Operator News
Argentina – Casino to close in Necochea
By Phil - 28 November 2017
The Mayor of Necochea Facundo López has questioned the government’s decision to close the single casino in the city of Necochea in the south-east of the Buenos Aires Province claiming it would ‘leave 70 families out on the street.’
López also warned of the negative impact the closure would have on the local tourism industry. Meanwhile, municipal authorities, as well as representatives for casino workers and the local tourism industry plan to hand a petition to the Head of Lottery and Casinos of the province, Matías Lanusse asking him to reconsider.
The Lottery and Casinos Institute decided to definitively close the casino after it was found to be consistently running at a loss generating an income of just over $3.5m while costing $39.5m a year to maintain. However, councilmember of Cambiemos, the leading party in the province, Marcela Fernández Palma said that the Governor’s decision was a political one as it fell into government policy of reducing gaming in the province.
Governor of the province of Buenos Aires María Eugenia Vidal decided not to include the casino in the new tender process meaning that it would close for good. In August, it was revealed that Vidal had decided to begin the tender process for the majority of casinos in the province before the end of the year. According to local sources, the government has been working for several months on a set of new terms and conditions, which are now in the last stage of review. The tender includes 2,600 slot machines that operate in almost every casino in the province of Buenos Aires.
Necochea is located in the southwest of Buenos Aires Province on the Atlantic coast. The Complejo Casino is one of the city’s landmarks. Constructed in 1973 and located on the beachfront the building also houses cafes, a shopping arcade, a bowling alley, a bar, a billiard room, a skating rink as well as the casino.
