the casino, closed for 8 years, has finally reopened its doors
The casino in Lamalou-les-Bains, a commune in the western part of the Hérault département, resumed operations on Friday, November 03. Closed since 2015 due to a judicial liquidation, the establishment is managed and operated by a new operator. The new operator has undertaken to reopen the restaurant adjacent to the casino by the end of the year, another piece of good news that has been very well received in the commune of just 2,500 inhabitants.
Lamalou-les-Bains casino back in operation
Five months after receiving authorization to reopen, the Lamalou-les-Bains casino quietly resumed operations on November 03. The municipality had been waiting five years for approval from the authorities, a first attempt to reopen having been considered in early 2019, shortly before the outbreak of the Covid-19 pandemic, which put a lengthy procedure on hold.
” The administrative constraints linked to the reopening of a gaming establishment initially closed for compulsory liquidation are very strict. But we are delighted to have finally succeeded in bringing the project to a successful conclusion, as it is of vital importance to our small spa town. “declared the mayor of Lamalou-les-Bains, Guillaume Dalery, who made the reopening of the casino his priority from the day he was elected.
Management of the casino has been entrusted to Jaar Group, a company which operates various establishments in the Pyrénées Orientales (Font-Romeu, Vernet-les-Bains, Amélie-les-Bains, Saint-Nectaire, etc.). The public service delegation granted to Jaar Group enables it to operate the Lamalou-les-Bains casino for a period of fifteen years.
Investments to renovate the casino and new hires
Since last June, the Lamalou-les-Bains town council and the operator have been working hard to ensure that the casino reopens before the end of the year. To achieve this, no less than 400,000 have been invested by the town to renovate the exterior of the municipal building, which had been abandoned since its closure. Jaar Group, for its part, was responsible for the refurbishment work inside the casino.
In addition, ten employees have been hired for the gaming rooms alone, and the same number will be recruited to manage the restaurant, scheduled to open before 2024.
” The casino’s reopening is a symbolic moment “confides Mayor Guillaume Dalery. ” The casino is essential in a spa like Lamalou-les-Bains. First of all, there are the economic spin-offs, particularly for shops, bars, restaurants and hotels. What’s more, the casino offers additional entertainment for tourists and spa-goers, not to mention the locals who live here all year round. “concludes the local mayor.
