Conglomerate Filinvest Development Corp. is looking for a foreign casino operator that will run a $200-million integrated resort and casino in Clark Freeport, Pampanga.
FDC president Josephine Gotianun-Yap said in an interview following the annual stockholders meeting of the company the conglomerate might select or come up with a short list of potential partners within the next three months.
“We are doing a process now of selecting casino operator. But several parties have already approached us,” Gotianun-Yap said.
Gotianun-Yap did not identify the foreign casino operators that expressed interest in teaming up with the company, but said they were mostly casino operators with regional presence.
FDC and subsidiary Mimosa Cityscapes Inc. secured a provisional license from state-run Philippine Amusement and Gaming Corp. in April for the development of an integrated resort and casino at Filinvest Mimosa Plus + Leisure City.
The project would include a casino, lifestyle mall, five-star hotel and events venue within the 201-hectare prime mixed-use sprawling townscape which is envisioned to become a premier leisure and business destination in the heart of Clark Special Economic Zone.
The project would also involve the renovation of existing Quest Hotel and two championship golf courses and villas.
Gotianun-Yap said the group would initially construct the hotel rooms before the planned casino.
Under the plan, FDC will expand the existing Quest Hotel and operate it under a new brand.
“Our target is to have 600 to 700 hotel rooms,” Gotianun-Yap said.
She said the final details of the casino project would be finalized once the company selected a foreign casino operator.
Filinvest Mimosa + Leisure City is a joint development of FDC and real estate arm Filinvest Land Inc.
FLI recently completed and fully leased out the first office building in the area.
It will commence the construction of a retail strip and the first residential building within the quarter and break ground for a shopping mall later this year.