex will also include a hotel, sports complex, spa and shopping area.
“Shambhala stands on a hill, and therefore guests will have a beautiful view of Muravyinaya Bay and Cherepashye Lake,” said Olga Sun-zhayu.
Another investment project, Naga Vladivostok hotel and entertainment complex, which includes an 11-story hotel building with a casino, is also expected to start operating in 2020, reported SBC News.
After the launch of these two facilities, the casino zone should benefit from a density of attractions and attract more tourists. Authorities look forward to welcoming 1.2 million people per year, TASS reported. Five more facilities in the gambling zone are now in the design stage.
Meanwhile, Tigre de Cristal, with 70 gambling tables, 321 slot machines, and a 121-room hotel, plans a Phase II. “Construction will begin already in 2021,” Sun-zhayu said. “The project involves doubling the existing number of rooms and gaming equipment compared to the existing complex. The new complex will also include four restaurants and bars, a built-in covered beach, duty-free retail areas, and various services for business tourism.”
