In a 50:50 joint venture Casinos Austria and local group Sociedad Otway have published their plans for an integrated casino project to be sited at the racecourse in Punta Arenas, the world's southernmost city. With three main objectives - regional investment, appropriate local architecture, and the creation of a significant number of jobs - the plans were detailed at the Club Hípico on Saturday. The restaurant at the club, where the project was outlined, will disappear into a road scheme to link the resort to the city.

Of all the submitted bids for the 17 licences authorised for casinos in Chile, the racecourse project in Punta Arenas has one of the lowest investment costs at some US$13.4 million. However, the joint venture partners are confident that their proposal has an excellent chance of selection. Casinos Austria is sure that its association with Sociedad Otway, a respected local company, and its own gaming credentials will ensure that the joint venture will meet the requirements of the licensing board for guaranteed properly conducted and transparent gaming, eliminating possible drug money laundering.

The Gran Casino de Punta Arenas will, if selected, have a further injection of US$10 million in employment training for 180 permanent skilled jobs. The building will cover 12,000 square metres in an area of 30,000 square metres, and the casino floor will have 150 slot machines, 4 American Roulettes, 3 Blackjack, 2 Caribbean Poker, 2 Midi Punto Banco and 1 Craps table. A bingo hall will accommodate 352 players and a 4-star hotel will provide 60 rooms with outstanding views of the Strait of Magellan, Tierra del Fuego and the Brunswick mountain range. The project includes a four-screen multiciné, a tourist plaza, a 1,000 capacity convention centre, an exhibition hall and a gallery. (E-08.29.05)

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