And once again a prominent company is leaving Groningen. After the ventilation manufacturer Muelink & Grol (to Assen) and data and biobank Lifelines (to Roden), it is now Holland Casino that sees more of a future in Drenthe.
For a long time it seemed that the state-owned company would remain loyal to the city of Groningen. On Wednesday it was announced that, after six years of deliberation, the ‘provider of legal games of chance’ wants to exchange the current (emergency) location on Roskildeweg in 2027 for a place on the territory of the neighboring municipality of Tynaarlo.
Based on an initial reaction, the Groningen municipal council sees this as a bad thing. The city will not only lose a crowd-puller in the nightlife scene, it will also lose a company that other companies would like to be close to and that can stimulate economic development.
What is downright serious is that the move is straining the relationship between the municipalities of Groningen and Tynaarlo. There is usually nothing wrong with free movement of people and goods, but Groningen councilor Rik van Niejenhuis now suggests that previously made agreements in the town hall in Vries have been violated. Further research will have to reveal to what extent Van Niejenhuis was really ‘deceived’.
In that investigation, perhaps a few conversations are sufficient, Holland Casino’s position should certainly also be examined. There is no doubt that the municipality of Tynaarlo makes establishment possible, but it is the gambling company that makes the decision.
The latter says something about the nature of the company. The proposed location on a gray business park along the highway shows that Holland Casino considers optimizing profits more important than contributing to atmospheric entertainment.
That is allowed, it is probably very responsible legally and from a business economics point of view. But above all, it is calculating and anything but pleasant. Suitable for a gambling company.