By KEVIN TAYLOR
A $65 million casino should be open on the banks of the Waikato River in Hamilton by early 2002, after the Court of Appeal yesterday overturned the cancellation of its licence.
The chairman of the Riverside Casino, Evan Davies, said work would restart on the stalled project as soon as possible.
No work has been done on the casino's site since May, when the High Court revoked its licence.
Sky City, Tainui and Perry Developments make up the Riverside consortium.
The Waikato tribe, which has a 15 per cent stake in Riverside, will now have to find up to $2.1 million in cash for the development.
Lisa Ferguson, secretary of the tribal executive, Te Kaumaarua, said the board would have to consider the decision's implications. She would not comment further.
The tribe is involved in a bitter leadership dispute that goes to the High Court today.
Mr Davies said the casino would create 270 construction jobs immediately, and another 350 full-time jobs once it opened.
It will have 20 tables and 300 gaming machines, as well as a restaurant, bars and function rooms.
Perry Developments was also building apartments and a shopping arcade as part of the project.
Casino Opposition Action Committee chairman Tony McKenna was disappointed by the decision.
"We have been trying to stop this casino for three years now," he said.
"We thought all along we had convincing evidence we could stop it."
He said an appeal to the Privy Council would cost more than $100,000.
"We are not even talking Privy Council at this stage. There are a couple of other avenues open to us."
The committee would have a break over Christmas and consider its options next month.
Hamilton mayor Russ Rimmington said the committee would look at its legal options over the next few days.
He said the decision to award costs against the casino opponents could be costly, but the money would not come from the Hamilton City Council.
The Herald understands those costs could top $100,000.
The opponents were granted $110,000 in costs by the High Court judicial review in May, but now have to pay that back.
Opponents were worried about the casino's social and economic impact.
When the High Court revoked the licence, the High Court said one member of the Casino Control Authority, former National MP Michael Cox, had shown bias.
Mr Cox said the appeal court decision, which showed he had not been biased, was what he had expected.
Hamilton West MP Mark Gallagher said: "The wealthy and powerful have triumphed over the will of the community."
He said the awarding of costs against the casino opponents was ominous for community groups fighting developments through the courts.
It might discourage them from taking cases.
Court of Appeal clears way for Waikato casino
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