The company that owns Casino Mediterraneo in Villajoyosa is closing and laying off 121 workers.They blame the closure on the economic situation and also on internet betting.There are massively increasing running costs and rising debts which cannot be met.The company has two other casinos on the Costa Blanca .It is said that the casino lost 14 million euros in 2009.This closure came as a shock to the worketrs and to the local community.Each worker made redundant will be paid 20 days pay for each year that they have worked for the company.
Angry ex-employees think that the closure has much more to do with urban development than anything else.They claim that the land on which the casino stands has already been sold.A spokesperson for the workers are suggesting that a much smaller casino might be opened six months down the line,with new staff.
There are questions being asked about the company strategy of spending 30 million on a casino in Alicante while already having one in Villajoyosa.This didn´t seem a sensible path to follow.The Villajoyosa PGOU is allowing for the building of more 4 or 5star new hotels.This would create more employment for the town.
