The provincial lottery carried out the envelope opening process. Which companies are interested in obtaining the tender and what was the reaction of the opposition from Córdoba.
Argentina.- Four firms have applied to manage casinos, hotels, and slots in the province of Córdoba, within the framework of the tender called by Lotería de Córdoba. The companies CET SA, Casino de Victoria, Fuente Mayor, and Boldt S.A. will compete for the concession of the Alta Gracia, Cruz del Eje, Río Ceballos, Federal, and Tourist Rings. The process has already begun with the opening of envelopes and the evaluation of the proposals, marking the beginning of a new stage in the management of gambling in the province.
The opening of the tender envelopes took place at the headquarters of Lotería de Córdoba, with the presence of the Evaluation and Monitoring Commission of the process, which includes officials from the provincial agency and representatives of the bidding companies. In this first step, envelope number one was opened, detailing the companies competing for the different "Rings" of the province.
For the Alta Gracia, Cruz del Eje, and Río Ceballos Rings, the companies CET SA (current concessionaire), Casino de Victoria, and Fuente Mayor presented themselves, while for the Federal and Tourist Rings, the same firms were joined by the proposal from Boldt S.A. Now, the Commission will proceed to review the documentation presented before moving forward with the next phase of the tender process.
The tender, which has been brought forward by decision of Governor Martín Llaryora, is part of a process of change in the management of gambling in Córdoba. Three years before the end of the current concession, the province opted to call on private entities to manage the casinos and slot machines, which until now were under the orbit of Lotería de Córdoba.
However, the casino in Villa Carlos Paz, the most profitable in the province, will not be part of this change and will continue to be managed by Lotería de Córdoba, which will be in charge of its operation, since it collects 75 percent of the AR$ 7,000m (USD 6.68m) that was gambled last year in table games like roulette and poker.
With the opening of the tender envelopes, the Evaluation Commission will take care of reviewing in detail the documents presented by the bidding companies. In the coming weeks, the opening of envelope number two, which will include the economic proposals of the firms, will proceed. Thus, the process will continue as planned and it is expected that, as it progresses, the companies that will assume the management of the casinos and slot machines of the province will be determined.
This tender process will not only mark a change in the management of gambling in Córdoba but will also open the door to new private investments in the sector, which could have a significant impact on the provincial economy.
While the tender for the casinos and slot machines was advancing, five provincial opposition blocks presented a bill to call for a «popular consultation» on the privatization of the gambling business in the province.
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The project, signed by legislators from the UCR and the Left Front, proposes that the government of Martín Llaryora consult the people of Córdoba on whether they agree with the privatization of existing casinos, the creation of new establishments, and the installation of more rooms with slot machines. The consultation would take place in a plebiscite the Sunday following the 60 days after the resolution is sanctioned, with official publication in the Official Gazette and on the website of the Legislative Power.
