Casino operator Melco International Development has formally appointed Craig Ballantyne to oversee its City of Dreams Mediterranean integrated resort project in the Republic of Cyprus.

Longtime gaming industry figure Ballantyne (pictured) formerly oversaw operations at Tigre de Cristal, the casino in Russia’s far east Primorye gaming zone that until recently was controlled by Melco subsidiaries. Ballantyne left that job last September to take up an undefined role with Melco.

On Wednesday, Melco formally named Ballantyne as the Cyprus project’s new property president, with responsibility for ensuring operations comply with local laws and overseeing the resort’s management and its expected 2,500 staff members. Ballantyne said it was “an honor for me that Melco has entrusted me with this great project.”

The €550m City of Dreams Mediterranean’s first phase is scheduled to open in the Limassol area in 2021. The resort has been granted a 30-year monopoly over casino operations and is projected to be generating annual revenue of over €700m by 2022.