A proposal to convert the former Enjoy casino in downtown Pucón, Chile, into a mall has divided local authorities over the future of the property.
Mayor Sebastián Álvarez opposes the project, but municipal officials say the application cannot be rejected if it complies with zoning regulations.
Municipal administrator Sergio Núñez said the owner has submitted an application to the municipality's planning department to regularize the site. He added that the request must be approved if it meets legal and zoning requirements, as it is located in Zone Z-1, where commercial and warehousing activities are permitted.
The building, at the corner of Ansorena and Pedro de Valdivia streets, housed Enjoy's casino until 2023.
Álvarez said the property would generate greater value for the town if it were redeveloped as a recreational venue or a higher-end commercial project, citing Santiago's Mercado Urbano Tobalaba as an example.
He also revealed that the municipality had explored relocating its offices to the building but abandoned the plan because the requested rent was too high, opting instead to move to premises in the Los Álamos sector.
Julio Pablaza, President of Pucón's Chamber of Tourism, said businesses that comply with regulations should be welcomed but argued that future projects should also reflect the town's tourism-focused identity.
The debate comes as Chile's Superintendencia de Casinos de Juego conducts a separate tender for a new 15-year casino license in Pucón after Enjoy subsidiary Casino del Lago relinquished its concession. Bids, which require a minimum economic offer of approximately UF43,000 (Unidad de Fomento, Chile's inflation-indexed unit of account), are due on August 11.
Enjoy currently operates casinos in Viña del Mar, Coquimbo, Antofagasta, Chiloé, Los Ángeles and San Antonio in Chile. The company also agreed to sell its flagship Enjoy Punta del Este resort
