German casino operator Westspiel is said to be seeking a new location for its planned new casino in Cologne. A subway shaft and an old Prussian fortification wall were uncovered under the site. However, Christian Democratic Union Party Director Niklas Kienitz said, “Westspiel should provide transparency and explain quickly whether it will continue with the casino at this point or not.” Westspiel officials responded, “No final decision has been taken on the project in Ottoplatz so we can’t submit anything to the committees for a vote.”
In 2013, the German government selected Cologne as the location for the fifth Westspiel-Casino in North Rhine-Westphalia. Westspiel beat competitors from Münster, Dusseldorf, Neuss and Koenigswinter to build the nation’s largest casino that would attract 400,000 visitors annually. Westspiel selected architect Franz-Josef Höing to design the venue which was to open in 2016. But to date, Westspiel has not even bought the plot of land from the city, which anticipated $6.21 million a year in casino tax revenue.
Officials at the NRW Bank, one of Westspiel’s investors, said, “The planning is the responsibility of Westspiel. The supervisory boards of Westspiel are regularly informed about the status. Once the final planning is in place, it will be submitted to the committees for approval.”
Westspiel posted losses of $10.6 million in 2015 and $3.6 million in 2016.
