Man United bids for casino licence

FOOTBALL club Manchester United is to apply to the Government for a licence to build a casino on land close to its Old Trafford ground.

The club is putting together a joint application with hotels and entertainment group Las Vegas Sands. The plans envisage a luxury hotel, restaurants, health and fitness club and a regional casino on the Trafford Park side of its ground.

Controversy surrounds Government plans for casinos. Culture Secretary Tessa Jowell has already had to scale back proposals to allow a large number of casinos to be built throughout the UK amid growing opposition to the plans.

It is widely assumed that Blackpool will be handed the one licence currently on offer, with other hopeful areas left to wait and see whether Jowell attempts to revisit her original plans during the new session of Parliament. The reduction in Labour's majority, however, means that the casino proposals could face a more difficult battle this time around.

United's rival club Manchester City has previously outlined wn plans for a casino at Eastlands in the City, but United is basing the case for its own plans on the regeneration of Salford quays. The club believes it could use the casino to spark wider regeneration around the stadium area.

Coupled with the successful Lowry Centre and Imperial War Museum North, the plans will create the largest cultural village outside central London and would also include a new Metrolink station, improved bus routes and additional parking spaces.

United's commercial director Andy Anson said the scheme would generate income for the local economy and create new jobs. He added: 'There is a lot of work still to be done and any plans will, of course, consider the social issues associated with gambling and we will take expert advice on putting an agreed plan in place to deal with those matters comprehensively.'

Trafford Council's executive has agreed in principle to support the joint proposal from Manchester United and Las Vegas Sands and has made an initial bid for a licence for a regional-scale casino in Trafford.