Translated material
Bet on zero
Kaliningrad authorities expect that an empty field for a gambling zone will bring them billions in revenue
July came, when in Russia the entire gambling business became legal only in specially designated zones. However, there is nowhere to move. In the Kaliningrad region, casinos and numerous outlets with “one-armed bandits” have closed, and there is nothing in return - the regional authorities are just starting to sell land plots. Nevertheless, they are very optimistic, masterfully bluffing - they say, for example, that the gambling zone will attract 600 billion rubles. investments, of which the regional economy will receive up to 80 billion rubles. in the form of income.With the Kaliningrad territory of excitement (a plot of about 1,100 hectares on the shore of the Baltic Sea near the villages of Okunevo, Povarovka, Russkoye), everything somehow did not work out right away. The initiative of local authorities to locate a gambling zone in the westernmost region of the Russian Federation was not supported by all Kaliningrad residents. There were protests (officials even had to resort to a linguistic trick: the gambling zone was replaced with a more politically correct “recreational” zone with a gambling segment), the distribution of “I am against the gambling zone” stickers. There were those who went to the Supreme Court of the Russian Federation, trying to achieve a referendum - they were outraged that the zone in the region appeared without the knowledge of local residents, because the authorities did not consult with the people.
However, it was not possible to gain sympathy from the Russian Themis; the legality of the appearance of the gambling zone (still on paper) was preserved. Several years ago, then Metropolitan Kirill of Smolensk and Kaliningrad spoke out against “making money from sin.” Now he has become the head of the Russian Orthodox Church, but, it seems, he has not changed his opinion regarding the gambling zone.
At first, local officials were very actively involved in the gambling territory project. Meetings were held with potential creators of the concept for its development - including, for example, the American company IdeAttack, which announced the price of the issue - $20 billion. Then the French Mersfor, which is building a yacht marina in the region, showed interest. The regional government began to prepare a draft concept for presentation during the MIPIM real estate exhibition in Cannes. We prepared for several years, constantly postponing the presentation (instead, other projects were taken out that never found implementation). The last time tenders were announced was in early 2009, but nothing has been created since then.
It was not possible to reach an agreement with anyone from the business (and if it was possible, it is hidden), but the volume of investments announced publicly remained the same - 600 billion rubles. (the same 20 billion dollars in terms of current exchange rates). Kaliningrad Governor Georgy Boos expects that the implementation of the gambling zone project will cost exactly this amount and will take seven to ten years. He believes that the consolidated budget of the region will receive approximately 70-80 billion rubles over the same period. income.
Near the future gambling zone there is a small town called Yantarny (the Kaliningrad Amber Factory operates there). The head of this city, Alexander Blinov, recently spoke on the Ekho Moskvy radio, where he stated that the gambling zone is good for his municipality, “after all, it means roads, gas, the development of electrical capacity, and the creation of jobs.” Skeptics believe that the idea of locating it in the Kaliningrad region (which has no land borders with Russia and is located between Lithuania and Poland) was a failure in advance. The region will not be able to withstand competition with neighboring Europe - an extra half hour by plane, and now you are in Baden-Baden, where the casino has been operating for many centuries and everything is running perfectly. While the Kaliningrad authorities are only putting the first plots up for auction. There was no rush to do this until the last minute. As Mr. Boos stated, it is planned to earn over 1 billion rubles from the sale of plots alone (there are just over 30 of them).
In the place where the Kaliningrad territory of excitement should be, there is now an open field. The Minister of Economy of the regional government, Alexandra Smirnova, believes that local authorities should not have resolved infrastructure issues at their own expense. “Recently there have been statements that, allegedly, the regions did not work well enough to create gambling zones. They supposedly gave you such an opportunity, and you! But there is no need to complain about the regions,” said Ms. Smirnova. In her opinion, it is no coincidence that not a single hotel has been built in the regions where gambling zones are located. “There were external conditions that did not allow the regions to develop these territories. There was the illusory possibility of a rollback to the old operating system of the gambling business under the pretext of a crisis. But nothing of the sort happened. The day has come, the casinos have closed. However, one should not think that regions should build hotels at their own expense. This is wrong. Entrepreneurs will come to us and build. Why? Because it’s profitable,” the head of the Ministry of Economics is sure.
According to local officials, the Kaliningrad gambling zone will not be harmed even by its proximity to the Baltic Fleet training ground Khmelevka, which is located a few kilometers away. “From Khmelevka to the gambling zone, you walk and walk. Everything was agreed with the Baltic Fleet command. I assure you that no one will stand under the shells,” said Tatyana Kondakova, head of the regional urban planning agency. - Any training ground is made so that shells do not fly where, as they say, a Soviet tractor is plowing peacefully. So I classify such fears as fantasies of a fevered mind.” At the same time, it was precisely because of the proximity to a military facility that the height of buildings in the gambling zone had to be “cut down” - there is only one area where the number of floors is not limited; everyone else is advised not to “stick their head out.”
Meanwhile, Kaliningrad entrepreneurs working in the gambling business have already announced what they will do after July 1. Their main interest from now on is the vending machine market (they sell goods and services without human intervention), payment terminals and the development of sports poker.
As Bogdan Golovakha, head of the regional Association of the Entertainment and Recreation Industry, told Vremya Novostei, there were only two casinos in Kaliningrad (Planet and Universal), both of which are already closed. The “Universal” is undergoing renovations, there will be a restaurant, and “Planet” plans to re-qualify as a place where major sports poker competitions will be held. “Of course, only top managers will be able to go into this business; some will engage in vending and payment terminals,” says Mr. Golovakha. — And ordinary employees, of whom, by the way, about 3.5 thousand worked in our gambling industry, will go to the labor exchange. But where will they find a job, such as a croupier?”
“Smaller enterprises (there are 16 of them, registered in the region, as well as in Moscow, St. Petersburg and Nizhny Novgorod - Ed. ) are now selling their slot machines - some for scrap metal, some to Eastern European countries,” said Mr. Golovakha. According to his estimates, the Kaliningrad region will lose up to 200 million rubles with the closure of gambling enterprises. annual tax payments. He noted that for businessmen in the entertainment industry, July 1 became a black day on the calendar: “It’s a kind of mourning for us.”