Las Vegas Sands Corporation drops casino plans for Irving resort

In the United States, during a heated city council meeting, the Irving City Council decided on a proposal for a destination resort after the Las Vegas Sands Corporation announced it would not include a casino in its plans. The meeting, which occurred in the early hours following extensive public commentary, saw the corporation requesting the removal of the casino-style gaming component to focus on other aspects of the development. Notable opposition from residents highlighted their preference against gambling in their community, emphasizing that they moved to Irving to avoid a Las Vegas atmosphere. Following a close vote from the city's Planning and Zoning Commission earlier in the week, the council ultimately approved the rezoning necessary for a destination resort near the former Texas Stadium site. Despite the absence of the casino, the proposed resort intends to include amenities such as an arena, convention center, spas, retail stores, and restaurants. However, the Sands Corporation expressed uncertainty over its financial commitment and the anticipated job creation due to the change in the proposal, stating that without gaming, building a viable destination resort would prove challenging. The company is nonetheless hopeful that gambling will someday be legalized in Texas, keeping the option for a casino open for the future. They anticipate that if state regulations permit, they could still connect future developments to their already planned resort structure; nonetheless, they estimate the project could take five to seven years to fully materialize.