Argentina: Failed casino revival gives way to university proposal

A civic group in Argentina's Buenos Aires province is seeking to halt the planned auction of Necochea's abandoned casino complex and instead convert the beachfront property into a university.

The group described it as the country's first provincial maritime university, arguing that the site's original gaming and tourism model is no longer economically viable.

Mario Dahul, representative of the Asamblea por la Soberanía del Puerto de Quequén, said: "We want that building and that land to become the base of the Provincial Maritime University, the first one in Argentina."

The proposal comes after years of failed attempts to reactivate the gaming complex. A public tender for the operation of slot machines at the site received no bids in mid-2025, and Mayor Arturo Rojas acknowledged at the time that the outcome had been anticipated. 

The property has been subject to two major fires and prolonged neglect, though the structure itself is roughly 50 years old.

Dahul argued that the traditional tourism and gaming model the casino was built around no longer holds. He said: "That building, if by magic we put it back in the same conditions it was in 50 years ago, not many people would come. Why? Because everything has changed."

The civic group's financing model relies on the province of Buenos Aires reclaiming two expired port concessions at Quequén and operating them directly. Dahul added: "The money is right here, in the Port of Quequén. Two terminals have expired contracts and the province can operate them on its own." 

He stated that bringing thousands of students to the area would generate a ripple effect for local commerce, hotels and residential landlords.

The legal dispute centers on whether the original provincial land transfer to the municipality in the 1990s included use restrictions. Dahul finalized: "As I understand it, the province donated it to the municipality with conditions. Meaning it could not be allocated to something else."