Operator News
France – Municpal council of Grasse debating the future of Casino Victoria
By Phil - 10 July 2023
In Grasse in the Alpes-Maritimes region of France, the situation of the Victoria casino is of concern to elected officials. After a pessimistic report published by the Regional Chamber of Accountsin April 19, 2023, the independent establishment, whose concession runs until 2027, was then hit by a one-day strike by its staff, who denounced multiple dysfunctions within the establishment. The subject therefore inevitably fueled the debates of the municipal council, which was held on Tuesday, July 4.
If Mayor Jérôme Viaud is delighted with the good progress of the casino’s gross gaming product (GGR), €129,000 more compared to the same period in 2022″, he is much more circumspect about compliance with the specifications of the delegation of public service (DSP), underlined by Magali Conesa, a municipal councilor from the opposition. The latter notes that “the event activity never worked and the restaurant reopened on June 20, after five months of interruption”.
However, applying the sanctions provided for in the specifications of the DSP would have a direct impact on the already fragile finances of the casino and therefore on jobs within the gaming establishment. A situation that therefore places the mayor in an uncomfortable position, given his desire to maintain a casino in his municipality, which he considers to be an important economic and tourist lever.
In view of his position, Jérôme Viaud must however anticipate the future: “In case the worst should happen, which I do not want, we have launched a reflection on the future of the places, near the Palais Congresses,” he said at the end of the session.
At the end of the 2021-2022 financial year, the Victoria casino in Grasse ranked 199th in the ranking of French casinos, with GGR of €676,490.
