The City Council of Belfast has given the start of a public consultation about the construction of a large casino complex there. The project has been estimated to approximately £300 million.
The consultation is set to officially begin on December 11th and to end on March 5th.
The results of the public consultation is expected to be presented to the committee in order for the latter to consider and determine its position regarding the possible construction of a casino and entertainment complex in Belfast. The committee would be also expected to come up with a decision about extended licensing hours.
Once the committee makes a decision on the matter, the outcome is to be brought before the Department for Communities, which currently bears the responsibility to deal with such issues since they are usually considered regionally.
It came to Casino Guardian’s knowledge that for the time being, there were two leading gambling operators that have already entered the negotiations with representatives of local political parties and businesses about building a casino along with a hotel, bar, restaurant and water park. According to information included in the consultation documents, international investors had been interested in developing a casino and entertainment complex in Belfast.
Reportedly, the Rank Group, one of the leading industry behemoths in the UK gambling business has demonstrated its interest towards the project, sharing it could build a complex estimated to approximately £200 million if permitted.
Casino and Entertainment Complex Issues to Be Considered
Earlier, Councillor Jim McVeigh shared his opinion that a modernised licensing system an the construction of a casino and entertainment complex could help the local tourism sector and city’s economy. According to him, such a project could bring 900 new jobs to the region as well as a possible investment of £150 million. In an interview for the Belfast Telegraph, however, the councillor of Sinn Féin shared that the potential value of the investment could amount to as much as £300 million, and about 1,000 jobs could be created.
According to Mr. McVeigh, the consultation is to take into account the opinion of Belfast residents, as well as the one of people involved within the local tourism and hospitality sector. He further explained that the scope of the project is huge, both in terms of financial and physical point of view, with the jobs to be created being around 1,000. Still, Mr. McVeigh confessed that there are serious gambling-related issues to be taken into consideration at the time of the consultation period, so the committee should not make hasty or light-hearted decisions.
For the time being, the gambling legislation of Northern Ireland do not allow any casinos to be constructed there. Still, the issues related to the potential casino and entertainment complex is to be discussed at tonight’s meeting of the strategic policy and resources committee that is scheduled.
There is a possibility for the NI Assembly to make a decision for some changes to be implemented to the legislation focused on both casinos and licensing hours.
- Author
Daniel Williams
