Dragonara says casino adjudication was ‘reverse engineered’

Dragonara Gaming has filed a protest in court in which it explained that the decision to award a casino concession to Eden Leisure was “reverse engineered” and the selection process was littered with administrative flaws.

Moreover, Dragonara, who already operate a casino in St Julian’s, insisted that although the administrative shortcoming alone were reason enough to block the process, “the selection process was also characterised by an abuse of power, because it was designed and led in a way to achieve a goal which the law euphemistically describes as “inappropriate.”

The aim, Dragonara explained “was that of awarding the concession to Eden, whatever the offers.” It added that the process was “reverse engineered” and the decision was taken before the process commenced.

“For this to happen, the process had to have a wide discretion in the criteria and the weighting and secrecy on the process and the result.”

Last week, Eden Leisure Group requested that a court refuse the application for a warrant of prohibitory injunction requested by Dragonara Gaming Ltd against the Privatisation Unit.

Dragonara Gaming applied for the injunction in October, alleging flaws in the process which resulted in the proposal submitted by Eden Leisure Group being selected as the preferred bid for a new casino concession.

Dragonara Gaming, which have a 10-year concession on the Dragonara Casino in St Julian’s, were also selected for a second concession.

But the company is contesting the decision by the PU’s evaluation committee, saying that the original expression of interest was for one casino concession, and that its offer for an up-front cash offer was three times that offered by Eden Leisure.