Last December it was reported that Ladbrokes was in talks with Arena Leisure, the biggest racecourse operator in Britain, over a casino venture at the racetrack in Wolverhampton. Last week Wolverhampton was awarded one of the ‘small’ casino licences for up to 80 slot machines. Arena Leisure has now submitted plans for a £23 million (US$45.3 million) expansion of the Dunstall Park racecourse.

Arena has declared it is delighted that Wolverhampton had been selected for one of the new casino licences and that the Casino Advisory Panel had said that should the location chosen be the racecourse it would ‘add to its uniqueness and provide an interesting and unusual social impact test.’ Such a glowing report must give the proposed racino a head start when it comes to bidding to host the casino.

The racino plans include a 170-room hotel and improvements to horseracing and conference facilities. The casino area must have a minimum customer area of 750 sq m according to the law. The project is expected to create up to 280 jobs. Parliament still has to give final approval to the Casino Advisory Panel’s recommendations and local councils must request applications from potential operators. Prospects look good, however, for Britain’s first racino to be opened at Dunstall Park. (E-02.07.07)

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