AMZ set for Taiwan gambling complex
AMZ Holdings, a UK-listed property development company poised to build Taiwan's first casino, yesterday said it hoped to agree a joint venture to develop the site with an international gaming group within the next three months.
Aim-listed AMZ owns the biggest piece of privately held land in Penghu, an archipelago in the strait between Taiwan and China that is seen as the most likely location for any gaming development.
Taiwan, which legalised casino gambling this week after 10 years of debate, has set aside two other state-owned plots for potential development.
Officials have indicated that two or three gaming licences will be issued once subsidiary legislation is passed.
Michael Treanor, AMZ's chief executive, said the company controlled the only land in the area that had already been reassigned for commercial development.
In an interview with the Financial Times he said this would give AMZ “a huge advantage over anyone else”.
“You could stick a shovel in the ground [and start building].”