Thua Thien-Hue Province has proposed the Prime Minister add Chan May-Lang Co Economic Zone to the list of areas allowed to have casinos in the country, the local news site VnExpress reports.

In its recent document submitted to the Government, the central province said Chan May-Lang Co is one of the country’s key coastal economic zones having many advantages to become international centers for trade, residential areas and resorts. Therefore, Chan May-Lang Co can be developed into a tourism center consisting of casino business.

The province said a number of foreign investors are keen to invest in a major recreational complex having a casino in Thua Thien-Hue Province. These investors include a Hong Kong firm having a project at Lang Co with an investment of some US$2 billion and a member company of a Singaporean group with a project worth nearly US$900 million and plans to inject an additional US$300 million into this project.

The Chan May-Lang Co Economic Zone Authority said infrastructure

facilities at the zone have been developed well to serve big investors. Companies have registered a total of more than VND34 trillion (some US$1.55 billion) for 25 tourism projects in the zone and around VND12 trillion of the total sum has been realized.

The projects include a US$875-million project registered by Banyan Tree Group of Singapore, a US$102-million project by a company under Cattigara Group of Singapore, a nearly US$300-million project by Vietnam’s Lap An Development and Investment Co. and an investment of VND5.23 trillion by Phong Phu Lang Co Co.

Many foreign companies plan big-ticket tourism and residential projects in Chan May-Lang Co, including a US$500-million resort project by Korean group ADA and a US$585-million project by American firm Capfin Asia.

Thua Thien-Hue welcomed three million visitors last year and foreigners accounted for more than one million of the total number. The province expects to attract 12 million visitors in 2020, including five million foreigners.

Surveys showed foreign visitors to Hue and other localities have shown interest in recreational destinations integrated with casinos along with historical sites and natural wonders. Casinos not only attract foreign tourists but also make them stay longer, spend more and come back, according to the document. 

Thua Thien-Hue Province said Chan May-Lang Co does have sufficient conditions to become a major tourism and economic center. The zone will be able to woo big projects and financially capable investors in the tourism sector and they will help attract international travelers to Hue and other cultural and natural heritage sites in central Vietnam.

Thua Thien-Hue is the second province in the central region to have sought approval from the Government for casino investment this year. Earlier, Khanh Hoa Province proposed developing an international recreational center with casino at a tourist area north of Cam Ranh Peninsula in Cam Lam District.

However, the proposal has been rejected by the Ministry of Finance, which plays a key role in drafting a decree on casino business. The ministry explained the zoning plan on casinos should not be revised until the decree is issued.

According to the ministry, the provinces and cities allowed to have casinos include Ba Ria-Vung Tau, Danang, Hoi An, Quang Ninh, Kien Giang and Haiphong.