By Sally Guyoncourt The grilling has started as eight cities compete to play host to the UK’s only super casino. The shortlisted local authorities had until the start of this week to answer a raft of questions from the Government’s Casino Advisory Panel, in a bid to narrow it down to one strong contender. Frontrunner, the Millennium Dome, proposed by Greenwich LBC, has been mired in controversy since it emerged that Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott had received gifts from potential casino operator Philip Anschutz. Now the council has faced further questions over its dependence on Crossrail to get off the ground, access to the Stratford Eurostar Terminal, and how it will fit in with plans for an Olympic legacy in East London. Also on the panel’s mind was the fate of the Dome and regeneration in the area, if the bid for a super casino failed. The council has not made a second fallback bid for a large casino. Second favourite site, Glasgow, was also put under the spotlight over its transport links, in particular, to Glasgow Airport and the M74 development. Seaside resort Blackpool is in current third place, but the council was asked to assure the panel the arrival of a super casino would not detrimentally affect existing businesses in the town. While Sheffield City Council faced awkward questioning over its proposed three areas, all of which have high-density Muslim populations. All eight were asked to justify their choice of location, most of which were outside town centres, and how it would benefit the community in which it was located. The proposals will now face public scrutiny, with the start of the examinations in public later this month. mjnews@hgluk.com
