Argentina's Necochea casino complex may finally have a path forward: With a new concession bid opening set for June 10, local businessman Oscar Merlo has publicly confirmed he is the only party to have submitted an offer.
The situation positions him as the sole candidate for the concession of a property that has faced years of deterioration and multiple failed tender attempts.
Merlo is channeling the bid through A Toda Vela Mar, the same firm currently working on the recovery of the beachfront ACA site in Necochea. He stated that both projects are part of a broader coastal redevelopment push.
Merlo said: The Casino Complex carries a lot of identity. It was the image of Necochea for many years. Everything we can preserve and add value to, we will do."
He was equally direct about what stands between intent and execution. He added: "We know there are very deteriorated sections, that it suffered fires and that it has been abandoned for many years. But first we need to thoroughly analyze the state of everything before making decisions."
The building's condition is not a minor obstacle. The complex has sat largely inactive for years, cycling through failed municipal and provincial procurement attempts. A provincial tender launched by IPLyC, whose envelopes were opened in May 2026, drew no offers for Necochea, a blank result that contrasted sharply with the same process awarding three other Buenos Aires province casinos to Boldt.
Merlo framed the project in explicitly urban terms, arguing the casino's potential goes well beyond a gaming license. Merlo said, "I think it can completely transform this part of the city. When you walk through the area today you see enormous untapped potential."
He also added: "I believe a lot in this city. That's why we invest here and keep betting on it. This is an enormous challenge, but also a historic opportunity."
A separate provincial tender for the slot machine concession at Necochea received no offers for the city at all
