The Scottish cabinet has decided to maintain a neutral stance over Glasgow Council’s bid to bring Britain’s first super casino to Clydeside. Two research reports, one into the likely economic impact and the other into the possible social impact, are due to be published next week. The study into social impact is understood to be inconclusive but the economic impact is expected to be positive. Lack of support for the Glasgow bid by some Scottish Ministers has already caused friction.

Glasgow and Greenwich were the two front runners before the Casino Advisory Panel began its Examination in Public tour of bidding local authorities. In the initial assessment Glasgow scored highest on the test of social impact, the major Government criterion for the prototype casino. Glasgow Council was keen to get the backing of the Scottish Parliament and the Enterprise Minister, Nicol Stephen, for its River Clyde corridor regeneration programme.

The neutral position was apparently agreed by the Cabinet as a way of resolving strongly held opposing views of Ministers. Should the Glasgow bid be successful, an anticipated 2,500 full-time jobs would be created and that the casino resort would attract up to 600,000 visitors annually, contributing in the region of £26 million (US$49.1 million). Las Vegas Sands, Kerzner International, MGM Mirage and Miller Developments have all expressed an interest in casino projects for Glasgow. (E-09.06.06)

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