Just when the Autonomous City of Buenos Aires thought the battle was won over the River Plate casinos, “Estrella de la Fortuna” and “Princess,” Judge Pablo Cayssials gets in on the act and grants an appeal presented by Casino de Buenos Aires S.A., the owner of the two vessels anchored in the middle of the Argentine capital city entertainment district Puerto Madero. With a volley of contentious legal arguments, Cayssials once again has outflanked the city officials who were ready to tax the casinos that have been outmanoeuvering the city in a legal case that dates back to 1999.
It is difficult for the city of Buenos Aires to escape this nautical nightmare, as it has claimed all along that Cirsa, the Spanish casino giant, had anchored its highly profitable mini armada in the city itself on the River Plate and not in national territorial waters. However, Cirsa claims otherwise, which in effect gives the federal government licensing and taxation rights over and above the local Buenos Aires government.
The appeal granted by judge Cayssials to the owners of the River Plate floating casinos has stymied the Supreme Court ruling that in mid-October adjudged in favour of the City of Buenos Aires, quashing the Cirsa 1999 appeal.
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Now city officials have vowed to counter appeal in this never ending legal skirmish, in order that Buenos Aires can claim a stake in the yearly taxes that amount to some US$74 million and the tax backlog accumulating since 1999.
Quite appropriately the Supreme Court had ruled in favour of the City of Buenos Aires, declaring as “abstract” the decision to grant national status to the city waters of the River Plate. There have been some highly questionable gaming licensing decisions in Argentina, and another one by the now called “Juez Caiman” for a company with strong links to ex-president Kirschner sets the scene for a bitter new Battle of the River Plate, which this time has spilled into the Argentine court rooms and the dingy corridors of power. (E-11.22.11)
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