Casino will still open despite six month delay, says operator
A CASINO which has had millions of pounds spent on it in preparation for its launch will not open until at least September when other leisure venues have started operating near it.
Alea Casino at Clarence Dock in Leeds was meant to open last month after originally being scheduled to open last December.
But the launch date has now been put back by its operator, London Clubs International (LCI), to the autumn when it is hoped other retailers and restaurants will have opened at the development.
LCI said the casino will only operate fully in the evenings but the operator moved to make reassurances that the completed scheme will still go ahead.
In a statement, LCI said: “The decision to defer the opening from April was made to fall in line with other leisure openings on the site over the coming months and an official public opening in September.”
LCI said it had made two senior staff redundant at the casino as it was felt that the company’s venue director and house manager at its casino in Manchester could fulfil the roles.
Around £13m has been spent on the casino which has taken more than four years to furnish. It will feature bars, restaurants and gaming as well as corporate facilities and a private cinema.
But despite the fit-out being completed before the end of last year, Alea Leeds has yet to open its doors.
John Galvani, development director at LCI, said: “I genuinely believe that the proposition at Clarence Dock is great and that our product and design is superior to anything that we have done before, and some of the others we have done are pretty special.
“I believe that Leeds should be proud to have such a facility in its city, we are certainly proud to be there and I believe that it will become the must visit leisure destination in Leeds.”
By autumn eight restaurants are expected to be in operation along the waterfront and boulevard at Clarence Dock, including Tuscan restaurant @larocca, Cafe Aagrah, Mumtaz and Pizza Express.
Alea Leeds’s opening at the £260m Clarence Dock development is now expected to coincide with Leeds Shopping Week.
