In a bid to regenerate a run-down area in Brisbane, Australia, Queensland Premier Campbell Newman has showed support for a proposal for a second Casino to be built on the site of Executive Building and Public Works Buildings that are set to be demolished.
Gaming Club announced the plans which have been proposed after the downturn in the economy has caused regional governments to turn to the casino industry as a means of injecting much needed money into the economy by creating new jobs, attracting tourists and contributing to tax revenue.
The site could potentially make way for a brand new casino and 5-star hotel complex, providing Brisbane with its very own answer to
Melbourne’s Crown’s Limited casino complex. Newman is said to have already met with James Packer, Crown chairman and Echo major shareholder, to discuss the plans, encouraging speculations that Echo Entertainment group are forerunners in the bid for the casino. In addition to this, Packer is also said to be in the process of selling stakes in Crown to then purchase more stakes in Echo.
This use of casinos to increase revenue has been emulated worldwide as the gambling industry appears to provide an effective solution to dwindling revenues across the globe. An example of this is the high profiled battle between Madrid and Barcelona for the Las Vegas Sands Casino Complex; both recognised the potential to inject some serious funds into the local economy but Madrid eventually won and was able to reap the rewards.
Despite predictions that the casino industry would suffer during the recession, some regions most famous for casinos and gambling have actually reported an increase in revenue. This booming success felt by some in the gaming industry has also been seen by online casino websites such as Gaming Club, available in http://www.gamingclub.com/nz/, the popularity of which is thought to be related to the increasing sales of tablets and smartphones.