Supplier News
UK – Genting looks to relocate London licence to Holiday Inn
By Phil - 13 February 2015Genting Casinos is hoping that Kensington and Chelsea council will approve a 30,000 sq ft casino at the Holiday Inn on Cromwell Road, South Kensington. A decision is expected in March.
Genting is hoping to get permission to relocate its existing Cromwell Mint licence to the nearby hotel.
The new gaming floor would occupy the ground and first floors of the hotel where it would entertain an estimated 1,500 players each day.
Genting’s UK operations have helped parent company Genting Malaysia’s results in recent months with revenue of £122.8m, up 66 per cent from £74mm a year ago. That performance was attributed to higher business volume and higher win percentage at the group’s London casinos where it experienced a lower hold percentage.
Genting has said that the casino would be of ‘exemplary architectural design’ and would replace the ‘drab’ frontage of the building. Indeed Genting described the Holiday Inn as ‘one of the two ugliest buildings in the Borough.’
Whilst some residents are complaining about the proposal, Genting said: “The gaming industry is one of the most highly regulated businesses in the world. Operators are very careful to ensure that there is no possibility of crime or antisocial behaviour. Strict management and security always ensures that there is never any unacceptable behaviour in casinos. In short, casinos are very carefully managed benign uses that do not attract, or give rise to, noisy or antisocial behaviour. Genting has long experience of operating with care and consideration within residential areas and have procedures that actively minimise potential for noise, particularly during the night and early morning.”
A valet service would stop customers having to park on the street and ‘will keep customers inside until they step in to their vehicles.’
A spokesman for Kensington and Chelsea council said: “This planning application will be considered in the usual way and residents who may have concerns or objections can make these known to council planners.”
Genting is one of the largest casino operators in the country with over 40 casinos including five casinos in the capital which cater for all levels of the gaming market. This includes its flagship, Crockfords, located in the heart of Mayfair which is recognised as the world’s oldest private members gaming club, Colony Club, Maxims Casino Club, The Palm Beach and Cromwell Mint.