The contest for a lucrative regional super-casino has become a battle for hearts and minds with the big three local players all claiming to hold the key to alleviating deprivation in the West Midlands.
Neil Connor attempts to unravel the spin from the substance...
No one is in any doubt that there is a need for new jobs in the West Midlands as the region's manufacturing base suffers one blow after another.
Politicians and the business community have attempted to re-position the region's economy away from the traditional industries for more than a quarter of a century.
But despite this transition towards leisure and confer-encing, the Midlands has always lacked that one major project that would not only put the region's leisure industry on the map, but also kick-start wider regeneration.
A National Stadium at Bickenhill, plans to stage the Millennium celebrations in Birmingham and the city's attempt to secure the Capital of Culture title were all touted as possible catalysts for improving the region's profile and raising its levels of deprivation.
However, these schemes failed to materialise as London again cherry picked the most prestigious projects, while Liverpool was chosen as European Capital of Culture in 2008.
The Government's latest plan for boosting regeneration is to use private money to create vast leisure destinations anchored by casinos operating under relaxed laws introduced by The Gambling Act.
And with the capital staging the Olympics in 2012, it might have put itself out of the race.
There will be eight licences for small casinos, another eight for large casinos, and - the Holy Grail for local authorities up and down the country - the one regional super-casino licence.
It is the super-casino that will provide the biggest winnings for gamblers as they will house unlimited-prize gaming machines.
Single jackpots of up to £4,000 will be available on the machines in the remaining 16 casinos.
But the biggest prizes are fuelled by the biggest outlays - and this is simultaneously the incentive for private backers and the concern of the anti-gaming lobby.
It is also the reason why some of the largest US gaming companies have shown an interest in the three projects in the Midlands.
There is no doubt that MGN Mirage in Solihull, Isle of Capri in Coventry and Aspers in Dudley will lever in millions of pounds worth of investment for deprived communities as they make profits for themselves.
But to make sure of that, the Government has set only one specific criteria for a successful regional casino application - the potential for regeneration.
The Secretary of State for the Department of Culture, Media and Sport has specifically asked for indicators "measured by unemployment and other social deprivation data".
And a look through the Midlands' three official applications proves that this call has not gone ignored.
The Casino Advisory Panel, which will advise the Government on the best site for a new casino before the end of the year, has itself received only one 'primary criterion' as laid down by the Secretary of State.
The casino must provide the "best possible test of social impact".
This direction has been made to encourage the panel to look closely at the geographical location of a possible gaming complex.
But it will be the Government that decides whether it intends to test the suitability of a super casino in an inner city area, an out-of-town development or a seaside resort (which includes early front-runner Blackpool).
However, the over-riding concern would be to ensure that, wherever the complex is located, it will provide the biggest social impact for the largest number of people.
This goes beyond providing jobs for people living in the shadow of such developments.
Super casinos have the potential to be powerful engines of economic revitalisation. That is why many believe that the Government will make a decision based on regional considerations. It may identify a specific location in the country which it is set on redeveloping - for instance the North-east, North-west or the Midlands - and then choose a development within that area.
That is also why officials behind the Coventry, Solihull and Dudley schemes are talking up the wider regeneration possibilities of their respective schemes before the Gambling Act is implemented in September 2007.
And if these officials are being honest and open about having the best interests of the region's socially disadvantaged at heart, then they will all be hoping that, if they are unsuccessful, it will be their neighbours who are given the licence.
Because the only thing worse for each individual scheme than an unsuccessful bid is for the money-spinning project to be located hundreds of miles away from the Midlands where the benefits are out of reach for all.
