Planning permission has been granted for a €460million worth of Las Vegas to be transplanted into the Irish countryside. Almost equidistant between Dublin and Cork, it’s located just off the M8 motorway close to the village of Two-Mile-Borris in County Tipperary. A 6,000 square metre casino is at the heart of the plans for the 800-acre sports and leisure complex. In addition to the casino, there’s a 500-room five-star hotel, golf course, all-weather racecourse and even a greyhound track. Sadly there’s no on-site brewery.
Also included amongst the ambitious plans is a full-size replica of the White House that is proposed as “a banqueting facility.” It can also be used for weddings and it wouldn’t surprise many were it to appear in films from this day forward.
Developer Richard Quirke unveiled plans months ago for the resort, and after An Bord Pleanala’s approval, he told the Irish Times, “I welcome this decision by An Bord Pleanála to grant permission for the Tipperary Venue project which advances the implementation of my vision and ambition for this site. I have instructed my design team and management to proceed to the next appropriate stages of the development.”
The benefits it will give to the local economy are also vast. During the three-year construction process it’s estimated that 1,000 jobs will be created. Once completed anywhere from 1,350 up to 2,000 full-time positions will be available. In a time when unemployment is continuing to rise this can only be a good thing.
Even better news than that – it’s not far from where Magner’s cider is produced. You’re never too far from a pint of something over the Irish Sea.
Overall, the approval is unlikely to signal an influx of resort style casinos as the recent government consultation signaled that only one large-scale venue would be allowed. We’ll drink to the one though!
