MP fighting for casino bid revival

City MP Geoffrey Robinson has pledged to do everything he can to revive Coventry’s super casino bid after a successful meeting with culture secretary Tessa Jowell.

Mr Robinson met Ms Jowell on Monday evening to talk about what could be done to get Coventry’s bid for a regional casino at the Ricoh Arena on to the shortlist.

Ms Jowell said the shortlist was only provisional, and invited Mr Robinson to keep up pressure on the Casino Advisory Panel to include Coventry.

She also suggested that the city apply for one of the smaller licences which are going to be handed out when the super casino is decided in November this year.

Mr Robinson said: „It was a very positive meeting.

„She invited us to submit early day motions and a ten-minute bill asking for Coventry to be included on the shortlist, and also to get the Government to increase the number of super casino licences from one to eight.“

Originally the Government had planned to hand out eight licences but changed it to just one in the face of opposition from Conservatives and back bench rebels.

No West Midland venues made it onto the shortlist, despite building work on a standard casino at the Ricoh Arena being well underway and due to open at the end of the year.

Mr Robinson added: „We are now considering how to proceed next but we all fully support the bid.“