BLACKPOOL'S mayor has spoken of his anger at the decision to award the supercasino to Manchester. It will deprive the resort of its main chance of regeneration, he claims.
"I'm very angry Manchester has been chosen," said Coun Allan Matthews. "It can look elsewhere for regeneration, but we cannot - tourism is all we have.
"Does Manchester want our sea, and our tower? It might as well have it all.
"It's like nailing the coffin lid down on Blackpool. The decision to put it in Manchester is the worst of all scenarios.
"I've spoken to a lot of Lancashire mayors and they back Blackpool - it is well loved by everyone in this county and nationwide. And they want it to succeed.
"People talk about a Plan B. Well, what have we been doing for the past 100 years, but feeding people and entertaining people and giving them a good time? Plan B is going on all the time."
More than 2,000 Fylde residents have already signed a petition calling for the government to scrutinise the casino advisory panel's decision, before the crucial votes in the Commons and the Lords.
Those behind Blackpool's bid to bring Britain's first supercasino to the resort feel the panel underplayed the importance it would have had on regeneration. Fylde mayor Coun Harold Butler and Wyre mayor Coun Peter Hawley said the panel had failed to take into account the benefits that would have accrued, not just for Blackpool but for their two boroughs as well.
Coun Hawley said: "I think the panel has been very narrow-minded. It has looked purely at Blackpool but it should have looked at the Fylde in general and the spin-offs there would have been to a vast area."
Coun Butler added: "We've a big tourism industry in Fylde and so whatever Blackpool gains in attracting more visitors, it's bound to be beneficial to Fylde borough as well."
South Ribble MP David Borrow has also backed Blackpool's bid.
He said: "The Department of Culture, Media and Sport's select committee ought to be interviewing the chairman of the panel about how he came to make this decision so that he is accountable.
"In the end it will be the politicians who get it in the neck if it's the wrong decision."
Meanwhile, Millennium Dome bosses have quashed speculation that it would continue to fight for supercasino status.
AEG Europe, which owns the Greenwich venue - now called The O2 - will not contest the advisory panel's recommendations.
AEG boss David Campbell said: "All our efforts are concentrated on opening The O2 as a world-class venue in July."
What do you think of the panel's original decision to site the super casino in Manchester? Have your say.
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Ace Riley, manchester (09/02/2007 at 10:29)
Anon, Midlands (09/02/2007 at 10:42)
Denis Elbow, Moston, Manchester (09/02/2007 at 10:49)
Whingeing capitalists - almost as bad as socialists!
David, Manchester (09/02/2007 at 10:54)
kev, manchester (09/02/2007 at 10:56)
Patrick Wan, Bolton (09/02/2007 at 11:10)
Mike, Manchester (09/02/2007 at 11:10)
no real vision for its regeneration other than banking on a Super Casino cannot be blamed on Manchester nor the Advisory Panel. The facts are there for anyone to look at in terms of the deprevation and massive need for the area of East Manchester to get help. That is not to say Blackpool does not require any too but they were foolish to not embrace change in the way Manchester has and they have paid the price.
Ms D, Manchester (09/02/2007 at 11:19)
As I have said in another post, why hasn't Blackpool used the vast sums of money they get from tourism to regenerate ? Years on, this sad sorry resort is shabby and tawdry. I don't want to go away and see people vomiting in bins, staggering around swearing and wearing stupid ginger wigs with tartan hats or fortune tellers who make it all up to extract money from the public.
The casino would never have saved Blackpool from it's imminent death. Blackpool itself is to balme for that for refusing to move on. Get over it.
Ugly Kid Joe, Manchester (09/02/2007 at 11:19)
James, Manchester (09/02/2007 at 11:21)
Martyn whitehead, Blackpool (09/02/2007 at 11:32)
SARAH, BLACKLEY (09/02/2007 at 11:42)
It needs a miracle, not a casino!
Great news that it's coming to manchester.
Jake Long, City Centre, Manchester (09/02/2007 at 11:44)
Pete, Wythenshawe (09/02/2007 at 12:01)
Cliff, Bolton (09/02/2007 at 12:03)
dave, swinton (09/02/2007 at 12:20)
Gary, Sawyers Arms, Deansgate (09/02/2007 at 12:28)
No we don't want your filthy stinking sea water or your pepsi max tower. Now stop moaning and toddle off down the prom and entertain yourself in one of the sprawling arcades and have a go on a poxy ten pence waterfall game. Our fruities will be paying million pound jackpots. Can't wait.
Gary
Mark, Stockport (09/02/2007 at 12:29)
David, Manchester (09/02/2007 at 12:34)
Peter, Blackpool (09/02/2007 at 12:55)
What else is there to do apart from shopping.The only people it will atract is locals which in turn will create more problem gamblers.Manchester had millions spent on it with the commonwealth games,but how much went to local housing,not a lot if you stil need regeneration.The only people who are going to make money are the opperators who are the same people who would have run the dome.They would never have got the dome but they get manchester.The whole descision smells fishy especially when one of the panel had links to manchester council.If it goes through parliment there will not be another one as Manchester will not be a sucess
Gary, Sawyers Arms, Deansgate (09/02/2007 at 13:13)
David, Manchester
David, come off it Manchester's nowhere near as bad as Blackpool in the dump league.
Manchester was the right the choice. David, remember the chance of playing million pound jackpot fruities without having to go to Blackpool.
Ms D, Manchester (09/02/2007 at 13:23)
Gary, SK13 (09/02/2007 at 13:24)
James, Manchester (09/02/2007 at 13:28)
Peter, Blackpool (09/02/2007 at 13:39)