Casino Or Bust For KC Revamp

Adam Pearson has admitted it's Casino or bust for his hopes to increase the KC Stadium capacity to 35,000.

The Hull City chairman and head of the Stadium Management Company has launched an official bid to extend the £43.5m stadium.

However the plan to increase the number of supporters allowed through the gates for Hull FC and Hull City matches hangs on Hull being given Government approval to build a casino complex at the KC.

The planning application, which has been lodged with Hull City Council, also includes a 400-bedroom five-star hotel, a conference and exhibition centre, shops bars and restaurants.

Extending the stadium by nearly 10,000 seats would cost £10m and involve either adding a second tier to the East Stand, or building the stadium up around its top edge.

But Pearson has warned it's a virtual no-go unless Hull wins the race for the casino building rights. Hull was recently omitted from a reported five-venue short-list that included Sheffield and Manchester.

"The extension will not be possible without the casino, it is reliant on the investment the casino will bring," said Pearson. If Hull City were at the top of the Championship, selling out the stadium week-in, week-out we would have to try and find another way to fund the application. But we can get in the Premier League as it is - extending the stadium is not the be all and all."

Pearson says submitting the planning application now means everything will be in place to start work as soon as possible should they get the nod from the Government.

Pearson said: "We have submitted the planning application now because we want to be serious players in the contest to build a casino. The competition is fierce and if we want to bring a regional casino to the city we have to get on with it. It is about making sure it is feasible and achievable."

He believes the Government could make a decision on where it plans to locate a super casino and eight regional casinos as early as June.

Pearson is leading the joint venture between US leisure firm Isle of Capri, the Stadium Management Company and the city council to build a casino complex, which would create thousands of jobs.

A recent report showed that Hull was not one of the front runners in the race to be granted a licence.