Hard Rock shares details of proposed Greek casino
The chairman and CEO of Hard Rock International shared details on the proposed €1 billion casino in the old Athens Airport in Greece.
Greece.- Jim Allen, chairman and CEO of Hard Rock International, said in a recent interview with Kathimerini that the company wants to focus on entertainment if they win the bid for the upcoming Elliniko casino.
Allen explained that Hard Rock International wants to develop an integrated tourism and entertainment complex “that is much more than just a box with slot machines and gaming tables,” he said. “Entertainment is at the heart of our philosophy. Entertainment means hospitality and music and events and unique experiences and much, much more.”
The CEO highlighted that Hard Rock held over 35,000 events throughout the world in 2018 and that they plan to do the same in Greece. “So it’s a good thing there is provision for the construction of spaces for events like these.”
“That’s the difference between us and other candidates and groups abroad, our focus is more on entertainment than gaming. We are active in 74 countries, with 12 casinos and 27 hotels,” said Allen.
The bid
Hard Rock International submitted the bid during the last week of August. The project will be self-funded with €250 million, and the rest will be covered with Greek and foreign bank loans.
The facility will feature a casino, a hotel, a conference centre, restaurants and more entertainment options. In order to develop the venue, Allen said that Hard Rock will respect local culture and partner with local agencies.
If selected, Hard Rock would create 3,000 new jobs in construction and 1,600 in the casino. While it is still uncertain, a possible timetable sets the completion date around late 2021 or early 2022.
