Local investor partnering with Genting
Three big players in the gaming industry are vying to be part of the BCN World casino complex planned for Catalonia, Spain. They are U.S.-based Hard Rock International, Hong Kong-listed Melco International Development, and the Peralada Group of Barcelona, whose partner in the venture is Malaysian casino giant Genting.
According to the World Casino Directory, representatives of the first two global operators met in July with Carlos Puigdemon and Oriol Junqueras, president and vice president of Catalonia, and each agreed to make a €5 million (US$2.5 million) deposit to demonstrate their interest in the project.
In a statement to the website Yogonet.com, the government called the meeting “very encouraging” and said it has “paved the way for future positive developments in the region.”
“Since the approval last month of the new Master Zoning Plan by the Generalitat of Catalonia, we believe this great project is finally going down the right path,” the companies noted. “It was an important milestone that has brought us closer than ever to the public tendering process. As pre-approved companies, we look forward to be able to submit our joint proposal to develop a unique, world-class leisure and entertainment center in Tarragona that will bring thousands of new jobs, significant foreign direct investment and millions of euros in new revenues to Catalonia.”
Approval of the master plan, which will include casinos, hotels and retail space on a 500-hectare (1,235-acre) swath of land, is expected by November. The Catalan Land Institute owns the land and the new agreements state the winning bidder has the right to buy the land once chosen.
Hard Rock and Melco want to operate casinos as part of BCN World, while the Peralada Group and the Genting Group are angling to be the sole operators of a large-scale casino as part of the project, reported the World Casino Directory.
