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Barrière opens new resort complex around Ribeauvillé
NEWSBRIEFS
Milton Keynes defers again
Milton Keynes Council has again deferred its decision on whether to grant outline planning permission for a casino in the Xscape building (pictured). The council wants more information about the impact on traffic in the area. This plan, which is a scaled-back version of pro- posals put forward three years ago that included a hotel and shops, would see only the ground floor con- verted. It was first presented last October and then deferred for further consul- tation.
The casino is at the heart of the new Resort Barrière Ribeauvillé
With an investment of more than E40m, Barrière has integrated its casino near the historic town of Ribeauvillé with a hotel and health resort, harking back to the foundations of the European casino industry. The elegant finished product opened its doors at the end of February.
casinospa FRANCE
Groupe Lucien Barrière, which operates six of France’s ten best earning casinos, opened a brand new resort in Alsace on February 27, centred on its casino in Ribeauvillé, 75km south of Strasbourg. The new Resort Barrière Ribeauvillé, set in the heart of the Alsatian vineyards, is the first new integrated leisure, health and casino resort in France, according
to the company. It is spread over a wide area - more than 11,000sq m - and comprises the casino, which has been open since 2005, a four-star Hôtel Barrière, three bars, two restaurants, and two spas - a 3,600sq m hydrother- apy spa and a U Spa Barrière. In addition, visitors to the resort will be entertained by a year-round programme of shows and events. Bringing all these ele- ments together to form one resort has cost the company E40m, of which more than
half was spent on extending the hotel and spa. The group, which is cele-
brating its 100th anniver- sary this year, said: “What could be more symbolic for a birthday than a birth! This one makes incarnate all the group’s knowledge and areas of operation of the last 100 years, which are gaming, well being, hotels, restau- rants and shows. More than just a resort, the latest child of Lucien Barrière Hotels and Casinos is a real experi- ence.”
The casino is ranked 27th of 195 in France by gross gaming revenues and covers 1,000sq m, including an adaptable 300sq m space turned over to dinner show, conferences and seminars. In the casino itself there are 180 slot machines and 12 table games. The venue saw almost 263,000 visits in 2011, putting it among the top five attractions in Alsace, and offered 150 shows. The extended hotel now offers 56 rooms and two suites. The development of the
resort has been completed with an eye on matters eco- logical. Barrière is working in partnership with a network of local farmers who are provided all the heat requirements for the spas and hotel through methane obtained from anaerobic digesters. The company has also been looking out for the bees, and has installed ten hives in the grounds of the resort. The resulting homemade honey features on the resort’s breakfast menus.
Leeds launches large casino licence bid
greatexpectations UNITED KINGDOM
Leeds City Council formally invited applications at the end of January for the large casino licence, one of the eight mandated under the 2005 Gambling Act. The tender process was launched after the council amended its policy on the principle it will apply in considering the
application. In practice that
means the successful candidate will be required to provide funding for a council-run ‘social
inclusion fund’ that will be used to deliver projects that help address financial economy and social exclusion in the city. As part of the application process, applicants will also be required to explain in detail the plans they have for their offer, which will
4 March 2012 • europewestnews
include their plans to reduce any negative impact their development would have. They will also be required to indicate their commitment to providing employment and training for local residents. John Mulcahy, head of licensing and registration for Leeds City Council, said: “The leisure economy already attracts thousands of visitors to Leeds, and a new large casino will add
an extra dimension to the existing popular attractions in the city. The licence also has the potential to generate more jobs and investment into the area. We look forward to seeing proposals from potential applicants, however, the council has no preferred location in mind for this facility.”
The closing date for application is April 26 and the council expects to make
its first decisions in August. The decision on which firm wins licence will be announced in spring 2013. Large Casinos under the
2005 are defined as being between 1,000sq m and 3,500sq m: they may offer up to 150 slot machines with a maximum jackpot of £4,000 (E4,730).
Application packs are available from Leeds City Council by emailing:
large.casino@
leeds.gov.uk.
The council has decided that only companies that have obtained outline plan- ning permission may apply for the city’s large licence when it is put out to tender. Two projects so far have the necessary permission: the Leisure Plaza and Stadium MK.
Rank confirms Gala talks The Rank Group, operator of 35 UK casinos, has confirmed it is in talks to buy the 24 casinos of the Gala Coral group. However it said: “The terms of any such transaction have not been finalised and there is no certainty that any such transaction will occur.” The Sunday Times said the figure being discussed is around £250m (E295m). The deal would see Rank, itself 74 per cent acquired by Guoco last September, leapfrog Genting to become the UK’s largest operator.
Partouche revenues
nudge upward France’s largest casino oper- ator Partouche has reported gross gaming revenues up 2.1 per cent to E172.5m in the first quarter of its finan- cial year. After taxes, its net gaming revenue was E97.1m up 2.3 per cent. Across the range of their activities, the casinos saw revenues rise 2.5 per cent to E116.1m, however, hotels, the online business and revenue streams all saw declines. Partouche Gaming
France, which operates the online poker site, saw rev- enues fall; Partouche said it would launch a new version of the site soon. The interac- tive business, however, is expected to get a boost this year from the award in Belgium of a full A+ Licence to the Partouche subsidiary, Casino de Dinant. The licence, awarded at the start of February, allows it to offer a full range of online games to the Belgian market. The casino has been running a test site from there since November 2010.
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