The bidding war will see the long-standing proposals for a major casino at the NEC, tipped to bring 1,000 jobs to the borough, pitted against an application for a site in Shirley, which is itself at the heart of a multi-million pound town centre regeneration scheme.
Applications have been submitted to Solihull Council for a casino at the NEC, in partnership with Genting Casinos UK, while the Grosvenor Casinos bid is for the former Dave & Busters site in Otium Leisure Park, Highlands Road, Shirley.
The council said it will approve whichever proposal is deemed to bring the greatest “economic, financial and social benefits” to the borough. If neither application is judged to be of any benefit, the authority could refuse both. The NEC enterprise would feature a casino with 150 slot machines and a maximum jackpot of us$ 6,251, as well as a hotel, spa, bars and restaurants. The scale of the Shirley application has not yet been disclosed.
John Hornby, chief operating officer of NEC Group, said: “We have always believed that the NEC site represents a very strong opportunity as a proposed site. A leisure and entertainment complex, incorporating a large casino, at the NEC would provide a vital catalyst for wider investment which will allow the NEC both to compete on a global scale and continue to support the regional economy,” he added.