Casino plans denied (From Daily Echo)
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Royston Smith insists plans for Las Vegas-style gambling centre in Southampton have not been revived
10:43am Saturday 18th February 2012 in News
Casino plans denied
TORY council leaders have denied plans for a Las Vegas style casino in Southampton have been revived.
The prospect of a huge gambling den as part of the “world class” redevelopment of the city’s waterfront had been shelved during the recession.
Developers Morgan Sindall are now finalising a masterplan for a £450m regeneration scheme around Royal Pier, officially the council’s preferred site for one of the new generation of super sized casinos.
It is understood council officers have been preparing for the casino option to be debated by councillors as early as this summer if the elected members want to put it back on the agenda.
A competition to find a casino operator could then be launched in the autumn. It would bring hundreds of jobs and pump more than £11m into the economy.
But while council leader Royston Smith said he recognised the potential boost for the local economy, he insisted the Royal Pier masterplan did not need a casino to stack up financially.
“There is nothing on the plans for a casino. It’s just not an issue at the moment,” he said.
The last Labour Government awarded seven licences for a new breed of “large casinos” that can offer 30 tables for blackjack and poker and house up to 150 slot machines with jackpots of up to £4,000. Southampton was one of the winners.
The first opened its doors in Stratford, near the Olympic stadium, last month creating 440 jobs. The operator, Aspers, has agreed to pay Newham Council at least £1m a year from its takings.
Conservative council leaders in Southampton had promised a public vote or “meaningful consultation” in the city before any decision is made on a casino, but are wary of powerful lobbying from both the gaming industry and church groups.
Senior clergymen in Southampton warned it would lead to a rise in problem gambling, debt, alcoholism and other social ills, particularly among the poor.
A Daily Echo poll revealed a very slim majority of the public were in favour of a casino
Comments(15)
killthrill
says...
1:15pm Sat 18 Feb 12
I,m glad it was denied.
Condor Man
says...
1:43pm Sat 18 Feb 12
Goldenwight
says...
4:14pm Sat 18 Feb 12
Condor Man wrote:I agree absolutely, but Casinos pay their business rates. And they are hard pushed to claim that they have no money to do so...
I abhor gambling and this won't help many people in Southampton apart from the few people working there and the owners. The city needs more hi-tech IT related jobs, not crap tables
For pity sake
says...
4:55pm Sat 18 Feb 12
Condor Man wrote:I too object to Casinos - if you want a crap table, just go to IKEA.
I abhor gambling and this won't help many people in Southampton apart from the few people working there and the owners. The city needs more hi-tech IT related jobs, not crap tables
However, if objecting to the Casino puts me on the same side as the church lobby, I may change my mind.
Georgem
says...
6:55pm Sat 18 Feb 12
Condor Man wrote:Phew! It's certainly a good thing for everyone that your own personal beliefs are being adhered to, eh! I abhor bingo, but if someone wants to build a bingo hall, I'm not about to pretend my opinion on the matter should get in their way. Get down off your high horse you arrogant pillock
I abhor gambling and this won't help many people in Southampton apart from the few people working there and the owners. The city needs more hi-tech IT related jobs, not crap tables
Georgem
says...
6:56pm Sat 18 Feb 12
killthrill wrote:Pity, really. If it had been built, you could have gone along, and maybe won enough cash to buy yourself a complete set of correct punctuation.
Just how many casino's do we need in southampton i,m wondering?.
I,m glad it was denied.
Condor Man
says...
9:20pm Sat 18 Feb 12
Georgem wrote:perhaps talk to my friend struggling with a gambling addiction about the perils of casinos.
Condor Man wrote:Phew! It's certainly a good thing for everyone that your own personal beliefs are being adhered to, eh! I abhor bingo, but if someone wants to build a bingo hall, I'm not about to pretend my opinion on the matter should get in their way. Get down off your high horse you arrogant pillock
I abhor gambling and this won't help many people in Southampton apart from the few people working there and the owners. The city needs more hi-tech IT related jobs, not crap tables
freemantlegirl2
says...
9:46am Sun 19 Feb 12
As the other Casino right on that Waterfront hasn't been a raging success in spite of several owners, and there is another (Mint) within spitting distance (as well as others in the city) I don't really see the point of another - as someone pointed out before Cruise passengers have it all on the ship so wouldn't really disembark for that reason, it would really be for things that they can't get on board. And starting up a Casino in a recession seems crazy to me, aren't they struggling anyway? yes it provides jobs in the short-term but really is it sustainable? can't we think of something more imaginative!
Condor Man
says...
12:39pm Sun 19 Feb 12
freemantlegirl2 wrote:the council would issue a section 106 notice on the developer to improve the roads, as what happened when Leisure World was built (ironically there's a casino there too). Southampton could do with a venue on a par with the Concorde Club in Eastleigh rather than another gambling den
I posted a very long post here and it's been lost but the crux of it was - if 'any' development is going to happen around Royal Pier, the road infrastructure HAS to be improved and the developers should be asked to contribute to that. Any more pressure around that area and it will lead to gridlock for cruise, IoW passengers, not to mention the local traffic. It would be pure folly to proceed before that.
As the other Casino right on that Waterfront hasn't been a raging success in spite of several owners, and there is another (Mint) within spitting distance (as well as others in the city) I don't really see the point of another - as someone pointed out before Cruise passengers have it all on the ship so wouldn't really disembark for that reason, it would really be for things that they can't get on board. And starting up a Casino in a recession seems crazy to me, aren't they struggling anyway? yes it provides jobs in the short-term but really is it sustainable? can't we think of something more imaginative!
georgetheseventh
says...
4:01pm Sun 19 Feb 12
Totton Ric wrote:Stop involving Lpool in your local affairs you tit. Do you eat sleep wake and irritate your ulcers with Lpool ?
We need this, would be good for the Cruise industry & with the new Museum opening up we need all the attractions we can offer if we want to stop Liverpool opening it’s doors up as they do have a lot more to offer up there
Get the casino built..(and in ten years just watch what has happened).
Big Borlotto
says...
6:44pm Sun 19 Feb 12
Condor Man wrote:totally agree with your comment,a venue like the concord club would be great.
freemantlegirl2 wrote:the council would issue a section 106 notice on the developer to improve the roads, as what happened when Leisure World was built (ironically there's a casino there too). Southampton could do with a venue on a par with the Concorde Club in Eastleigh rather than another gambling den
I posted a very long post here and it's been lost but the crux of it was - if 'any' development is going to happen around Royal Pier, the road infrastructure HAS to be improved and the developers should be asked to contribute to that. Any more pressure around that area and it will lead to gridlock for cruise, IoW passengers, not to mention the local traffic. It would be pure folly to proceed before that.
As the other Casino right on that Waterfront hasn't been a raging success in spite of several owners, and there is another (Mint) within spitting distance (as well as others in the city) I don't really see the point of another - as someone pointed out before Cruise passengers have it all on the ship so wouldn't really disembark for that reason, it would really be for things that they can't get on board. And starting up a Casino in a recession seems crazy to me, aren't they struggling anyway? yes it provides jobs in the short-term but really is it sustainable? can't we think of something more imaginative!
Georgem
says...
8:23pm Sun 19 Feb 12
Condor Man wrote:No thanks. If it wasn't gambling, it would be something else he'd be addicted to. No disrespect to your friend, but HE is his problem, not the casino. An overwhelming majority of casino attendants do not succumb to addiction, your friend's sad story doesn't prove anything.
Georgem wrote:perhaps talk to my friend struggling with a gambling addiction about the perils of casinos.
Condor Man wrote:Phew! It's certainly a good thing for everyone that your own personal beliefs are being adhered to, eh! I abhor bingo, but if someone wants to build a bingo hall, I'm not about to pretend my opinion on the matter should get in their way. Get down off your high horse you arrogant pillock
I abhor gambling and this won't help many people in Southampton apart from the few people working there and the owners. The city needs more hi-tech IT related jobs, not crap tables
moocowpoorchick
says...
10:18pm Sun 19 Feb 12
joblow
says...
2:20pm Tue 28 Feb 12
Killthrill is my brother and is illiterate and has been learning over the past year to read and write.Is this your contribution on this topic?.
You are nothing but a troll!.
SHAME ON YOU.
Totton Ric says...
11:30am Sat 18 Feb 12