Tuesday, January 30, 2007

11:12 - Casino - Manchester - Jackpot - Discuss



HERE (select Projects, select Cultural, it's the first screen - a horizontal blobby glass tower) in Tony Lloyd's Manchester Central constituency. Not Greenwich, not Blackpool. Guarded cheers me dears.

8 comments:

Manchester University Labour Club said...

Very, very surprised indeed, thought it would go to Blackpool. However its good news for labour Manchester.

Anonymous said...

People have always said the Labour Party owes more to Methodism than Marxism. Well, neither seem to hold sway now.
Call me old-fashioned, and I probably am, but I don't find the idea of 1250 gaming machines in East Manchester a good thing.Yes, there will be new jobs. There will also be loads of people (who can least afford it) getting into debt big-style as a result. Labour Manchester has done some great things. This is not, in my view, something to shout about from the rooftops.If it were going to go anywhere, and frankly I'm not in favour of casinos, super or otherwise, Blackpool would have made more sense. East Manchester needs more real jobs and real community facilities.

Chris Paul said...

Susan, that's fair comment to a point. But my understanding is that this is the anchor tenant for a multi-purpose resort with conference facilities, non-casino hotels, concert arenas, possibly at last a skating rink, residential, commercial space, and yes real jobs from cleaning and ticket tearing upwards for local people.

The chief judge said that the approach on the health and well being downside and on the local jobs for local people upside was head and shoulders ahead of other bids.

Section 106 planning gain payments should pay for all the public realm work and leave millions over for genuine community facilities, training and rgeneration. The crazy thing for me is not having put on £1000 at 15-1 on the result. Darn!

Anonymous said...

just watched the report on Channel 4 News which was pretty positive. I take your points.Not sure how health and well-being concerns will work in tandem with casinos. A "resort" in East manchester ????? !!!! The Olympics would have been far better but yes,maybe it will have positives. Not my idea of what Labour councils should be about but then am unreconstructed leftie.

Anonymous said...

Whats wrong with a resort in East Manchester Susan? Having worn these prejudices for so long you wont mind if we who live in East Manchester describe you as of no help and an utter irrelevance? Leftie?? You jest.

Anonymous said...

Bofthebang didn't go down too well with lots of people in East Manchester either, as I recall it.
As I said to Chris, congrats to those with good intentions.I wish them well.
I just happen to think casinos are exploitative, outrageously capitalist, and a bit of a no-brainer if you want to hang onto your money.Great way of indirect taxation, though.

Chris Paul said...

Lots of things are exploitative, utter capitalism etc etc. If there is going to be £250M capital input and £100M a year in multipliers going somewhere in Britain I'd rather it were Manchester than elsewhere.

And I think (a) Manchester is much better at coralling the wages of sin than other areas and (b) Manchester will get a more sophisticated audience for cazzy than Blackpool.

I'm not a big gambler but I have enjoyed the occasional casino outing, the races, the lottery and a few slots here and there ...

I think it is for Bishops not MPs to take the methodist, catholic or other religionist line on these things. Politicians should do the politics and balance the benefits and disbenefits. There is a lot in the Gambling Act that is a positive.

It will be interesting if Blackpool now get a consolation prize in the Lottery £25M for their waterfront. Manchester and Salford with a smidge of Trafford are bidding for the same money. On average one award per region. Result v soon.

Manchester University Labour Club said...

On other news, why on earth does Rowan Williams feel the need to pass judgement on everything that the Government does?