Casinos economic activity has grown in Puerto Rico

The activity of casinos is experiencing a growth after a difficult decade, and now there are hotels that are considering the possibility to reopen gambling centers that have been closed for years.

Jaime Alex Irizarry, director of the Games of Chance Division of Compañía de Turismo de Puerto Rico (CTPR), confirmed that "The owners of El San Juan Hotel are taking steps with the aim to possiblt open casino operations".

The hostel, located in Isla Verde, added: “We know that it has hired the services of an experienced specialized consultant in Puerto Rico, who said that the aim of the hotel owners is to restart casino operations."

He indicated that the casino, which closed in the Summer 2016 when started a remodellation, has no reopening  date, and required documentation has not been presented towards the Office Commissioner of Financial Institutions. However, the sources of newspaper El nuevo Día said that the casino will possibly reopen in 2020.

Manuel Rodríguez Banch, lawyer of the Gastronomic Union of Workers, represents 1.200 employees of the hotel industry, inclusing San Juan Hostel, indicated that the 18-month working licenses of former casino workers have expired, so they don´t have priority to be hired any more, it means that the company is not forced to hire them again.

If the casino is reopened, around 60 employments could be created.
Another hotel that plans to reopen its casino is The Ritz-Carlton, in Isla Verde, which has been closed since Maria Hurricane impact. It was confirmed last March by José González, ggeneral manager of the area for Puerto Rico, Marriott Hotels & Resorts. He said that, even the hotel did not have a reopening date, they were working on the redesign of all the rooms with the aim to adapt the restaurants, commercial spaces and the casino according to the latest standards of The Ritz-Carlton brand.

According to the CTPR, fiscal year 2018-19 “we closed with the record number of $304 million in slot collection," Irizarry informed. The number includes the casino allocation (49%) and the allocation of the local government (51%).

The increment took place even when 16 casinos are currently operating in Puerto Rico, two less than before Maria Hurricane, in September 2017. This gambling venues have approximately 4.780 slots and 150 gambling tables, according to Irizarry.

He added that this increment "has to do with the way casinos are changing the vision of being exclusively casinos and becoming entertainment centers, diversifying the available offer, which now also includes shows, artist and offers."

This activity contrasts with casino closures in previous years: Hotel Intercontinental in Isla Verde, Sheraton in Viejo San Juan, Condado Plaza, Radisson Ambassador in Condado, El Conquistador in Fajardo, Gran Meliá in Río Grande and Caribe Hilton in San Juan.