The Dundee staff of the Hilton Hotel and the neighbouring gambling hall were informed of the Gala Casino closure last week, which will see both the casino and the hotel shutting down to make way for progress in the form of new plans for the waterfront area. The local government are determined to redevelop that part of the city and have started to pour some money into doing so, and this is just one phase in the overall plan.
It looks as though local residents who favour the venue will have to try out online poker casinos or other gambling sites now that the casino is closing down, after having been bought out by the Dundee City Council to the tune of £8.5 million. There is a £1 billion budget for the overall project, out of which this cost is being met, so it is clear that the hotel and casino owners both drove a hard bargain when it came to handing the land over – which must not have been an easy decision, particularly for the Gala firm which is already in the process of selling other venues to one of its main rivals, the Rank group, pending deliberations from monopoly watchdogs. Spokespeople said that the gambling firm is now consulting with staff members as to what the next steps will be after their bosses delivered the news last week, though it is not yet known exactly how many jobs will be lost as a result of the closure.
The full statement from a Gala spokeswoman said: “I can confirm the casino in Dundee is going to close on February 16. We are now in consultation with staff.” It is clear why the council might want to get rid of these properties in order to bring some rejuvenation and new opportunities to the area: the Hilton building is a drab grey colour and very square in shape, hardly the kind of attractive sight that encourages a positive atmosphere. Both buildings are set to be demolished as part of the project to make way for new constructions later on.