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[larven]

Originally Posted by Irwell

But Kerzner built the Sun City casino, which is what my point is. I don't care if someone buys Manc's casino from them, as long as we get a decent development along those lines instead of some tacky Vegas-style casino.

I agree but I'm not convinced by the comparison to Sun City, a purpose built resort in itself surrounded by golf courses, nature reserves, open countryside and a whole host of other attractions and facilities. You could spend a week holidaying there in the resort without ever paying a visit to the casino.

[skit_uk]

Of course the ironic thing is that the bookmakers didn't see this result coming

Who'd have thought our government were so good at bluffing

[Isaac Newell]

Originally Posted by Irwell

But Kerzner built the Sun City casino, which is what my point is. I don't care if someone buys Manc's casino from them, as long as we get a decent development along those lines instead of some tacky Vegas-style casino.

[b4mmy]

Originally Posted by BeardedGenius

I wonder how Manchester235 feel about this!

probably quite good I guess... the more a subculture of addicted gamblers exists the more the market opens up.

I think another reason Manchester won out over Blackpool is that there is a little more 'money' here. After all, a casino isn't going to be operating in short bursts of holiday seasons, they will need a 364 days per year potential capacity.... not 6, 12, or 24 weeks... whatever Blackpool works on these days.

[b4mmy]

Originally Posted by afk9000

Well congradulations on the decision, doesnt do much for the manchester favouritism conspiracies though ;-)

I dont think anyone is more surprised than Manchester. Everyone I have spoken to today can't believe it, and no one even gave it a second thought.

[Furrydice]

I know East Manchester very well and know how much it needs investment. However, the surrounding neighbourhoods are some of the most deprived in the country and, no matter what safeguards and social measures were promised, are some of the least well equiped to deal with gambling-related problems. I am gutted for Blackpool, this was a massive thing for them - Manchester, and even East Manchester, have already had so much.

[TheFly]

WOW!

The reason Manchester got it is because why would an American(?) big-shot casino owner want to build a casino in a dump (Blackpool) or some small UK city.

Manchester has a proper sized airport, excellent transport links with the Metro, decent sized luxury hotels, other attractions (football) and is a hip place.

Total no-brainer.

Amazing.

Was obvious we would get it...see all the governent reports saying how far Manchester will go.

Believe it.

This place is booming.

Where this will take us I do not know.

Eastgate will be built...HOTEL
Crown will be built.... HOTEL

Victoria station next massive hotel tower to come later this month.

WOW!

[TheFly]

Lets bid for the Americas Cup!!!

We can hold it in Liverpool bay to cheer the locals!

[Isaac Newell]

Mc Jobs.

[b4mmy]

Originally Posted by Isaac Newell

To be honest I have no sympathy with Blackpool, the hoteliers and locals always treated their visitors like shit and the place is dying a natural death.

I've got nothing against Blackpool, or its people... but it has chosen to market itself to a demographic that verges on nihilistic. I've been out there for a few nights out and the clubs and bars are just complete and utter carnage... shockingly so. Winning this Casino bid wont actually change that demographic.

[Chorltonred]

Blackpool and Greenwich didn't get a large casino because they didn't apply for one. They put all their eggs in one basket.

Having read the report the two key issues were:

1. East Manchester was actually the most deprived area applying for a regional casino. Surprising as it may be to some it is officially much more deprived than Blackpool.

2. It was seen as much better place to test and monitor the impact of a Regional casino on the local population. Too many visitors to a Blackpool casino would come from outside the area so monitoring the impact would be difficult. They were also very impressed that Manchester proposed an independent trust to monitor the impact.

Reading between the lines I think that Blackpool's clear desperation went against them. They weren't seen as a suitable place to test the concept as they were a very unusual case.

I agree that the decision will be used to push through more licenses sooner rather than later.

On another point, I reckon that this massively increases the chances of Eastgate actually getting built. Which is reason to celebrate for me!

[Awayo]

Originally Posted by Isaac Newell

To be honest I have no sympathy with Blackpool, the hoteliers and locals always treated their visitors like shit and the place is dying a natural death.

Whilst I'm against the Casino in Manchester, it ties in perfectly with what the city is becoming, a conference destination and will make it make the city more attractive for the annual double galzing conference.

Unfortunately it will bring problem gambling, increased organized crime at all levels, I would also imagine it would lead they way in the future legalization of prostitution.

A good move in the context of what Manchester is becoming, a bad move if you are uneasy with what it is becoming.

I read that Manchester is already the massage parlour capital of the UK, with a greater concentration of knocking shops than anywhere else. I'm not being funny, either.

And now, the super casino as well - hey, it's a living!

Nevertheless the idea of Manchester being nominated by bureaucratic diktak as the Las Vegas of the UK - the country's capital of sleaze - rather than the surely more appropriate Blackpool is almost surreal in its baffling illogicity. We're living in BizarroWorld.

[Elizabeth Kinoke]

Not sure this is what Manchester needs, it will now be Gambling capital of UK which isn't a tag I think is good but hey that's just my opinion, the Government should have taken the decision themselves and given it to Blackpool simply because it is in line with their style of entertainment and are probably better geared up to make this actually work, anywhere else and it could become another Millenium Dome, at the end of the day its another way for peoples hard earned money to be prised out of their hands but at least with Blackpool it is more likely to have infrequent visitors, i.e. stag party's, weekends away etc, with Manchester surely it is more likely to become a venue for frequent gamblers i.e. people living in that part of the city which needs regeneration not a cash conveyor belt to the U.S.A., the additional facilities will be good but again, doesn't Manchester do this well already and so will be superflous and maybe never used? The Government's decsion not to hand this to Blackpool may just come back to haunt them, i.e. next election. It really is crazy and I do feel for the people from Blackpool who were banking on this.

[pricemazda]

Originally Posted by b4mmy

probably quite good I guess... the more a subculture of addicted gamblers exists the more the market opens up.

I think another reason Manchester won out over Blackpool is that there is a little more 'money' here. After all, a casino isn't going to be operating in short bursts of holiday seasons, they will need a 364 days per year potential capacity.... not 6, 12, or 24 weeks... whatever Blackpool works on these days.

Thats one of the reasons Blackpool wanted it, so it wasn't dependent on rapidly declining summer revenues. It wants to be a year round resort. But without significant indoor, entertainment destinations, it can't do it.

If Manchester got this because it had a large catchment area in which to test the concept, doesn't that suggest that it might have been the best bid on paper, rather it was the best place to test the idea.

[b4mmy]

Originally Posted by pricemazda

Thats one of the reasons Blackpool wanted it, so it wasn't dependent on rapidly declining summer revenues. It wants to be a year round resort. But without significant indoor, entertainment destinations, it can't do it.

If Manchester got this because it had a large catchment area in which to test the concept, doesn't that suggest that it might have been the best bid on paper, rather it was the best place to test the idea.

like I said earlier, I don't think anyone is more surprised than Manchester.

[Elizabeth Kinoke]

actually I'll make a very small comparison.. Star City complex was built in a very run down part of Brum, way out from where many people would feel safe going at night, the complex initially promised all kinds of things, biggest cinema complex in Europe, bowling, bars etc etc.. it looked quite nice but gradually went down hill, they had problems with criminals and gang trouble, it has, as far as I am aware, been a waste of time, an experiment, what the area needs is proper investment, things that the community will use and ameneties that improve social standards, it just seems a shame that some of these schemes seem to have strings attached, why can't these areas get the bloody development that they deserve, more police, more youth clubs things for the man on street... etc etc.

[Mancunian Monkey]

Originally Posted by Elizabeth Kinoke

Not sure this is what Manchester needs, it will now be Gambling capital of UK which isn't a tag I think is good but hey that's just my opinion, the Government should have taken the decision themselves and given it to Blackpool simply because it is in line with their style of entertainment and are probably better geared up to make this actually work, anywhere else and it could become another Millenium Dome, at the end of the day its another way for peoples hard earned money to be prised out of their hands but at least with Blackpool it is more likely to have infrequent visitors, i.e. stag party's, weekends away etc, with Manchester surely it is more likely to become a venue for frequent gamblers i.e. people living in that part of the city which needs regeneration not a cash conveyor belt to the U.S.A., the additional facilities will be good but again, doesn't Manchester do this well already and so will be superflous and maybe never used? The Government's decsion not to hand this to Blackpool may just come back to haunt them, i.e. next election. It really is crazy and I do feel for the people from Blackpool who were banking on this.

To be honest - I'd be quite happy for Manchester to be known as the gambling capital of the UK - just as long as it's the best for other reasons as well.

I am stunned at just how much Manchester has going for it lately. I guess this is just another string for Manchester's bow.

[b4mmy]

Originally Posted by Elizabeth Kinoke

...I do feel for the people from Blackpool who were banking on this.

why were they banking on it? Blackpool is already an attraction. In fact thats all it is. It has the infrastructure to improve itself using private money and is already pushing ahead with gateway plans and the like. The thing is, all this regeneration is late late late.... people have been moaning for years about the state of the place, and its demographic. Benidorm had a similar demographic 20 years ago and forced its local hotels to up their prices and change their marketing... Blackpool could have done the same, and would by now be a feasible destination for a much wider public... other than stag/hen weekenders, and groups of chavs going out on the lash. I know that sounds a bit harsh, but someone has to say it.

[Mez]

I heard that an urban sports complex planned for the site would only be built if the casino was too.

Surely that new skiing place near the trafford centre can't compete with what's now coming to eastlands????

[Isaac Newell]

Blackpool is hard to get to, especially with this government's transport record. It's not like getting an NJ Transit or Greyhound Bus from the Port Authority Bus Terminal and zipping down the Garden State Parkway to Atlantic City, stopping at every casino, (about every 15 minutes)

It would be a sprinter from Victoria (standing room only) or a National Express, (every two hours, until we can be sure there is a demand) from Chorlton Street. The return bus and train would have left Blackpool before the sun sets.