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Kaliningrad parcels out land for casino investors


Authorities in Russia’s westernmost enclave, Kaliningrad are parceling out land in the Yantarnaya gambling zone to allow for more investment, according to a state news agency.

Regional governor Anton Alikhanov said: "Now we are at the final stage of delimitation, we [will] parcel it [the land] out to lease it in parts. The asset is very large so it might be difficult for a single investor to implement it alone. Therefore, we decided to play it safe, delimit into many parts to allow several legal entities to divide these plots. I think that we will finish this process in the coming months, and by the summer it will come if not to signing [an agreement] then to serious negotiations."

Alikhanov noted that there is interest in the zone from investors representing gambling businesses.

The decision to parcel out the land came after the termination of a contract with a major investor in the zone.

In 2014, CJSC STK Group of Companies concluded a lease agreement for a land plot of 99.5 hectares in Yantarnaya and an investment deal. It intended to invest at least RUB 44.5 billion (US$704 million) in the infrastructure. 

In 2018, the company transferred all rights and obligations under the lease agreement to LLC GOSLOT-39. In late 2019, the agreement with GOSLOT-39 was terminated as investment was slowing. 

The first gambling facility n the zone - Magic Crystal with 150 slot machines - opened in April 2016. A year later the Sobranie casino started operating. Both are not expected to be affected by the developments, according to regional officials. 

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