The Cipriani Group is pushing the scope of its Uruguayan expansion further, announcing its intention to seek government authorization to open a casino at the Locanda Punta del Este property in La Barra.
The venue, formerly known as the Mantra hotel, was acquired by the group and reopened in December 2025.
According to a company statement, the casino request is framed as a pedagogical instrument rather than a standalone commercial venture. The Cipriani Academy, set to open formally in 2027, will offer one-year vocational programs across five disciplines including casino operations, hotel management, culinary arts, luxury retail and food and beverage service.
A live gaming environment at the same property would allow students to apply what they learn under real operating conditions.
Giuseppe Cipriani, CEO, said: "The hotel is going to reopen in December of this year until March, and after that we're going to train people for the Cipriani resort, and from there it starts functioning as an academy."
The group also noted in its statement that the contractual restriction preventing new casino venues from opening in proximity to the Enjoy property expired in 2020, clearing a legal path for the application. The Mantra site previously housed a mixed gaming room, which the company says supports the practicality of the request.
The Locanda and academy project runs parallel to the group's flagship $500m development at the former Hotel San Rafael site, where the Cipriani Ocean Resort, Residences & Casino is under construction and targeted for a partial opening in the second half of 2026.
Taken together, the two properties represent a significant concentration of luxury hospitality and gaming investment by a single operator in Punta del Este.
The former Mantra hotel ceased operations in the late 2010s, leaving the La Barra area without a major casino venue until Cipriani’s redevelopment
