Has Manchester struck it lucky?
January 31, 2007
The Casino Advisory Panel's decision to give Manchester a super-casino will fuel debate for weeks to come - not only from those who doubt the social benefits of casinos at all, but also from those who feel the regional license has been awarded to the wrong bidder.
Tessa Jowell fielded a few questions from MPs yesterday afternoon, and personally I rather liked Malcolm Moss's observation:
How can one defend choosing the most deprived and vulnerable area of Manchester to test whether a super-casino that is open 24 hours a day, with free admission, will generate an increase in problem gambling?
(Answer: "I take the hon. Gentleman's words as a contribution to the debate that we will have in the next few weeks.")
That said, there are a number of good reasons for encouraging schemes that will boost domestic tourism - which this surely will.
You can browse the text of the Commons discussion at Theyworkforyou.com.
Nathan Midgley, Travelweekly.co.uk
Nathan Midgley
Comments (1)
I know some have seen this as a kind of massive tourism defeat for London, but – as a resident – rarely have I breathed a bigger sigh of relief. Gambling isn't the issue here – there are already any number of ways you can shoot your pay packet up the wall – hasn't Malcolm Moss heard of Poker Million, or the National Lottery? (oh, he's a Tory MP; possibly not). The issue is just how rubbish this supercasino is going to be. If anyone's thinking martinis, dinner jackets and James Bond swagger, think again. Imagine a Weatherspoon's pub, writ large, with fruit machines belching out their toxic jingles from every square inch of floorspace. Ever seen the crowd at the World Darts championship in Lakeside? Ladies and gentlemen: your clientele.
Posted by matthew hampton | February 1, 2007 4:45 PM
Posted on February 1, 2007 16:45