Casinò di Venezia has attracted more than 10,000 tourists to Malta since it opened six years ago and this is a very important contribution towards the government’s commitment to regenerate the Cottonera area, said Tourism and Culture Minister Francis Zammit Dimech.

The minister was speaking during a visit to the casino on the occasion of its sixth anniversary. He said the opening of the casino had led to the beginning of the Cottonera regeneration project by two consortia that had worked to create the beautiful Vittoriosa Waterfront.

The casino occupies a former palace dating back to the time of the Knights of St John, which was built by Lorenzo Gafà. Port Cottonera Ltd started restoring it by way of a Lm1.6 million (EUR3.7 million) investment. Part of the building had to be pulled down, but it has been restored to its former beauty and glory.

Another Lm3 million (EUR6.9 million) was invested in adornments, including Morano glass chandeliers, a modern restaurant and kitchen, gaming equipment and reproduction furniture and paintings of the time when the palace was built.

Minister Zammit Dimech said that the Vittoriosa Water-front project is almost completed. This includes an apartment block, a yacht marina, the restoration of Caraffa Stores, the complex of bars and restaurants and the landscaping of the whole waterfront.