MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Casino and five stars hotel for Punta Arenas

Punta Arenas has been awarded a casino licence and work on the new 3.4 million US dollars building is scheduled to begin next January according to the Pacifico Sur group.

"Once all the paper work and documents have been cleared in Punta Arenas, the bidding process will begin and by January we should be drilling the foundations", said Claudio Fischer who together with his brother Humberto owns the Pacifico Group long linked to the Chilean gambling industry. "In two years, probably three, the casino should be operating", added Claudio Fischer.

The Pacifico Group already has casinos in Puerto Montt, Temuco, Valdivia and besides Punta Arenas is bidding for Calama. The group's investments are in the range of 134 million US dollars.

"We're not only casino operators but also integral investors since the Casinos Bill demands that we also invest in hotels and other resort and leisure facilities. We're talking of a 15 year investment at least", revealed Claudio Fischer.

The casino project also includes a jetty for sport vessels and yachts and a sea promenade or boulevard "properly lit with seats, kiosks and shops to cater for the cruise vessel visitors and Punta Arenas tourists".

The five stars hotel will include a convention centre for a thousand people seated, spa, interactive museum, Imax theatre, theatre, food court, and cultural center.

"We're talking of visitors who spend a hundred US dollars per day in taxi, food and other minor expenses".

Mr. Fischer revealed that Punta Arenas receives three tourists per resident every year, "which is very much compared to the rest of the country, but they don't remain, they travel on to Puerto Natales, Antarctica and other destinations. With a casino, international food and spas it's going to make a difference".

The Chilean government this month allowed for the building of nine new casinos and resorts, totalling an investment of 325 million US dollars and creating some 4.000 new jobs.

The new casinos, which must be built within the next two years, will appear in Antofagasta Copiapó, Los Angeles, Pinto and Talcahuano, Temuco, Osorno, Valdivia, and Punta Arenas.

The largest casino project, which totals 82 million US dollars, will be built by the Panamanian group Valmar in Talcahuano. The projects besides hotel must include bowling alleys, discotheques, movie theatres and malls.