High rollers gamble on gaming laws: case sudy three

30 March 2004
High rollers gamble on gaming laws: case sudy three
When Amaury Taittinger opened his Leo Casino in Liverpool two years ago he set new standards within the casino market. The casino, named after his dog, was partly glass, bright and open - a huge step away from the closed-in operations that are part and parcel of British gambling. The casino is only 18,000 sq ft, and now Taittinger has set his sights on expansion in order to compete with other operators which are joining the market in the light of the proposed changes in gambling legislation. Taittinger is planning to add another 22,000 sq ft to double the size of the casino, but he doesn't see it as a risk. "It's not really a big jump, because it is very busy. Some nights we have up to 700 people coming in. We were doing a bit of entertainment, but we didn't really have the room. This extra space will give us that room." There are also tentative plans to knock down his hotel - the Dolby - next door to the casino to provide this extra space. "It is a possibility," says Taittinger. With American operators talking about spending £50m on fit-outs, Taittinger knows he will need extra financial help, especially as he is looking to open other casinos across the country. "I am talking to joint venture partners. It's difficult for an independent, because you need a lot of capital. It's okay for me to operate one casino, but it's also nice to get others to come in with you." Taittinger is reticent to say who these partners are, but he does reveal that he has had dinner with Damian Aspinall, which hints at either a friendship or a possible partnership. He is equally coy about where other premises will be, although agents say he is looking at Covent Garden.
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