Today is St David’s Day and Cardiff is launching its bid to host Olympic teams in 2012 and its bid for a super casino licence. The city has an international sports village development and wants it to become the site of Britain’s regional ‘super’ casino. Cardiff Council sees the casino as being crucial for the international sports village, which is hoped to attract over three million visitors annually. Plans for the village include a 4,000-seat arena and an indoor snow facility as well as a 50 metre swimming pool. Water, snow and ice will be the theme of the 80 acre site.

Councils around Britain are calling for the Government to increase the number of regional casinos permitted under the law. Many wish to see the eight licences previously proposed being reinstated, but as things stand at present the councils will be competing for just one. Cardiff Council last July chose Aspers, the UK/Australian Aspinalls and Packer conglomerate, as the preferred operator. Out of eleven bidders Aspers and US Ameristar had been short listed. In October 2005 Aspers opened a casino in Newcastle-upon-Tyne and the company has other projects in Swansea and the Midlands.

The £700 million (US$1.2 billion) sports village complex with hotel and casino is expected to provide over 1,500 full-time jobs plus part-time employment, with local suppliers adding an additional 1,000 employment opportunities. Outline planning permission for the sports village in Cardiff Bay was granted in February 2003. Cardiff Council has stated that the city needs regional casino status to finish the village in time to attract teams preparing for the 2012 London Olympics. (E-03.01.06)

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