US tribal casino operator Mohegan Gaming & Entertainment (MGE) took another step forward on its ambitious Greek integrated resort plans after submitting a financial bid for the project’s gaming license.

On Wednesday, the Hellenic Gaming Commission (HGC) announced that the consortium of MGE and Greek construction giant GEK Terna had submitted a €150m bid for the sole casino license at the €8b Hellinikon resort project on the site of Athens’ old international airport.

The consortium’s offer was five times the minimum €30m the HGC had set for this process, which was always something of a curiosity, given that the HGC disqualified the only other bidder (Hard Rock International) way back in January over what HRI claims was a paperwork technicality (a decision the company continues to protest without success).

Regardless, the unveiling of MGE’s suitably high offer paves the way for HGC to formally negotiate the specific terms of the 30-year gaming license. The deal will then require the approval of the Court of Auditors and ratification by parliament, hopefully by the end of this year. Then and only then will this interminably convoluted process finally conclude and shovels may actually touch dirt.