Supplier News
Argentina – Large scale casino could be approved in Necochea
By Phil - 22 January 2016
The mayor of Necochea, Facundo López has appealed to the Buenos Aires Provincial Lottery Institute (IPLyC) to “approve what may become an extremely important resort hotel and casino investment, for the district.”
The mayor said that the casino will be part of a renovated hotel which is currently closed.
“It will be an investment that we estimate to be around ten million dollars, it is extremely important,” he said. Lopez said that once approved by the IPLyC that it would need to go before the City Council.
The project was initially put forward as part of a larger plan in 2005. According to López the property could measure half a block and he is currently in talks with investors over possible locations. He also said that the new casino could have a vital impact on the now dilapidated Complejo Casino a once popular beach front destination.
The Complejo Casino is one of the city’s landmarks. Constructed in 1973 and located on the beachfront the building also houses cafes, a shopping arcade, a bowling alley, a bar, a billiard room, a skating rink and a casino. The casino, however, was closed down by the IPLyC and was temporarily housed in a nearby theatre last summer for urgent repairs as the building posed a safety risk. This was after two tourists fell from the railing of a balcony. It is the third time the casino has been shut down having also been shut down in 1988 and 1994.
Necochea is located in the southwest of Buenos Aires Province on the Atlantic coast. Around 53 thousand tourists visited the city during the first two weeks of January – the height of the holiday season. However the tourist industry on the Atlantic coast is experiencing its worst in a decade due to high prices with hotel occupancy falling between 15 and 20 per cent compared to 2015.
