Plans for a super casino in Manchester that would have rivalled Las Vegas caused controversy before finally being scrapped.
Back in 2007, when Tony Blair was Prime Minister, Manchester was chosen as the city to host the country's first super casino. In a surprise decision, a panel selected the east Manchester site next to the Etihad Stadium (then called the City of Manchester Stadium).
Manchester was chosen over bookies' favourite, Blackpool, as the destination for the new era in gambling, much to the seaside town's fury and despite having the backing of more than a hundred MPs. The surprise decision sparked Blackpool's then mayor, Allan Matthews, to angrily lay in to the decision.
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Mr Matthews, said: "I'm very angry Manchester has been chosen. 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."
Nevertheless, the decision was welcomed by many in the city, with estimates it would bring around 3,000 jobs to East Manchester. So what was planned?
Manchester's winning bid envisioned a 'gambling palace' with arena, sports complex, restaurant, nightclub, hotel and housing being built near the Etihad Stadium. Another key part of the plan was to introduce gaming machines with unlimited pay outs.
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The super casino was set to be absolutely huge - a minimum of 5,000 square metres - with 40 or more gaming tables and 1,250 gaming machines, some paying massive prizes, perhaps even £1m if linked to big money machines elsewhere.
There were also plans for new large casinos across the country, which would have up to 150 gaming machines, and small casinos with up to 80 machines and prizes up to £4,000. It was also expected that the region would have benefited to a significant boost to the local economy had the super casino plans gone ahead.
For many living in the area, news of the planned casino was largely positive, but with some reservations about the effect of such a prominent gambling facility in the area. Speaking with the MEN in 2007, Edward Jones, 60, who worked at Johnson and Nephew wireworks before it was demolished and had lived in Beswick with his wife, Susan, for 35 years said he supported the plans.
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He told the MEN: "The regeneration has been a lifeline for this area. I can see why people are not happy about a casino being built here, but it's all about jobs at the end of the day. That has to be the biggest factor in deciding whether it's a good thing or not."
Lynn Robinson, also from Beswick, said her neighbours were "delighted" at the win. The 50-year-old, who worked at the Manchester Royal Infirmary, said: "If all the additional benefits come with the casino it will be great.
"We've heard there will be a skating rink and cafes and if we get those kinds of things as well we'll be happy. There are problems here at the moment, but I can't see the casino bringing any more - it can only make things better."
But there were also voices in opposition to the plans. Mian Riaz, 60, from Gorton, said: "People should not be spending money they do not have in casinos. We already have a lovely stadium and this will do nothing for the image of the place."
However, a change in Prime Minister threw the plans for the casino into chaos. The plans had been back by the House of Commons, but rejected by the Lords by just three votes, something then Prime Minister Tony Blair vowed to 'put right'.
But then Gordon Brown took over at No 10 and announced a review - led by Communities Secretary and Salford MP Hazel Blears - on whether there are better ways of regenerating east Manchester. Brown was known to be no fan of a major extension of gambling facilities in the country and had already been suspected to be in opposition to the idea by the time he took over leadership of the Government.
In January 2008, the new Prime Minister confirmed that plans for the huge, Las Vegas style super casino would be scrapped. According to the BBC, then culture secretary and now Mayor of Greater Manchester, Andy Burnham, said that instead, plans for 16 smaller casinos will go ahead in towns including Leeds, Milton Keynes, Swansea and Stranraer.
Announcing the U-turn, Mr Burnham told MPs there was "no consensus" on whether to build a super casino and said concerns had been expressed over its potential negative impact. He added there were "important differences" between a super casino with 1,250 unlimited stake and jackpot machines, and the plans for new smaller casinos that were still considerably larger than current casinos.
Following the U-turn, former Prime Minister Tony Blair launched an attack on Gordon Brown's decision to scrap plans for the super casino in Manchester, branding the decision "the worst form of puritanism". In his controversial biography written following a well publicised rift between Tony Blair and Gordon Brown while they were both still in Government, Blair said his successor’s decision to ditch the project, which would have created 3,500 jobs in the deprived east of the city, was a 'partisan' and 'ineffectual' gesture under pressure from the church and right-wing press.
It's been 15-years since plans for the super casino were announced and then scrapped. Was it the right decision? Has east Manchester prospered without the need for super casino. Let us know in the comments below.
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