Gambling News by Gambling Headquarters

THE world's biggest gaming company could join the race to build Britain's first supercasino in Manchester. Harrah's Entertainment, the Nevada-based firm behind Caesar's Palace in Las Vegas, said it was `looking forward' to finding out about the bidding process and claimed it would offer `the most complete package for the UK'. Stanley Leisure, Britain's biggest casino firm, also confirmed its interest and called for a `truly open and transparent bidding process'. The news follows Tuesday's shock announcement that Manchester had been chosen as the site of Britain's first supercasino, with more than 1,000 unlimited-jackpot slot machines. While council chiefs had already chosen a site outside the City of Manchester stadium and a preferred operator - Kerzner International - the law states that the competition has to be reopened. Kerzner's plan was for a £265m complex, including a 5,000-seat arena, swimming pool and hotel plus the casino itself - which would have taken up just six per cent of floorspace. But interest is expected to be much greater now Manchester is the only city that will be able to operate a supercasino. The Kerzner consortium has so far refused to confirm they will be bidding again. In a statement, they said they were `proud' to have played a role in helping Manchester win the supercasino, adding: "Our bid, with its key elements of stunning design, joined-up regeneration and maximum economic benefits, clearly made a compelling case. "The consortium notes that due process in this project involves a competitive tender to comply fully with the Gambling Act and keenly awaits more details on the process which will lead to the regional casino being developed in Manchester." Michael Riddy, finance director for Liverpool-based Stanley Leisure, said: "I think a standalone UK casino operator might struggle to compete against bidders from, say, the US, but our position now as part of a multi-national group is a very strong one." But it is Harrah's, which has revenues of more than £3.5bn a year, that is likely to prove the biggest threat to any renewed bid by Kerzner. Andrew Tottenham, of Harrah's, said: "We look forward to learning the details of the public tendering process necessary to objectively select the casino operator to ensure the local community of Manchester will realise the maximum benefit of this planned development.

"Harrah's Entertainment offers the most complete package for the UK as we have a proven, worldwide track record of responsibly operating successful casino-integrated resort complexes."

Developers are already predicting a boom in property prices, with Mike Kidd - manager with Edward Mellor in Gorton - telling the M.E.N. after the announcement that people were `hanging out the bunting'.

House prices in many areas near the stadium have already doubled in just two years as a result of other post-Commonwealth Games regeneration in the area.