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The first phase of the tender process will demand investment of us$ 325 million.
(Chile).- Chile granted yesterday the operating licenses for nine casinos in the
country, which meant the ending of the first opening regulation phase for the casino
market in the country. While the Chilean firm Fischer was granted three licenses, the
Spanish group Cirsa did not receive any operating permit.
The Economy Deputy Minister, María Olivia Recart, affirmed in a press release that the
Resolution Council of the Casino Superintendence granted the operating licenses to the
Chilean company Enjoy (Antofagasta), Spanish Egasa-Nervión (Copiapó), the Austrian-
Chilean Polaris (Los Angeles), Chilean J.L.Giner (Pinto), Valmar (Talcahuano), Fischer
(Temuco, Valdivia y Punta Arenas) and Panamenian Latin Gaming (Osorno).
It also remarked that the first phase of the tender process will demand a total
investment of us$ 324.9 million as well as the creation of 4,405 new direct and
permanent employments. According to the press release: “All the communities of each of
the regions will be benefited by the granting of operation licenses, because, according
to the law, societies will have to pay a special tax of the 20% of the gross income
generated by gambling”. It also commented that “Half (of the special tax) will be
allocated to the community in which the casino will be located, and the other half to
the corresponding regional government to be redistributed in the other regional
councils”, added.
After the results, the new tycoon of the industry is Fischer group, which was granted 3
operating licenses in the cities of Temuco, Valdivia and Punta Arenas. Investments reach
us$ 136.7 million.
Enjoy group, which belongs to Martínez family –which currently operates a casino in
Puerto Varas in a joint venture with Fischer, Pucón, Iquique and Viña del Mar-, was
granted a license for Antofagasta council in the II Region, with a total investment of
us$ 47.7 million.
The company commented: “Our project will be a great contribution for the city, because
it will recover Huanchaca ruins, something that was long awaited for the people of the
region”. However, the firm regretted that Concepción and Chiloé projects have not been
chosen, because they consider that they would have contributed to the development of
those places, too.
Besides, Latin Gaming Osorno S.A. (Latin Gaming), with a us$ 24.7 million investment,
won the tender for the council in the Tenth Region. While Egasa-Nervión, whose total
investment will be us$ 16.6 million, was granted an operating license available in
Copiapó, where it will operate a casino and a five-star hotel, as well as cinemas and a
convention center.
Polaris was granted an operating license in Los Ángeles council, with a us$ 11.6 million
investment. Altough Polares general manager, Roberto García, was happy with the tender,
he assured that “we consider we should have also been granted Osorno, based in the
worldwide expertise and experience of Casinos Austria as well as the great quality of
the project”.
The second operating license available in the Eighth Region was granted in Pinto
community to J.L. Giner, Casinos Termas de Chillán S.A., with a total investment of us$
5.4 million. “We are very happy. We were confident in the project we presented, and we
think the new venue will be inaugurated next December 15th”, commented Jose Luis Giner.
Besides, the third license in the same region was granted in Talcahuano to Marina del
Sol S.A. (Valmar), a society commited with a us$ 82.1 million investment.
Spanish group Cirsa suffered a setback in its investment plan, because it did not obtain
any of the nine bids that were granted up to the moment. Through a press release, its
representatives assured that the authorities did not consider “aspects which we consider
are crucial for the beginning of a transparent casino industry”.
The company affirmed it respected the decision of the authority, but it expressed
its “disappointment” due to the fact that “in the granting of these first licenses they
did not have into account evaluation criteria aspects we believe are essencial for the
beginning of a transparent and competitive casino industry according to international
standards. In particular, we remark that they have not consider the danger that the
gambling market concentration represents, as well as the experience of top operators in
the casino industry, hostelling and convention centers”.
The public event in which the tender process results were communicated counted with the
presence of members of the Resolution Council, composed of Claudia Serrano, Deputy
Minister of Regional Development; Alberto Etchegaray, Superintendent of Values and
Insurance; councellors confirmed by the Senate in 2005, Ernesto Livacic and Ernesto R.
Fontaine; and mayors Marcela Hernando (II Region) and Julieta Cruz (III Region) as well
as council Jaime Bertín (X Region). Regional authorities María Soledad Tohá (VIII
Region), Eduardo Klein (IX Region) and Eugenia Mancilla (XII Region), could not assist
to the public meeting held in the Ministery of Economy. Besides, Superintendent
Francisco Javier Leiva also assisted to the event on behalf of the Superintendence and
as executive secretary and rapporteur of the Resolution Council.
The regions where casinos have not been granted are V,VI and VII, because the tender
process is delayed there, as a result of the legal conflict due to the exclusion of the
firm Thunderbird, and they are in the pre-qualification process now. These regions will
be granted its five new casinos at the end of the year.
Yogonet.com
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