Mohegan shares plans for Elliniko casino
The US casino operator Mohegan Gaming & Entertainment has shared its plans for the Elliniko casino in Greece.
Greece.- Greece is soon to feature a casino resort, and two operators have already bid for the construction and operation of the facility. Mohegan Gaming & Entertainment, one of the two bidders, has shared its plans for the Elliniko casino.
Mohegan is currently competing with Hard Rock International for the 30-year licence to operate the casino in the old Athens airport. The operator’s bid is a joint effort with Greek contractor GEK Terna.
Mario Kontomerkos, CEO of Mohegan Gaming, revealed that the company has been preparing the plans for the casino for the past two years. He also said that all architectural, costing and land planning work is complete. “We are ready to begin as soon as we receive all the necessary approvals,” he said. “We want to start as fast as possible.”
The CEO also said that these constructions usually take 24 to 36 months to complete and that Mohegan would comply with that timeline. The company’s plans include two skyscrapers, inspired by Caryatids, female sculptures used to support a temple on the Acropolis Hill, Reuters reported.
The company that wins the tender will be in charge of building a casino of at least 1.2 hectares. It will also feature around 120 gaming tables and 1200 slots. The facility will also have a hotel, a conference centre and a sports centre.
Hard Rock International’s bid
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,” said Jim Allen, chairman and CEO of Hard Rock International. “Entertainment is at the heart of our philosophy. Entertainment means hospitality and music and events and unique experiences and much, much more.”
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.
