New casino to open with nearly 200 jobs

The latest casino to be built in Northampton is due to open in the next few months, creating almost 200 jobs.

Work began on the venue in Commercial Street in the centre of Northampton a number of years ago.

The building was originally planned to open early in 2007, but the company operating the development, London-based casino firm Aspers, has now announced it will open its doors in June.

A spokesman for the firm said: "We're now in the final stages of fitting our new casino and entertainment complex. We're investing well over GBP 10 million in the project, which is some 40,000 square feet in size and will initially employ about 180 mainly-local people.

"We expect to complete our fitting out work by the end of May and to open in the latter part of June."

Work on the casino was begun by billionaire South African businessman Sol Kerzner, whose firm Kerzner International is more used to building massive gambling centres at sun-kissed venues, including the Lost City in the Bahamas.

It will now be run as a joint venture between Kerzner International and Aspers, which operates similar casinos in Newcastle and Swansea.

The four-storey Northampton building has been designed to resemble a former brewery and auction house in Commercial Street, which was demolished to make way for the casino.

The shell of the building cost GBP 5 million to build and it is believed the same amount will be spent on the internal fittings.

Aspers' spokesman said: "Our properties offer a wide range of facilities including bars, restaurants, mini-spas and live entertainment and they are designed to appeal to a broad spectrum of the population, not just the traditional gaming market."

When the casino opens it will be the town's third, following the two owned by Gala at Sol Central and Regent Square.