BACOLOD CITY, Negros Occidental – The company behind the aborted development of a casino in Boracay Island in Aklan said talks with its Chinese partner continues in a bid to put the project back on track.
Alfredo Abelardo Benitez, founder of DigiPlus Interactive Corp., formerly Leisure and Resorts World Corp. (LRWC), told reporters at the sidelines of the MassKaNamit Food Festival this city over the weekend, he remains optimistic the project will be pursued even though Macau’s Galaxy Entertainment Group remains tentative given its experience under then President Rodrigo Duterte.
Benitez left the company and won the mayoral race in 2022.
In 2018, LRWC and the Galaxy Group announced plans to develop a $500 million casino project in a 24-hectare property in Boracay and secured a provisional license from the Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp.
Development stalled as former president Duterte issued a moratorium on new casino developments on the island.
Benitez said the current administration appears supportive of the project.
Still, Benitez acknowledged the Galaxy Group remains reluctant to recommit to the development of the project in the absence of guarantees against a similar roadblock in the future, especially now that plans and designs have already completed.
Benitez said the main challenge is providing the partner company with a “comfort level” that is “high enough” to return in the Philippines.
Benitez said he is not aware of others apart from the Galaxy Group approaching the local company to pursue the project located in what could be the last remaining large consolidated area in Boracay.
Benitez said the ongoing MassKara festival here is seen topping 2022’s number of visitors and receipts given that pandemic-related restrictions have fully lifted.
Benitez said the festival drew 200,000 visitors last year and could have been more were hotel occupancies and airport and seaport entries included those that arrived by land and those who stayed in homestay accommodation services.
Benitez also said billed receipts in October last year alone when the festival was a three-week event totaled P2.8 billion.
