Sleepin Hotel prepares to reapply for casino licence

BY DEVINA SAMAROO

With an investment of approximately US$20 million and plans underway to reapply for casino licences, Guyanese can bet on experiencing a new style of luxurious entertainment at the brand new Sleepin Hotel and Carnival Casino on Church Street, Georgetown.

Live bands, stretches of slot machines and gaming tables, food galore, private rooms, salons, a poolside bar, and glitz and glamour are just some of the things one can expect during a visit at the newest establishment in the local hotel

industry.

The hotel is already in operation but the hotelier, Clifton Bacchus, told reporters during a tour of the facilities on Wednesday that he plans to reapply for a licence from the Guyana Gaming Authority to operate the casino, after he was denied permission last year.

The applications for casino licences were denied because he failed to provide proof of “its financial soundness and capability,” which was critical for approval.

But Bacchus has invested millions into developing a state-of-the-art casino, already dubbed the best in the Caribbean, on the wings of just optimism of gaining his licences.

“I am Guyanese and I am into the hotel business. I invest this money because I am very optimistic that things will work and that tourism will move forward in this country,” he stated, when asked why he would take such a major risk.

Bacchus, who has been in the local hotel industry for over 15 years, has already employed and trained some 300 Guyanese to staff the new branch.

The Sleepin Hotel chain has a smaller branch on Church Street and another large enterprise on Brickdam and is well-known for its affordability.

The new branch is currently still under construction but so far it has 75 rooms, all of which are fully booked for the April/May period.

Plans are afoot to complete additional rooms within the next two weeks in order to take the count up to 150. Rooms for the hotel start from US$75 per night and go up to US$195, according to the proprietor. Under the laws of Guyana, persons would have to be guests of the hotel to gain access to the casino.

Bacchus said security is a major focus for his operations and he already has his own security firm keeping keen an eye on the premises.

The entrepreneur assured that should the casino be given the green light, there will be no glitches with the games and security will be provided to persons who win big.

Currently, the only other Casino in Guyana is located at the Ramada Princess Georgetown Hotel, at Providence, on the East Bank of Demerara.

Bacchus had previously told media operatives that he is in possession of a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) between himself and the Government of Guyana, signed in 2014. According to the businessman, the MoU guarantees him a licence to operate a casino once he is able to complete construction in line with several specifications.

Persons living near the establishment had voiced objections to its casino operations in the residential area, where both a church and a mosque are located nearby.