The Catalan parliament continues to discuss the Hard Rock casino plans over ten years after the project was announced. Parties are yet to reach a consensus on the matter, the Catalan News reported.

The Hard Rock casino project envisions the construction of a casino-hotel complex in Vila-seca and Salou, Tarragona, in the vicinity of the PortAventura amusement park. However, the property has been a point of contention for over a decade, causing delays in its development.

The initial mega project would have had six theme parks, covering 445 hectares in total. Originally called Barcelona World, the project was eventually picked by Hard Rock, which scaled it down. Its current iteration would feature a casino, two hotels, a large swimming pool, a shopping area and a big conference center.

However, Hard Rock’s project now still waiting for the approval of a new Urban Development Plan because the Catalan High Court annulled the first one in 2020.

Political Parties Are in Disagreement

Hard Rock’s project continues to be intensely discussed by political parties in the Catalan parliament. The casino plans have the support of the Socialists, the pro-independence Junts, the far-right Vox and the liberal Ciudadanos. In the meantime, the pro-independence Esquerra Republicana, far-left CUP, and left-wing Comuns Sumar are firmly opposed to the resort.

Comuns Sumar, for example, rejected the 2024 budget because its members believed that it would have advanced the Hard Rock project, despite the government claiming otherwise. As a result, Catalan president Pere Aragonès had to call for a snap election on May 12.

Raquel Sans, the main candidate for Esquerra Republicana, accused her political opponents of using Hard Rock as an excuse to push their agenda and end the legislature. According to her, these people chose their own benefits over those of the public.

Far-right Vox’s Sergio Macián added that separatism continues to prevent the economic development of Catalonia.

However, opponents of the project claim that it must be stopped because it is not entirely legal. According to them, proceeding with the project would be an injustice. Others have pointed out that the Hard Rock casino-hotel would not be environmentally sustainable.

Because of that, opposed parties believe that changes would be needed before Hard Rock receives planning permission.

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North Carolina succeeded in getting legal sports betting approved but failed to legalize casino gaming in 2023. While proponents of casino resorts plan to continue pushing for legalization of the vertical, opponents of such a measure are anxious that the game might be rigged.

For reference, North Carolina recently vowed to provide several counties, including Anson, Nash and Rockingham, with funding for major infrastructural improvements. The move caused some to think that the measure might be a preparation for the launch of casino gaming in the Tar Heel State.

For reference, Anson is set to be provided with $6 million for wastewater projects. Nash, on the other hand, will receive some $17 million for similar reasons. The biggest winner of all is Rockingham, which will be provided with a whopping $54.5 million for infrastructural upgrades. The money is part of the $2 billion North Carolina will allocate to infrastructure projects across the state.

The Government Has Been Planning This Investment for Years

According to uneasy opponents of the expansion of gambling, the infrastructural improvements in question are a setup for the launch of Las Vegas-style resorts as they will facilitate the construction of such venues.

Opponents of the launch of casino gaming were quick to point out that last year’s legislation sought approval for casino resorts in these exact counties. The legislation was the brainchild of Sen. Phil Berger and was supported by The Cordish Companies, a major casino and hospitality company. Berger’s promise to reintroduce the measure in 2024 is another factor that caused concern among anti-gambling activists.

For reference, the majority of voters in North Carolina oppose further expansion of the state’s gambling industry. At the same time, Berger believes casino resorts are not just about gaming but about nurturing the economic growth of rural areas as a whole.

In any case, the government was quick to point out that there is no correlation between the proposed improvements and some local leaders’ support for casino resorts. According to the authorities, the infrastructural investments are something they have been planning for years.

Anson County Manager Leonard Sossamon, however, did confirm that the infrastructure improvements would benefit a potential casino resort – a project that would be impossible at the moment.

In other news, NC recently approved the second batch of sports betting rules.

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