Just under one year ago it was reported that controversial Turkish businessman Sudi Ozkan had a project to build a casino hotel in Providence, Guyana. The government has been criticised for its stance on casino gambling and ‘encouraging vice’ but argues that other businesses are equally liable to be used for money laundering, that tourism brings prostitution, and that there is no empirical evidence that casino gambling will be any different from the controlled forms of gambling already existing in Guyana.

In May this year the management at Buddy’s Princess International Hotel declared that a casino licence had been granted to Princess Group Hotels & Casinos and construction of gambling facilities had commenced. Sudi Ozkan was reported to have bought the Buddy’s Hotel for US$15 million and said there were plans to spend US$10 million to upgrade to 5-star facilities. The Princess Group owns hotels and casinos in Eastern Europe and Latin America, including Suriname and Trinidad.

An Associated Press article published yesterday, states the Princess Group is now to invest US$2 million in the upgrade and will open Guyana’s first casino. Progress on the project has been slower than anticipated and the casino will not be operating for at least another two months, according to Operations Manager Oguz Tayanc, but casino equipment will arrive soon. The Guyana law stipulates that only hotel guests will be allowed to gamble. (E-07.24.09)

© Copyright 2009 CasinoCompendium



>>> return to archives
>>> return to frontpage