Reports
CARIBBEAN - DOMINICAN REPUBLIC
While the market is already well developed the casino market could see a significant boost with the announcement last year that Grupo Globalia is looking to invest further in the market. To that end the owner of the company Juan José Hidalgo has created Riverbound Investment, a company which will look to invest in casinos as part of hotels it already owns or with partners.
be home to a 23,000 sq. ft. casino, screening room, and a nightclub opening up to the main pool. Te casino will feature two bars, including Hard Rock’s signature Centre Bar, a race and sports book, high limit slots, 400 slot machines and 40 table games. A private gaming room on the exclusive suite floor will also be available for guests with select access.
However, opposition to the new project has been growing since February 2016 when a committee of school staff and residents in the neighbourhood of Piantini asked the Ministry of Finance to deny a licence for the casino. Te following month a total of 3,000 families joined forces to oppose the new plans with concerned locals making the request via an open letter to Simón Lizardo, Minister of Finance.
In July a number of neighbourhood councils reiterated their rejection due to the negative impact that the largest casino in the city would have on what is a primarily a residential zone. Tere are no signs either that the controversy over the project will ease up any time soon as residents of the neighbourhood of Piantini and surrounding areas have filed against the urban
P96 NEWSWIRE / INTERACTIVE /
247.COM
planning department of the National District arguing that the project violates local planning provisions.
Another major operator in the areas is Spanish company CIRSA. In 2014 alone CIRSA invested US$6m in the Dominican Republic. In February 2015 it celebrated the opening of its fifth casino: the Casino Napolitano which has 72 slot machines, and is located in Santo Domingo.
In August 2015 the Spanish operator announced that it was set to increase its presence in the Dominican Republic even further with the acquisition of the Grand Victoria Casino in the city of Santiago - the second largest city in the Dominican Republic. Te casino opened in November the same year.
CIRSA also operates the Casino Hispanola in Santo Domingo, which has 200 slot machines and 27 tables, as well as a restaurant, VIP room and live shows. Its Casino Almirante, meanwhile, is located in Santiago de los Cabelleros and has almost 200 slots plus gaming tables. In addition the company also operates the Casino Lina in the Barcelo Hotel in
Santo Domingo. All of CIRSA’s casinos offer a wide variety of slot machines including multi- game machines, electronic roulette and progressive slots. Tey also all offer a wide number of table games including roulette, as well as a wide variety of poker.
While the market is already well developed the casino market could see a significant boost with the announcement last year that Grupo Globalia is looking to invest further in the market. To that end the owner of the company Juan José Hidalgo has created Riverbound Investment, a company which will look to invest in casinos as part of hotels which are already owned by the company and its partners. It will also look for other opportunities in casinos not currently owned by the group. Globalia is Spain's leading tourist group and Globalia’s investments in the Dominican Republic stand at more than US$450m.
According to local press, the company is looking to gain a significant market share as it seeks to expand. Today the company runs casinos in its Be Live hotels the group’s hotel firm as well as the only stand alone casino on the island: the
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76 |
Page 77 |
Page 78 |
Page 79 |
Page 80 |
Page 81 |
Page 82 |
Page 83 |
Page 84 |
Page 85 |
Page 86 |
Page 87 |
Page 88 |
Page 89 |
Page 90 |
Page 91 |
Page 92 |
Page 93 |
Page 94 |
Page 95 |
Page 96 |
Page 97 |
Page 98 |
Page 99 |
Page 100 |
Page 101 |
Page 102 |
Page 103 |
Page 104 |
Page 105 |
Page 106 |
Page 107 |
Page 108 |
Page 109 |
Page 110 |
Page 111 |
Page 112 |
Page 113 |
Page 114 |
Page 115 |
Page 116 |
Page 117 |
Page 118 |
Page 119 |
Page 120 |
Page 121 |
Page 122 |
Page 123 |
Page 124 |
Page 125 |
Page 126 |
Page 127 |
Page 128 |
Page 129 |
Page 130 |
Page 131 |
Page 132 |
Page 133 |
Page 134 |
Page 135 |
Page 136 |
Page 137 |
Page 138 |
Page 139 |
Page 140 |
Page 141 |
Page 142 |
Page 143 |
Page 144 |
Page 145 |
Page 146 |
Page 147 |
Page 148