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UK
Casino Times
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News
18 May 2005
Super Casino Could Be 'A
Winner'
Council
bosses and business leaders have agreed to throw their
weight behind a drive to bring the UK's first "super casino"
to Coventry.
Mississippi-based Isle of
Capri secured a gambling licence to operate at the £113
million Ricoh Arena last month and hoped to become one of 24
proposed regional "super" casinos under a revised gambling
act.
But those plans took a
setback just before the election when the government pushed
through a bill which allows for only one regional pilot
casino - likely to be in Blackpool.
Yesterday the gaming
giant's bosses met city business and civic leaders at the
Chamber of Commerce Business Council to discuss the
company's bid for the pilot scheme.
Speaking at the meeting,
Isle of Capri president Tim Hinkley said: "It makes
absolutely perfect sense for Coventry to be the pilot. We
have everything in place and have already been involved in
the city for more than two years.
"Other sites are more than
three years away from completion and have a tremendous
number of hurdles to cross before getting anywhere close to
reality.
"We are here on the ground
in Coventry. We are a part of the Ricoh Arena, a project
which will bring massive regeneration benefits to the city,
and we should be allowed to develop what will hopefully be
the first of several resort casinos in the UK."
He insists that the city
is right for the casino despite the Blackpool being the
odds-on favourite. He said: "The Isle of Capri sees
tremendous potential in Coventry and believes that the
government should look at our development very closely
before deciding on a pilot.
"I would urge businesses
in Coventry and Warwickshire to back our aim of investing in
the area."
Mr Hinkley said 95 per
cent of the 1,000 jobs created by a resort casino would go
to local people.
Larry Coltman, president
of the Chamber, is also backing the bid. He said: "Ricoh has
already invested in the Arena and sees it as a project of
international significance.
"It is a unique project
which is so much more than just a football stadium and the
Isle of Capri's full involvement will only help increase its
appeal.
"It makes absolute sense,
with the building nearing completion, that the government
think again and choose Coventry as the regional casino
pilot."
Last month it was reported
how Conservative council leader Ken Taylor was disappointed
that his Westminster colleagues helped reduce Coventry's
chances of a super casino.
Tory MPs and the Lords
were among opponents who forced the government to cut the
number of proposed large regional casinos to just
one.
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