Victoria Gate Casino, the largest casino in the north of England and Scotland, has been launched with thousands enjoying the launch party in Leeds.
- Leeds’ £165m Victoria Gate announces October opening date The opening date of Leeds’ £165m Victoria Gate scheme has been is set to be in October of this year. Property developer Hammerson confirmed that Victoria Gate, which includes a flagship John Lewis store, will be officially open for business on Thursday, October 20th.
- Shop till 6pm at #VictoriaQuarter & #VictoriaGate with a John Lewis, Harvey Nichols, Super Casino, rooftop dining & over 80 boutiques. Victoria Leeds brings together Victoria Quarter and Victoria Gate to deliver the most vibrant shopping scene and destination in Leeds city centre. Shop till 7pm and dine till late, Monday - Saturday.
The £30m venue, which is the third-largest casino in the UK, sits alongside John Lewis at the top of the city's new Victoria Gate development.
Victoria Leeds brings together Victoria Quarter & Victoria Gate with a John Lewis, Harvey Nichols and over 90 boutiques.
Andrew Herd, chief executive of Global Gaming Ventures (GGV), the operator of Victoria Gate Casino, said: 'The vision for Victoria Gate Casino has been years in the making but it has been worth the wait to see everyone here celebrating with us tonight.
'Victoria Gate Casino is a stylish, buzzing entertainment hub in the heart of Leeds city centre where everyone from first-time visitors and passers-by to top poker players are catered for.
'It's a pivotal moment for Leeds to have an entertainment venue on such a grand scale and we’re thrilled to be contributing to the city’s already thriving leisure offering.'
The evening began with an invitation-only event for 1,200 VIPs – which included the official ribbon cutting and first spin of the roulette wheel – before the doors opened to the general public at 9pm.
John Lewis Son
The casino has created more than 200 jobs, 90 per cent of which have been sourced from within the Leeds City Region.
'We were overwhelmed with responses, receiving more than 5,000 job applications, and it speaks volumes for how keen people are to be a part of such an exciting project,' Andrew Herd added.
Councillor James Lewis, deputy leader of Leeds City Council, said: 'Victoria Gate is already proving itself to be a great success, attracting many visitors from a wide area and its new casino should prove a further boost to the local economy.'
Robin Dobson, director of retail development at Hammerson, added: 'The launch of Victoria Gate Casino marks another exciting part of Victoria Gate's debut.
'At its opening in October 2016, the scheme transformed Leeds' retail offer and today the casino's arrival provides the city with a unique and vibrant entertainment experience.'
John Lewis Clothing
Victoria Gate Casino is operated by GGV under a 'large casino licence' awarded by Leeds City Council in 2013. The council was granted the authority to award a large casino licence after a successful bid to government in 2006.
GGV is privately-owned and controlled by two British casino entrepreneurs and funded by a leading US private equity firm.