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UK News: Washwood Heath and Saltley Residents Circulate Petition against Super Casino
Thousands of people in Washwood Heath and Saltley have signed a petition indicating their objection to a proposed plan to build a super casino at the Birmingham Football Club stadium.
The petition to the Birmingham City Council was written by a local merchant group called the Saltley Traders Association. The trade association, and the 6,000 people who signed their petition, asked the City Council to abandon plans for the proposed Birmingham super casino.
The petition was presented to the City Council by Washwood Heath councilor Tariq Khan, who said that signers and other like- minded residents wanted to prevent their area from being turned into a "mini- Blackpool." They believe that this will occur if the city is granted a license to build what would be the UK's largest casino.
The Washwood Heath and Saltley area has a largely Muslim population, and Islam prohibits gambling. However, Councilman Khan, a Liberal Democrat, said that those who are opposed to a super casino are not driven by religious laws.
He said: "This is nothing to do with being Muslim. All sorts of people have signed the petition, Muslims, Christians, other faiths, and people with no faith at all. What they are saying is they don't want a huge casino on their doorstep. We already have Star City up the road, the largest casino in the country at the moment. We don't want this area to become a mini-Blackpool."
Councilor Khan added that "This is a residential area that, if we are not careful, will end up squeezed between two casinos. I have a lot of respect for Birmingham City Football Club and we do not oppose the new stadium, but I have to listen to what people are saying. They do not want a casino. The council must listen to and respect the views of the people. You can't steamroller over the local community."
Specifically, Councilor Khan said, residents of Washwood Heath and Saltley are against a super casino because they believe that a large casino venue in the neighborhood would bring parking problems, traffic, noise, and an increase in mafia- related crime.
The council cabinet will decide in March whether to back plans to build a casino in Birmingham City. There is also a rival area proposal, for a casino at the National Exhibition Center.
The newly- appointed UK gambling and casino regulatory body, created by the Gaming Law, sent out an appeal for proposals for the site of a super casino. So far, cities and towns from all over the UK have submitted more than 20 proposals to build a super casino. Only one application, however, will be approved for the time being.
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