Racino Boss Sure of Success

As reported by the Express and Star: "The chief executive of the company that owns Wolverhampton's Dunstall Park racecourse said today he was "pretty optimistic" that ambitious plans for a casino, hotel extension and health club would be given the green light.

"Mark Elliot, boss of Arena Leisure, said the racino plans dealt with the one outstanding issue, which had been the proposed scheme's impact on the green belt. "The new proposals contain all the benefits of the previous plans - creating hundreds of jobs and safeguarding hundreds of existing ones -Êwhile dealing with this one issue.

"'We have obtained planning permission for expansion at Lingfield Park, which although a hotel development in the green belt was not called in by the government.'

"...If the plans do get the go ahead, it would be the first racecourse casino -known as a racino - in Europe..."

2006-09-25