Espelkamp. It is seen as the international business platform of the real estate sector par excellence: the Expo Real. Real estate consultants, project developers, bankers and investors, corporate real estate managers, town and economic region advisors as well as service providers from a whole range of real estate segments will be coming together between the 5th and 7th October 2009 at the new exhibition centre in Munich.

The Westphalian Gauselmann Group has already been using this international industry meeting point for years to meet and grow its established contacts to partners and investors. Last year the subsidiary company Merkur-Spielothek decided to go one step further and present itself with its own stand at Europe’s largest commercial property trade fair. “Our proactive presence at the Expo Real in 2008 was like a catalyst”, describes the qualified real estate agent Mr. Michael Hoffmann the successful trade show presence. Mr. Hoffmann is Managing Director Real Estate and is responsible for generating new locations and the associated company expansion.

The two jewels of the Gauselmann Group in Germany and Europe – Merkur-Spielothek und Merkur-Casino – have joined together this year under consolidated name “Casino”. The trend setters in entertainment centres will be demonstrating from a 120 m² stand in Hall C1 (stand 220) the full expertise of this family-managed company from Espelkamp. This includes innovative amusement machines with or without the possibility of winning cash, refreshing architectural impulses and unique apprenticeship concepts. Completely new game and amusement combinations also belong to the repertoire.

Merkur Immobilien- und Beteiligungs GmbH will also be exhibiting on this year’s stand in Munich as the “third in the alliance”. The complete German real estate portfolio of the Gauselmann Group is managed by this enterprise. This consists of housing, office buildings, stores as well as production, service and logistics space.

Here it becomes also clear that there is much more behind the game and luck symbol of the Merkur sun that first meets the eye.

“We are making use of the decades of experience and professional expertise of our own experts along with professionalism and expertise of corresponding partners to secure our enduring and qualitative market presence. The Expo Real is the perfect platform for a fruitful exchange amongst people with the capability of strategic vision”, affirms Michael Hoffmann.

A round of dialogue will take place on the second day of the exhibition – Tuesday 6th October at 11:30 a.m. at the Casino exhibition stand (Hall C1, Stand 220). The discussion will be hosted by Angela Rüter, Managing Director of Heuer Dialog.
“Furthermore”, states Heidi Geiken, Project Leader in the Expansion Team, “please come to the relaxed Come-Together-Event with live music and finger food. This will be on the night before, at 6 p.m. on our stand”.

Other German arcade operators have in the meantime jumped on the bandwagon and proactively use international forums such as the Expo Real to generate new locations. After all, the trend in the German arcade market is most definitely moving to multiple concessions where a few hundred square metres quickly become necessary. The run on objects that are easily accessible by car and have enough parking spaces with fast food chains nearby to guarantee a large turnover of visitors or other models of modern ways of meeting up is naturally large.

The advantages for property owners of working together with successful pan-European companies like Merkur-Spielothek are plain to see: “We see ourselves as the premium partner”, explains the qualified real estate agent, Mr. Michael Hoffmann. “Our entertainment centres are clean, safe and solvent. It’s not without reason that they are seen as the forward-looking flagship in the entire industry!”

The laughing Merkur sun, Germany’s most popular symbol of games and luck, is seen both nationally and internationally as the hallmark for modern entertainment. It was over 50 years ago, namely in June 1957, that the company founder from Münster Mr. Paul Gauselmann laid the foundation stone for today’s group of companies by deciding to operate coin-operated machines alongside his chosen profession. The unique development from a one-man company to an international enterprise is an almost unrivalled German success story

The complete business volume of the various corporate divisions totalled Euro 1.128 billion in the financial year 2008. 5,500 motivated employees – 4,000 of whom are based in Germany – contribute to the company success with their creativity, flexibility and commitment. Furthermore, the family-managed Gauselmann Group has placed for many years strong emphasis on the qualification of young people. More than 170 apprentices are currently learning 14 separate careers in Germany.