MGM Mirage to Build Casino at NEC
Staff -- Tradeshow Week, 1/16/2006
The Natl. Exhibition Centre in Birmingham, England, has selected MGM Mirage to develop a 300,000 square foot regional entertainment casino.
Lloyd Nathan, managing director in Europe for MGM Mirage Development, said construction of MGM Grand at the NEC can't begin until licensing, planning and taxation issues are resolved. Construction could start as soon as the second half of 2007.
The development is slated to feature a casino, restaurants, entertainment facilities, a parking structure and possibly a 300-room hotel, all connected to the NEC and its exhibit halls.
The project is estimated to cost up to £300 million ($532 million). MGM Mirage will own 85 percent of the complex and NEC the remaining 15 percent.
The NEC is the largest exhibition center in the United Kingdom, with 2 million sq. ft. of exhibit space and up to 4 million visitors per year. It is centrally located in the region with significant road, rail and air transport links. The neighboring airport is served by more than 20 international airlines providing scheduled flights from 34 destinations in Europe and North America.
