News INTERNATIONAL UPDATE LCI shuts up shop in Leeds
LCI is to close its Leeds casino in the UK just over fours years since opening its doors
London Clubs International is to shut its Alea Leeds casino at Clarence Dock highlighting ‘frustrations with the pace of change within the UK gaming industry.’ The closure, which will affect almost 100 jobs, also sees it pull out of the licensing process for the 2005 Act large casino licence run by Leeds City Council.
LCI, owned by US giant Caesars Entertainment, had wanted Leeds Council to help revive the popularity of its £12m Alea Casino in Clarence Dock by improving infrastructure between the casino and the city centre. It also wanted to be awarded the city’s ‘large’ licence allowing it to spread out into its 60,000 sq ft of front-of-house entertainment space and become more of a draw.
Roy Ramm, Governance and Public Affairs Director at London Clubs International, said: “It is with great regret that we are also suspending trading our existing casino business in the city, but current trading conditions in the Clarence Dock development have made this outcome inevitable. We made a significant investment into Alea when it
Crown considers
Sri Lankan resort The island of Sri Lanka in the Indian Ocean has been thrust into the casino spotlight following reports that Australian operator Crown has been asked to review the island’s casino potential and prepare a proposal regarding resort development. Crown’s Chairman James Packer has met with officials to discuss options to invest in a large, city-based hotel in Colombo, the administrative capital of the Western Province as well as present ideas for a casino resort development in the eastern city of Trincomalee. Lakshman Yapa Abeywardena, Sri Lanka's Minister of Investment Promotion, confirmed Mr. Packer had met with Sri Lankan ministers to discuss ‘investment opportunities.’ He said the area being proposed for development hadn’t been confirmed, but said Crown was interested in investing in ‘integrated tourism’ including hotels and casino gaming.
April 2013 PAGE 22
Competition for the new style licence
remains high with Leeds United football club
wanting to bring
the casino into its stadium, Global Gaming Ventures
wanting to develop in the new £600m Eastgate Quarters whilst Rushbond has made the
casino part of its plans for the
redevelopment of the former
Majestyk nightclub on City Square.
opened in 2008 and have continued to support the business through difficult times for Clarence Dock, but during the bid process we became aware of the full extent of the additional investment sought by the council in order to win the new licence and it has become clear to us that this additional financial burden is unsustainable.”
A collective redundancy consultation with employees at Alea Leeds is now underway. Following a spectacular opening in October 2008, the wider, multi-leisure destination at Clarence Dock has seen most of its retail offering close down due to lack of business. Describing Clarence Dock as the ‘forgotten part of the city,’ Mr. Ramm said footfall had dropped by 10 per cent year-on-year in the last three years. He had previously warned that the casino’s future was not secure unless links were improved.
Astra acquires Games Media from SG Gaming
SG Gaming, a division of Scientific Games, has announced the completion of the sale of its Games Media pub business to Astra Games (the wholly owned UK subsidiary of Austrian Gaming Industries, part of the Novomatic Group). The pub business will be incorporated into Astra’s Gamestec division, a leading operator of gaming machines for the UK pub retail sector.
Phil Horne, Group Managing Director, UK, for SG Gaming, said: “Server-based gaming is the focal point of our business and our licensed betting office,
bingo and arcade operators have fully embraced this solution. However, following a lengthy strategic review, we believe that the pub industry is not able to support the entirety of our solution at this time.
“We are delighted to sell the pub business to Astra’s Gamestec division, which is known for its outstanding service and support to pub retailers. This action will allow us to focus our resources on the LBO, arcade, bingo and interactive sectors, helping to further drive innovation and operational efficiencies in our retained business.”
GENTING GROUP HAS ENTERED THE Las Vegas strip casino market having bought the stalled Echelon site from Boyd Gaming for $350m in cash. Genting said it will transform the unfinished project into Resorts World Las Vegas, starting in 2014 and opening 2016 with 3,500 hotel rooms, convention centre and 4,000-seat theatre. CEO KT Lim said: “This is an unparalleled opportunity to showcase what has made the Resorts World brand a globally recognised success for the past several decades. Genting intends to undertake the development, either singly or jointly with other parties, and will announce the details of the development plans in due course. The land has approximately 1,523 feet of frontage on the Las Vegas Strip and is zoned as H-1, which allows for the development of gaming enterprises, compatible commercial and mixed commercial/residential uses. It also lies entirely within the gaming enterprise district, which allows for application for a non-restricted gaming license and permitted gaming throughout the site.” Echelon and Fontainebleau had become unfinished monuments of the economy crashing in Las Vegas. The property on the northern end of the Las Vegas Strip should have opened as a mixed-use development complete with 5,000 rooms in six hotels in 2010. The Stardust resort was demolished in 2007 to make way for the $4.8bn project.
INTERBLOCK HAS COMPLETED AN install at one of the top casino operator in France with JOA Groupe going live with a G4 Organic Live Roulette systems at its Casino de Montrond-les-Baines. Seven play stations of the G4 Organic Live Roulette in silver-black design have been placed in the brand new casino and entertainment complex in the area of Lyon. Bojan Dreven, Regional Sales Manager at Interblock, said: “This is now the fourth Interblock installation within the JOA Groupe casino floor, which are placed all over the France. It‘s a pleasure to work in such a great partnership and we believe that advantages that they recognise in our gaming products will continue to keep our good relationship in the future.” G4 Organic Live is a semi-automated game, offering choice of any traditional game from our selection. Organic Live platform offers players the ability to place wagers electronically on a live wheel operated by a croupier or an Electronic shoe being dealt for a baccarat game. A compact and modern Organic Live Roulette game designed for six, seven, nine or 14 players it can be easily integrate into any casino floor.
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