Hard Rock selling stake in Cyprus casino project to Melco Int’l

Casino operator Hard Rock International (HRI) has quietly exited its Cyprus integrated resort joint venture, according to stock market filings.

On Monday, the government of the Republic of Cyprus officially signed its contract with a consortium consisting of HRI, Hong Kong-listed Melco International Development and local firm Cyprus Phasouri (Zakaki) Ltd, to build Europe’s first integrated resort project in the Limassol region. The consortium was granted the lone Cyprus casino license late last year.

But Monday also saw Melco file papers with the Hong Kong Stock Exchange indicating that it had entered into an agreement to purchase HRI’s interest in the consortium. Melco and HRI each held a 35.37% stake in the joint venture but the deal will see Melco’s share rise to 70.74%, effectively putting it in the driver’s seat for all future decisions regarding the project.

The price HRI will receive for selling its stake in the Cyprus project to Melco wasn’t disclosed and the ownership change is subject to approval by the Cypriot government. HRI has yet to issue any statement of its own regarding the sale but the imminent exit from its Cypriot JV follows just days after the HRI-Melco tandem officially withdrew a similar tandem bid on an integrated resort project in Spain’s Catalan region.