On Friday, 1 September Cardiff will be visited by the Casino Advisory Panel (CAP) as it conducts its round of Examinations in Public. In its short statement, submitted this month to CAP, Cardiff Council names Aspers as the selected casino operator. However, it is debateable whether a Council can choose an operator without putting the selection process out to tender, after winning a bid for a new licence under the Gambling Act 2005.

Cardiff Council claims that Aspers is committed to working in partnership with them and local communities to enrich the lives of local people. The Council has already staged a tender process, where Aspers and US Ameristar were shortlisted from eleven bidding companies. Aspers was then chosen as Cardiff’s selected casino operator for its regional casino project.

Aspers Group Limited is a joint venture between the Aspinall family and the Australian Packer Organisation. It has been announced that James Packer is to sell his 50% stake, held by the private company Consolidated Press Holdings, to his public company Publishing & Broadcasting Limited (PBL). PBL, with its gaming division, is looking for expansion abroad, including the United Kingdom. Aspers owns and operates Aspinalls Club in Mayfair and The Gate in Newcastle. A casino in Swansea is preparing to open and Aspers is also involved in projects aiming for new licences in Dudley, Middlesbrough and Bournemouth.

Last week the company announced a joint venture with Kerzner UK Limited to fit out and operate a new casino in Northampton. The casino will be operated under the Aspers brand and is scheduled to open in 2007. Damian Aspinall, Chief Executive of Aspers commented, “This is one step further forward in our plans to create a substantial network of Aspers units, each of which is a leader in its marketplace.” (E-08.24.06)

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