At an August 23 press conference in Athens, Jim Allen, chairman and CEO of Seminole Gaming, announced that U.S.-based gaming giant Hard Rock International has submitted a binding offer for a €1 billion (US$1.1 billion) casino development planned for a former airport near the Greek capital.
The development will be self-funded with€250 million, supplemented by Greek and foreign bank loans, according to a report on Ekathemerini.com. The casino package includes a hotel, a conference center, restaurants and other entertainment areas.
Allen said that the project will respect local culture, incorporate local agencies, and create 3,000 construction jobs and 1,600 permanent resort jobs. He gave a timeline for development of 20 to 26 months. The casino complex will be part of a larger €8 billion (US$8.8 billion) mixed-use development at the former Elliniko Airport.
At present, Hard Rock is competing with Mohegan Gaming and Genting Malaysia for the project. Caesars had also shown an interest but dropped out after the company was acquired by Eldorado Resorts. Application must be received by September 30.
