SOUTH Tyneside is to try its luck at becoming home to a new casino complex.
The council is one of 68 local authorities around the country to express an interest in providing a location for one of a number of proposed gambling venues.
The borough is not in the bidding for a so-called "super casino", though Newcastle, Sunderl
and and Middlesbrough are all in the running for one.
Instead, it will be battling with other authorities, including Carlisle, to attract a smaller-scale gambling venue.
Such a casino would have room for 80 gaming machines with a maximum prize of £4,000.
The Casino Advisory Panel will now sift through all the expressions of interest to come forward with a short-list of applicants.
A council spokesman said it has merely "registered an interest" and that no potential operator has yet been identified.
"We have registered an interest at this stage. That is all we are doing, along with a number of other authorities."
Professor Stephen Crow, chairman of the Casino Advisory Panel, said: "These proposals represent a lot of hard work by the people that have prepared them, and, very often, a lot of difficult decision making also.
"Over the next few weeks all the proposals – and the evidence supporting them – will be considered very carefully to see how well they measure up.
"We expect that this process will last at least six to eight weeks, and would ask for forbearance during this initial evaluation period.
"Once we have completed this initial phase of evaluation, selected proposals will then go forward for further examination over the summer months."
By PAUL MYLES-KELLY
paul.myles-kelly@northeast-press.co.uk
