Resort casino could still head to Blackpool

North-west town may still be able to have a casino that can help its regeneration and become one of the focal points of the city.

Blackpool may still be able to benefit from having a casino in the town if the council can attract "willing investors", reports the Blackpool Gazette.

Lord McNally of Blackpool, who was commenting as legislation to allow 16 new large and small casinos to open in the UK was confirmed, claimed a gambling arena could be created in the town as part of a larger entertainment centre.

"They would operate not just a standalone casino operation but a resort casino, which would operate as the nucleus of an entertainment centre, a retail centre, a leisure centre and a restaurant centre," he told the newspaper.

While, there will be no supercasino offering prizes of up to £1 million and more than 1,000 machines to play, there is apparently still every chance that a smaller development could occur.

Manchester was chosen as the venue for Britain's first supercasino last year, but prime minister Gordon Brown made the decision not to go ahead with the plans.

Other cities across the UK in contention for having the casino included London, Sheffield and Cardiff.