Spain casino bid delays lead to MelcoLot share deal cancellation

Hong Kong-listed MelcoLot Ltd and Melco International Development Ltd are cancelling a share deal amid delays regarding its tender process to operate a casino near Barcelona, Spain.

In a joint statement, the two companies announced they are terminating the deal that would have seen Melco International and related parties increase their stake in MelcoLot by as much as 65.05 percent.

The now-cancelled deal was dependent on several conditions, the first of which involve “obtaining and maintaining a valid casino authorization” from the Catalan government in Spain. Lawrence Ho-controlled Melco International and MelcoLot announced back in January that the tender process is facing delays due to the Catalan government’s inability to announce the results of an urban planning masterplan.

“As the timetable of the tender process for the casino authorization and the development of the project remain relatively uncertain in the current political situation in Catalonia… Melco International and MelcoLot entered into a termination agreement, pursuant to which the parties agreed to immediately terminate the share purchase agreement,” the joint announcement stated.