The National Exhibition Centre has unveiled ambitious proposals for a £120m casino and hotel resort on the NEC site in Solihull, Birmingham.
The designs form part of a public consultation being held by the NEC and its partner Genting Casinos UK at the site this week on the 592,000 sq ft scheme that will comprise a four-star hotel, casino, spa, restaurants, bars and conference facilities.
The duo hopes to submit a planning application to Solihull council next month. The local authority is also considering an application for a large casino license. A decision is due in May.
Resorts World @ The NEC will be next to the LG Arena and the Crowne Plaza hotel on a 4-acre site. It is estimated the resort will attract up to 650,000 visitors in its first year.
Subject to consent on both applications, work would start on site this summer with practical completion due in late 2013/early 2014.
Genting was originally appointed as the preferred bidder on the casino in May 2008, following a 12-month tender process.
Resorts World forms the second phase of a wider masterplan, known as Destination NEC, aimed updating the site with a number of leisure and business facilities to work alongside the existing first phase, which comprises exhibition spaces and the LG Arena concert venue.
NEC group chief executive Paul Thandi, said: “We must continue to invest in our business. It’s important that we have an actual entertainment complex here and not just a casino. There are not many £120m developments in the UK right now. I know the difficulty of creating jobs in the West Midlands, and our partners are going to add to our economic impact.”
lisa.pilkington@estatesgazette.com
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