We're game for a new super casino
Leeds stakes claim for Las Vegas-style attraction
By Paul Robinson
LEEDS has thrown its hat into the ring to be the home of the country's first Las Vegas-style super casino, it emerged today.
The city is one of nearly 30 places which have expressed a firm interest in providing a site for the huge gaming attraction.
Land at Leeds United's Elland Road ground could be used for the multi-million pound development, should the bid come up trumps.
Wakefield has also put its name forward as a possible location for the so-called "regional" casino, which will be the biggest ever built in Britain and the only one of its size allowed under the terms of the Government's new Gambling Act.
It would create hundreds of jobs, boast as many as 1,250 slot machines and, for the first time in this country, offer unlimited cash prizes.
The Government's Casino Advisory Panel (CAP) asked council chiefs nationwide last November if they were considering applying for the right to play host to the complex.
A total of 27 areas replied with a definite 'yes', while a further 19 gave the idea a less clear-cut thumbs-up.
The complete list includes Scarborough, Sheffield, Manchester, Newcastle and Birmingham, alongside the two West Yorkshire contenders.
Blackpool, widely regarded as favourite to get the nod, is on there too.
The successful town or city will be expected to put the job of operating the casino out to tender, with gaming giants on both sides of the Atlantic likely to fight it out for that megabucks contract.
Today a spokesman for Leeds City Council confirmed it was interested in the scheme.
He said: "Such a development could potentially bring a massive amount of funding for regeneration projects to Leeds, helping to rejuvenate the city and attract other investment."
The spokesman stressed, however, that things were still at a very early stage, with a suitable location in the city for a super casino yet to be identified.
One spot that would almost certainly be in the running, though, is a seven-acre site behind Elland Road's Revie Stand.
Britain's biggest casino operator, Stanley Leisure, paid £5m for first option on the land in October 2004.
A spokesman for the firm told the YEP today that if Leeds got the go-ahead for the regional complex, then it would hope to be given the chance to run it at Elland Road.
Councils have until March 31 to state their super casino cases to the CAP in full detail. It is due to recommend a winner to Culture Secretary Tessa Jowell by the end of this year.
paul.robinsons@ypn.co.uk

Personally, while I see the disadvantages, I am for this. It would bring a major new attraction to the city, but would also take the Elland Road site that would mean the arena would have to go to Clarence Dock- it is unlikely the super casino would move to Clarence Dock because of The Rendezvous.

Is there an operator on board? Seems a bit late to be officially throwing your hat into the ring. Manc and Blackpool are pretty much waiting to be told when to start (London and Brum are too), they've virtually got everything in place.

Is there an operator on board? Seems a bit late to be officially throwing your hat into the ring. Manc and Blackpool are pretty much waiting to be told when to start (London and Brum are too), they've virtually got everything in place.

Britain's biggest casino operator, Stanley Leisure, paid £5m for first option on the land in October 2004.


It's been well known since Jabba The Hut was still chairman of Leeds United that
there was going to be a super casino at Elland Road, in the unlikely event that Leeds gets the go ahead for it. Dunno why the article and thread has appeared today.

Stanley Leisure.
This isn't a new thing for Leeds, the proposal came around at the exact same time as the others. Apparently, Croydon, Leeds and Blackpool one's would be the largest if they get built.

Stick a ground redevelopment, new arena and a huge casino at Elland Road and i'd be over the moon.....


.... I can at least dream

I'm going off the idea of the super casino - rapidly.

Out of interest, how many of you lot EVER go in a casino?

I'm going off the idea of the super casino - rapidly.

Out of interest, how many of you lot EVER go in a casino?

Erm, well, I have been to a casino just the once but I don't include the fact on my CV. I'm with you on this one, though. I find the whole casino idea irredeemably tacky!

that's what I mean.

Those 'bigging' this up are those who never seem to go to casinos.

I frequet casinos probably far too often (about 2 or 3 times a week).

We are a vastly different country to the US, we are not going to get a Vegas style casino in ever city.

At present there is about 10 casinos in central Manchester - I suspect similar numbers in the other larger cities, those who want to go to casinos already can, there is loads of choice.

The poker table in the casino I go to regularly has a jockpot in the region of £150k - £200k, the slot machines have a £4k jackpot - what more do you want?

I really can see these being white elephants, frequented by gambling addicts, the 'normal' gamler already has 'their' casino, they don't want or need a new 'mega' casino.

Seriously let Blackpool have it, in my opinion any city that gets one of these will suffer more than it gains.

Well in the end it's not really our decision. I suppose a major casino would attract lots of people, and would get lots of media attention. I'm not sure how many casino's are in Leeds- theres Mecca near the YPN... I know quite a few developments have casino's in them (CP, Clarence Dock- does Wellington Place- I cant remember?)

Isn't Mecca a bingo hall?

Hardly the same thing.

I suppose a major casino would attract lots of people

I am not sure you know, people will already be going to other casino's, like the situation in the US.

and would get lots of media attention.

Is this a good or bad thing?

I know quite a few developments have casino's in them (CP, Clarence Dock- does Wellington Place- I cant remember?)

I'd be surprised if they all did, despite the relaxation of the laws surrounding gambling, it still isn't that easy to open a casino.

I'm going off the idea of the super casino - rapidly.

Out of interest, how many of you lot EVER go in a casino?

I've never been in a casino in this country (though I went to a Summer Ball once which had a roulette wheel and blackjack table and each guest had £500 paper money with their ticket, and I ended up with £27,000 :)), but I went to the big ones in Sydney, Brisbane and Melbourne ten years ago. It was scary how many people were gambling all their money away, and I was very glad we didn't have the same scale of casinos in the UK...

irredeemably tacky

Which just about somes up my local casino in Coventry.
They always seem to attract an unpleasant aura of seediness, like the betting shops which occupy major streets in Leeds. By turning them into supercasinos, it does as much to make them socially acceptable as all that Spearmint Rhino palaver and lapdancing clubs.

Casino's have been in major towns and cities for decades and all you had to do was to wait 24 hours to get in. I do not see why this development should make a massive difference. it is about choice. Should you choose to go in and piss all your money away then that is your fault. if you choose to go to a lap dance bar and spend hundred on girls then tough shit. Why blame people offering a service. it goes back to the argument that says by not having something you prevent it. You will always get alcoholics in pubs (not the beer industries fault), gamblers in casino's (not their fault) and fat bastards in McDonalds (not their fault either). Banning or preventing does not alter how a person is going to be. The few who get in the papers and have their sob stories do not represent the majority and I believe that the opportunity does outweigh the down side.

Britain (the newspapers in reality) have to stop railroading opinion based on extreme stories. If this casino opens and employs hundreds of people, then that is a good thing. I am sure many people disagree, but believe me having worked in the beer industry for many years all you get is do gooders moaning on about how everything is someone else's fault other than the person who puts the beer to their lips and choose to knock the shit out of someone when they leave the pub.

Typhoo - no problem with it opening, I am not suggesting that it shouldn't open since it will cause gambling addicts, as you say, that is their 'choice'.

However, it is the percieved benifits that I'm very far from believing will flow.

The casino I go in is open until 6am, and is staffed by people of student age, no doubt getting paid not much more than minimum wage.

Any profit the casino makes does not stay in the local area, it goes to the share holders of the Rank organisation.

I'd suggest the Asda Wallmark in Eastlands employs more money than any new casino would, and probably pays similar wages, it also does not have the impact of 'draining' plenty of local money (since casino's simply drain money out of people's pockets) from the economy.

I really don't buy into this idea that people are going to travel long distances to go to these casino's either, there seems to be some idea that people will travel from places like Manchester, Birmingham, London etc to Leeds if Leeds gets a 'super' casino - why????

We already have casino's in all these cities anyway, what on earth would we travel long distances to got to a caino for when we have the on our doorstep???

As someone (male, early 30's, married, no childs, plenty of disposable income, goes to casions a lot already) I should be one of the peope that would be really hyped up about this proposal, to me it is simply just going to be a slightly bigger casino that we already have, that'll be hyped in the media, and will most likely drain money out of the local economy, and put VERY little back in again.

'choice' seems to have more currency in Blair's Britain than 'social responsibility'. maybe it'll make sense when i'm older.