Casinos will bring regeneration to UK

With the government having recently given the go-ahead to the construction of 17 casinos across the UK, the prime minister Tony Blair has insisted that the projects will bring regeneration to several regional cities.

In spite of strong support for the coastal town of Blackpool, the Casino Advisory Panel (CAP) has recommended that Manchester be the location for the country''s first ''super-casino'', to be built in the previously-neglected east side of the city.

In response to those who criticise the introduction of such venues, Mr Blair argued that casinos are not "against the proper norms of society but can, in places like Blackpool and Manchester, bring much needed private investment in (and) regeneration that will provide jobs and higher living standards."

Mr Blair''s comments come soon after Amec were confirmed as the chosen developer for the £300 million Talbot Gateway project in Blackpool, which will bring significant regeneration to the centre of the town.

With the CAP''s decision to choose Manchester, plans to construct a conference casino quarter in the town, which would hve seen the creation of 300 jobs, were scrapped.

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