Monumental, magical and motivating are the words that MGM Mirage have chosen to flash on their website intro; the music is probably in the ears of the regional planners and local council in Sheffield, presented with opportunities for jobs and regeneration. MGM Mirage is making a concerted effort to win for itself a leisure destination casino in the city but Yorkshire and Humber have seven such projects at the moment, and as yet there is no certainty that even one will get the go-ahead in Shefield.

Two of the competitors for the Sheffield mega-casino are Las Vegas Sands and Sun International. Last Friday a planning application was submitted on behalf of MGM Mirage and its partner British Land, owner of the land at Meadowhall. The planned £180 million gambling and entertainment complex includes a 4-star hotel with banqueting and conference facilities, and an indoor area large enough for sporting, concert and commercial events. If successful, the property will be known as MGM Grand, Sheffield.

MGM Mirage is launching an extensive campaign to win over hearts and minds of politicians, councillors and local people. A community hotline and website will be set up and there will be public exhibitions and focus groups. The company also plans to spend £3 million on a training academy for croupiers that would also offer classes in literacy and numeracy. In all it is estimated that the Sheffield project would create around 1,500 jobs – staff for the casino, catering and security.

In the UK MGM Mirage already has a 25% stake in the Triangle Casino in Bristol. Apart from the project in Sheffield, the company has also expressed interest in Manchester, Salford, Liverpool, London’s Earls Court and Olympia, and the National Exhibition Centre in Birmingham. In September 2002 PLAYMGMMIRAGE.com was launched as an online gaming website out of the Isle of Man, but it ceased operations in June 2003. In January 2004 the company sold its Golden Nugget subsidiaries and acquired Wembley plc with greyhound racing and video lottery terminals.

In Sheffield the MGM Mirage project has the endorsement of the local Labour MP and the opposition of the Salvation Army. The government has recommended caution when assessing the merits of the different proposals, saying that the generous offers should be taken with “a pinch of salt.”

© Copyright 2004 CasinoCompendium



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