Greek court rejects Hard Rock's injunction over Athens casino tender

Lamda Development SA

07/05/2020 16:07

ATHENS, May 7 (Reuters) - Greece's top administrative court
rejected on Thursday an injunction filed by U.S. group Hard Rock
International to stop a tender for the construction and
operation of a luxury casino in Athens, judicial sources said.
    Hard Rock was one of two bidders in October for the contract
to build and operate the casino resort for 30 years, part of an
8 billion euro ($8.6 billion) redevelopment on the site of the
former Athens airport of Hellenikon, which has been mired by
delays.
    The other bidder was U.S.-based Mohegan Gaming &
Entertainment, which was partnered by Greek construction company
GEK TERNA  HRMr.AT .
    In January, the Greek gaming commission rejected Hard Rock's
bid, prompting the company to seek the injunction although it
has not disclosed its reasoning.
    Hard Rock can still take legal action against the tender.
But Thursday's ruling opens the way for the gaming commission to
proceed with the tender and unseal Mohegan's technical and
financial offers, a source close to the process told Reuters.
    Mohegan said on Monday it remained fully committed to the
casino in Athens despite the impact of the coronavirus.
 urn:newsml:reuters.com:*:nL8N2CM34V
    Naming the final winner for the casino will allow Greece to
lease the property to Lamda Development  LMDR.at  which plans to
turn the sprawling, abandoned plot of Hellenikon, which was the
site of Olympic venues in 2004, into one of Europe's biggest
tourist resort after years of bureaucracy.


($1 = 0.9282 euros)

 (Reporting by Angeliki Koutantou; Editing by Susan Fenton)
 ((angeliki.koutantou@thomsonreuters.com; +30 210 3376436;
Reuters Messaging: angeliki.koutantou.reuters.com@reuters.net))