Midlands hits casino jackpot
The NEC and Wolverhampton hit the jackpot today to bring gaming palaces to the West Midlands - as Manchester won the right to open a Las Vegas-style super casino.The NEC and Wolverhampton hit the jackpot today to bring gaming palaces to the West Midlands - as Manchester won the right to open a Las Vegas-style super casino. But it was a double blow for Merry Hill shopping centre, in Dudley, which today failed in its bid to create a gambling mecca for enthusiasts which would bring more jobs and investment to the area. Regeneration chiefs in Wolverhampton and Solihull were celebrating landing their lucrative licences to build two of 16 smaller gaming venues. Cannock failed in its bid for a casino before today's final round of judging. Read the full story in the Express & Star
Wolverhampton and the NEC hit the jackpot today to bring casino palaces to the West Midlands - but Dudley lost its bid to cash in on the gambling spree.And in a shock decision, Manchester beat off the challenges of Blackpool and London to win the right to open Britain's only super casino.
It was a double blow for Dudley which had hoped its vision to create a gambling mecca at Merry Hill would bring more jobs, investment and wealth to the area after its initial bid to host a supercasino was rejected last year. But regeneration chiefs in Wolverhampton and Solihull were celebrating landing their lucrative licences to build two of 16 smaller gaming venues.
Wolverhampton joins Bath and North East Somerset, Dumfries and Galloway, East Lindsey, Luton, Scarborough, Swansea and Torbay to build a gaming palace which will cover 750 square metres and have up to 80 of the maximum slot machines.
A number of sites have been suggested for the casino, including the former Low Level station and Dunstall Park racecourse, whose owners dream of hosting Europe's first 'racino'.
Councillor Peter Bilson, Wolverhampton City Council deputy leader and regeneration and enterprise chief, said: "This is an exciting development for us. Our bid demonstrated, in light of the existing regeneration activity within the city, how much we can offer as a leisure location."
Solihull has been given the green light for its NEC bid together with Great Yarmouth, Kingston-upon-Hull, Leeds, Middlesbrough, Milton Keynes, Newham and Southampton to develop a larger site, covering up to 1,500 square metres and housing up to 150 gaming machines with jackpots of up to £4,000.
Manchester's success stunned favourites Blackpool and the Dome in Greenwich. The independent Casino Advisory Panel today granted the super casino licence together with the 16 smaller complexes.
Wolverhampton North East MP Ken Purchase was not among those celebrating in the city. He said: "I am not a supporter of these activities. Gambling is fine if people want to do it but this is not the way I would go about improving life for people in Wolverhampton."
By Sunita Patel
