Winners and losers in supercaBy Jamie Hailstone Eight councils have been named on the Government’s shortlist to host Britain’s only supercasino. Blackpool Council, Cardiff CC, Greenwich and Brent LBCs and Manchester, Newcastle, Sheffield and Glasgow City councils were named after the casino advisory panel considered 68 proposals from local authorities. Another 31 councils have also been shortlisted for the eight small and eight large casinos, including Brighton and Hove, Hull, Leeds and Swansea City councils and Peterborough Council. But some authorities were left ‘shocked and disappointed’ over the decision, including Birmingham and Coventry city councils and Solihull MBC, who all questioned the outcome. They will be asking the panel to reconsider, complaining the Midlands are not represented. Chairman of the panel, Prof Stephen Crow, said he was aware the decision would cause disappointment to some, but the competition had been ‘very strong’. The successful councils welcomed the news from the panel, which was created to recommend to the culture secretary Tessa Jowell where the one supercasino and eight large and eight small casinos would best be located. Sheffield’s leader Jan Wilson said the decision was a vote of confidence in the city, and Blackpool’s leader Roy Fisher said the authority’s bid to host the casino as part of a leisure conference quarter was designed to act as a catalyst for ‘transformational regeneration’ in the resort. Newcastle’s incoming leader John Shipley also recognised the long-term benefits for the city. ‘Our driving ambition is the creation of a regional convention centre – the only way to realise this is through the casino route,’ he said. ‘A regional convention centre would pull millions into the local economy every year.’ The panel has been asked to provide its final recommendations to Ms Jowell by the end of the year. [email protected] shortlist