As leaders in Madrid and Barcelona slug it out to lure a new megacasino to their cities, some are questioning the economic, environmental, legal, and moral compromises being offered.
Giles Tremlett reports on the efforts city leaders in Barcelona and Madrid are making to lure US billionaire Sheldon Adelson and his Las Vegas Sands company's proposed €17bn (£14.3bn) Europa Vegas megacasino project.
Reported to be "be equivalent in size to half of the Las Vegas strip" and include "a dozen casinos, several hotels, shopping malls, conference centres, golf courses and theatres," the project is seen as a silver bullet to "create 260,000 jobs, securing work for close to half the unemployed in the densely populated provinces of either Madrid or Barcelona."
Among the concessions being demanded by Adelson, who has successfully exported his brand of Las Vegas gaming and entertainment to Singapore and Macao, are "tax breaks, gambling law changes, new labour laws and free land," writes Tremlett.
Opposition politicians and religious leaders are galvanizing supporters to fight the project. But with 23% unemployment and an economy slumping back into recession, the prospects for their success seem slim.
FULL STORY: Europa Vegas draws Madrid and Barcelona into battle over megacasino
Madrid Seeks to Sharply Curtail Short-Term Rentals
A suite of restrictions under consideration in Madrid would eliminate short-term rentals from 95 percent of the city.
Spain's Colossal Casino Project Dealt a Bad Hand
Las Vegas Sands and its billionaire owner Sheldon G. Adelson have cancelled outlandish plans to build a $30 billion megacasino near Madrid.
Barcelona Buys Building to Prevent Tenant Evictions
One apartment building — and its tenants who faced eviction — became a potent symbol of the city’s growing housing crisis.
Planetizen Federal Action Tracker
A weekly monitor of how Trump’s orders and actions are impacting planners and planning in America.
San Francisco's School District Spent $105M To Build Affordable Housing for Teachers — And That's Just the Beginning
SFUSD joins a growing list of school districts using their land holdings to address housing affordability challenges faced by their own employees.
The Tiny, Adorable $7,000 Car Turning Japan Onto EVs
The single seat Mibot charges from a regular plug as quickly as an iPad, and is about half the price of an average EV.
Seattle's Plan for Adopting Driverless Cars
Equity, safety, accessibility and affordability are front of mind as the city prepares for robotaxis and other autonomous vehicles.
As Trump Phases Out FEMA, Is It Time to Flee the Floodplains?
With less federal funding available for disaster relief efforts, the need to relocate at-risk communities is more urgent than ever.
With Protected Lanes, 460% More People Commute by Bike
For those needing more ammo, more data proving what we already knew is here.
Urban Design for Planners 1: Software Tools
This six-course series explores essential urban design concepts using open source software and equips planners with the tools they need to participate fully in the urban design process.
Planning for Universal Design
Learn the tools for implementing Universal Design in planning regulations.
Smith Gee Studio
City of Charlotte
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
City of Astoria
Transportation Research & Education Center (TREC) at Portland State University
US High Speed Rail Association
City of Camden Redevelopment Agency
Municipality of Princeton (NJ)