OREANDA-NEWS. March 6, 2008. The construction of the sites of “Azov-City” gambling zone is scheduled to begin in 2008 in the Shcherbinovsky district. In July 2009 the zone will be fit for accommodating the gambling establishments of Krasnodar region. This was told by Alexander Remezkov, first vice-governor of the Kuban province.

The installation of utilities in the gambling zone funded from the regional budget is to begin in 2008.

“Certainly, we will not be able to build a zone on a par with Macao or Las Vegas sooner than in 2010,” said the vice-governor. “But it is hard to start anything before a decision is made whether federal funds will be allocated for the utilities and if yes, how much.”

In consulting companies` estimates, no less than 3 billion USD is needed for the construction of a world-level zone. The concept and project of “Azov-City” gambling zone are being developed by a British company JNR Limited. A round of road-shows across Europe introducing the project is to begin in March-April 2008, said Alexander Remezkov. The expenditures for the presentation of the gambling zone total 5 million USD.

Four Western firms whose names remain undisclosed, are being considered as possible anchor investors. “There are no more than 10 companies in the world able to build a zone of this calibre,” said Alexander Remezkov.