欧州最大カジノ施設、キプロスにオープン

【リマソル（キプロス）ＡＦＰ＝時事】地中海東部の島国キプロスで１１日、欧州最大のカジノリゾート「シティ・オブ・ドリームス メディテレーニアン」が開業した。当局は、高額消費が期待される観光客が年間約３０万人増えると見込んでいる。（写真は地中海の島国キプロスで建設中に撮影された欧州最大のカジノ施設「シティ・オブ・ドリームス メディテレーニアン」。資料写真）
　同リゾートは、香港に拠点を置く統合型リゾート開発・運営企業メルコリゾーツが手掛けた。ローレンス・ホー会長兼最高経営責任者（ＣＥＯ）が１６年前、結婚式でキプロスを訪れた際にリゾート施設建設のアイデアが思い浮かんだという。
　リゾートはキプロス南部沿岸の都市リマソルに、６億３７００万ユーロ（約９８０億円）超の費用を投じて３年がかりで完成した。１４階建てのホテルに７５００平方メートルのカジノを併設し、１００台のカジノテーブルや１０００台のスロットマシンなどが設置されている。従業員の数は約２０００人。
　季節性に対応し、近隣のイスラエルや湾岸諸国、その他からの富裕層を呼び込めるシティ・オブ・ドリームス メディテレーニアンは、同国の重要な観光セクターにとって「ゲームチェンジャー」になると考えられている。 【翻訳編集ＡＦＰＢＢＮｅｗｓ】
〔ＡＦＰ＝時事〕（2023/07/12-16:53）

The largest casino resort in Europe opened on the east Mediterranean island of Cyprus on Tuesday, with the authorities hoping it will attract an extra high-spending 300,000 tourists annually.
The City of Dreams Mediterranean is the brainchild of Hong Kong-based gambling firm Melco, whose CEO Lawrence Ho said he first got the idea to build the resort when he visited Cyprus 16 years ago for a wedding.
The complex, in the southern coastal city of Limassol, took three years to build at a cost of more than 637 million euros ($700 million), and currently employs 2,000 staff.
It is viewed as a game-changer for the key tourism sector that will address seasonality and attract high-rollers from nearby Israel, the Gulf and further afield.
It allows Cyprus to unlock new markets in Africa and the Middle East, Ho said at Tuesday's official launch.
Having a resort of this quality... opens multiple new possibilities, the Melco Resorts and Entertainment chief added.
First impressions are powerful and lasting. We came for a wedding and loved it.
The City of Dreams Mediterranean property manager Grant Johnson said the project includes a solar power system generating 1.2 MW of renewable energy on the sun-baked island.
This resort is the largest of its kind in Europe, he said.
It resembles an Inca temple, and looks out to sea near Limassol, a city that is sometimes dubbed Moscow on the Med because of its popularity with Russians.
The 14-floor hotel has 7,500 square metres (8,970 square yards) of gaming space that includes 100 tables and 1,000 slot machines.
The first property Melco has opened outside Asia, the project was delayed first by the coronavirus pandemic and then by Russia's invasion of Ukraine and subsequent European Union sanctions and travel bans on Russia.
Melco had been banking on Russians -- who normally account for a fifth of Cyprus's tourists -- being some of their best customers.
Pre-coronavirus 2019 was a record year for Cyprus tourism, with 3.97 million visitors spending 2.68 billion euros.
A key driver of the economy, tourism contributes around 15 percent of Cyprus's GDP.
Casinos were not legalised in Cyprus until 2015. The powerful Greek Orthodox church had opposed them, and leftist former president Demetris Christofias feared they would bring corruption.
Money-laundering has also been a concern, with one Greek Cypriot anti-money laundering specialist telling AFP last year: Casinos are a sensitive subject on the island.
The Cyprus Finance Ministry has told AFP that the fight against money laundering is a challenging and continuous process.
The authorities are working continuously... and minimising risks.