Four new casinos to be opened in Puerto Rico

Added to the 20 already operating on the island

“Puerto Rico will have four new casinos, which will elevate the number to 24, and does not mean a market saturation”, informed the director of the Games of Chance Division of the Tourism Company, Héctor Rivera.

New casinos will be opened in Guayanilla, Cabo Rojo, Aguadilla and San Juan. „Hotel and Casino Pichis in Guayanilla will be opened by the end of the year; la Concha in El Condado will probably open at the beginning of 2009; another casino in Punta Borinquen, will open by the end of July or the beginning of August; and another one in Cabo Rojo, which is expected to open for the beginning of 2009“, he affirmed.

With a 9-year experience in the Tourism Company, he commented that the operation of 24 casinos in Puerto Rico “will not saturate the market” and is a “proper” number, although there is “room for more”. He said that other two demands are pending, one for Ponce and another one in Isla Verde. He said that 800 slots will be added to the 6,554 slots operating in the island for the four casinos.

The treasury collects USD 300 million annually from casinos, which have 3,000 employees, a 20% of the total employment in the hostelling sector.