Progress is finally being made in awarding the UK's large casino licences granted under the 2005 Gambling Act, with both Hull and Middlesbrough progressing to the second stage of the process.
Apollo Resorts and Leisure has been granted a provisional licence to operate a large casino by Hull City Council and is in the running for a similar licence in Middlesbrough.
The London-based company, which is also understood to be working with Genting to bid for another licence in Newham, is planning to build a £25m casino as part of the mixed-use Manor Mill development on the east bank of River Hull led by the Manor Property Group. The redevelopment project is estimated to cost in the region of £100m.
"Apollo is pleased to have been awarded the provisional statement and after many years of work are committed to delivering Manor Mill resort as a major new leisure and entertainment destination," said Mike Nuttall, managing director of Apollo. "We are very excited to be part of this scheme and to help deliver a significant number of local job, training and supply chain opportunities.
"We look forward to working with the community for many years to come and attracting lots of new tourists to Hull."
Middlesbrough, another of the 16 local authorities given the power to issue a new casino licence under the 2005 act, closed the first stage of applications at the end of January, having received bids from both Apollo and Aspers, a joint venture between the Aspinall family and Australian operator Crown that operates a casino in nearby Newcastle.
Apollo has put forward plans to develop a casino over three floors of a seven-storey building in Middlehaven next to the Riverside football stadium. The remaining floors will house additional entertainment and commercial facilities.
Aspers, meanwhile, proposes locating a casino within a nine-floor leisure development comprising a four-star hotel, banqueting and conference hall and a number of restaurants and bars. The casino will form part of the planned refurbishment and conversion of Gurney House in the centre of the town.
Both councils will now review the companies’ applications and invite feedback from the local communities.
