Scottish Cinema Owners In Casino Talks

A series of operators are believed to have held talks with the owners of the Odeon cinema in Glasgow's city centre with the aim of transforming it into Scotland's first mega-casino with gambling over four floors.

Letting agent Donaldsons has revealed that it was in talks with a number of major UK Casino operators who want to convert the art deco fronted building in Renfield Street into a casino.

The city already has six casinos and another five planned, but the fact that the building is already in place means the Odeon has the potential to win the race in becoming the first regional casino in the city.

Donaldsons' retail and leisure partner John Menzies would not reveal the identity of the companies involved but did confirm he was speaking to a number of UK casino operators. He said that there was no other opportunity like the Odeon in Glasgow in terms of a city-centre location with floor space of 105,000 sq ft. The plan is to have bars, restaurants and shop at ground and basement levels with a casino operating on the first floor.