Akmolinsk, Tselinograd and Aqmola were the previous names of Kazakhstan’s new capital city Astana which means, pragmatically, capital city. Astana (pronounced Astaná) has been the capital since 1998, after being moved from Almaty, and since then the city in the centre of the vast steppe lands has been likened to Las Vegas in the desert. In early 2004 Kazakhstan’s Vice Foreign Minister made a visit to Macau to study that city’s experience in the gaming industry.

Kazakhstan is being promoted as a prized business destination and three years ago won the status of market economy from the US. Construction work in the new capital is incessant and billions of dollars are being spent to make Astana a city of the future in the oil-rich country. Towers of glass and chrome are rising fast to the award-winning ‘Symbiosis’ design of Dr Kisho Kurokawa, architecture that allows for future adaptation and expansion. With some 25 casinos in Kazakhstan, Astana already boasts 4 and the number is expected to increase along with the luxury hotels and shopping malls. In a country with an economy growing at 10% yearly the prospects look good. The United States and Great Britain have made the largest contribution in direct investments to the economy, and the World Bank has placed it in the top twenty countries most attractive for investors.

The construction boom includes infrastructure development, and Indian businesses are getting in on the act. Top Indian construction companies are already working in Astana and more are planning to go. The Kazakh government is promoting the construction industry as a means of encouraging foreign investment. As yet, Almaty is still the centre of the casino world in Kazakhstan with 17 casinos. It was the location of last April’s gaming industry show and is the centre of interest for global gaming manufacturers and operators. However, once the infrastructure is in place to support Astana as the true capital then the odds may change in its favour. (E-07.11.05)

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