Casino 'would create 14,000 jobs'

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A super-casino in Sheffield would generate 14,000 jobs in the city over 20 years, it has been claimed.

Sheffield City Council quoted the figure at a meeting of the Casino Advisory Panel to discuss the impact of a Las Vegas style super-casino.

The city is competing against six other locations throughout the UK.

Council chief executive Sir Bob Kerslake said Sheffield offered an ideal location to "pilot" the idea of a super-casino.

He said the city was close to the national average of most social indicators and with its central location, 4.4 million people lived within an hour's car drive.

Sir Bob told the panel the casino would directly create 1,500 jobs in an area ripe for regeneration.

But he said the long-term impact on the area would be much greater. He said that as well as 14,000 jobs over 20 years, the casino would generate £217m in extra economic activity in the same period.

Anyone who doesn't see [problem gambling] as an issue to be tackled is deluding themselves Sir Bob Kerslake

Sir Bob said that while Sheffield had taken great strides forward in terms of "renewal" a super-casino would help it take the next step to "transformation".

But he acknowledged a series of steps would need to be taken to address problem gambling if Sheffield was successful in attracting the licence.

He said: "Anyone who doesn't see this as an issue to be tackled is deluding themselves."

The other cities competing for the super casino are London, Blackpool, Manchester, Cardiff, Glasgow and Newcastle.

The panel has already visited Greenwich, in London, Cardiff, Glasgow and Newcastle. After Sheffield it will move on to hear views in Manchester and Blackpool.

Once all the hearings have been held, the panel will report back to Culture Secretary Tessa Jowell and the successful bid is expected to be announced at the end of the year.