The deadline for submitting the license applications for the development of a casino complex, as the part of a larger €8 billion integrated resort, at the site of the former Ellinikon International Airport has been extended by 40 days. The previous deadline was April 22. The new deadline is May 31, 2019.
The Hellenic Gaming Commission opened the license application process in February. The deadline extension is due to pending zoning issues at the Ellinikon site.
Ellinikon International Airport was the international airport of Athens for more than six decades before its closure in 2001. The project for its redevelopment into a luxury integrated resort was part of Greece’s privatisation programme, which the country signed in 2010 under its bailout arrangements.
According to reports, there is an unspecified number of ministerial decisions in relation to the privatisation yet to be made. The ministerial decisions and the environmental impact study could take months before finalised, which could further delay the bidding process for the casino portion of the resort.