Harrah’s £279m offer for LCI BY Helen Patenall | 31 Aug 2006 A subsidiary of Harrah’s Entertainment has announced the terms of a cash offer to acquire all the outstanding ordinary shares of UK casino operator London Clubs International (LCI) for around £279m (US$530m, 413 euro).
Wembley pulls out of supercasino race 25 Aug 2006 Brent Council has pulled the plug on Wembley’s bid to host the UK’s first supercasino due to fears of an increase in problem gamblers, crime and traffic congestion.
Ladbrokes to move into Italy 25 Aug 2006 Ladbrokes, the UK gaming company, has announced that it will be moving into the Italian market by entering into a joint venture partnership with Italian betting firm Pianeta Scommesse.
Las Vegas Sands to start work on Marina Bay resort in Singapore 25 Aug 2006 Work is set to begin on The Marina Bay Sands resort in Singapore after the signing of a development agreement between Las Vegas Sands and the Singapore Tourism Board (STB) this week.
World faces obesity crisis 24 Aug 2006 The number of overweight people in the world has overtaken the number of malnourished for the first time, with a billion people now considered heavier than advised – almost one in six of the world’s population.
Beachcomber opens family villas in Mauritius 23 Aug 2006 Mauritius-based hotel group Beachcomber has opened a new family accommodation village in the grounds of Le Mauricia hotel in Grand Baie on the north-west tip of the island.
Tornado to hit Gold Coast’s Wet’n’Wild 23 Aug 2006 Wet’n’Wild Water World on Australia’s Gold Coast is set to unveil the final attraction in its new Extreme H20 Zone thrill ride area in September, the Tornado.
Profits boost for Macquarie Leisure 22 Aug 2006 Macquarie Leisure Trust, the owner of Dreamworld theme park on Australia’s Gold Coast, has reported full year net profits up 28 per cent to AUS$30.2m (£12.2m, US$23m, 17.9m euro) in the year to 30 June 2006.
Harrah’s to move into UK casino market? 15 Aug 2006 Las Vegas-based Harrah’s Entertainment, one of the world’s largest casino operators, is reportedly looking to revive plans to move into the British gaming market, after a deal with Gala fell through in early 2005.
Jumeirah set to open second London hotel 15 Aug 2006 Hotel group Jumeirah is set to open an 87-bedroom hotel in London’s Belgravia in November, a sister property to one of the world’s most luxurious hotels, the Burj Al Arab in Dubai.
Attiva opens Barbados health club 14 Aug 2006 UK-based fitness franchise company Attiva opened a new 510sq m (5,500sq ft) club in Barbados last month, thanks to the signing of a master franchise for the eastern Caribbean with Tony Sealey.
New fitness club openings from Strata 14 Aug 2006 Moscow-based Strata Partners – which operates the Orange Fitness and CityFitness health club chains – is now number two in the Russian market following recent new openings.
Prevention is key for Healthtrax 14 Aug 2006 US fitness club operator Healthtrax has received investments totalling US$5.5m (£2.9m, 4.3m euro) to continue its work in preventative health.
Equest reveals Bulgarian spa plans BY Sarah Todd | 10 Aug 2006 UK-based equity fund Equest Investment Bulgaria is to invest a reported 30m euro (£20.2m, US$38.5m) in a resort and spa complex near Sozopol, on the Black Sea, in Bulgaria.
Imax can’t find a buyer 10 Aug 2006 Imax Corporation, the Canadian company behind the giant-sized cinema screens, has announced that it has so far been unsuccessful in its search to find a buyer since putting itself on the market in March this year.
Swiss furniture manufacturer Vitra has unveiled a major landscape project designed to improve biodiversity, manage water and increase climate resilience across the Vitra Campus in Weil am Rhein, Germany.
Celebrating its 10th anniversary, Elevate has had its busiest show to date, with almost 200 exhibitors, 115 seminars and 200 speakers over two days, with numbers understood to be up by ten per cent over the two days.
A new report from Your Personal Training (YPT) suggests UK gym operators could be missing out on revenue and retention opportunities they could be enjoying if they maximised the performance of their personal training businesses.
The UK spa review and discovery platform for consumers, the Good Spa Guide, has announced it will host the Good Spa Guide Awards 2026 during an event on 16 November at Sopwell House Hotel and Spa in St Albans, UK.
“For 5,000 years humans have been emotionally moved by artworks, but the relationship has always flowed in one direction,” said Refik Anadol, artist and co-founder of the world’s first AI art museum. “While developing Dataland we asked ourselves, ‘Is it possible for artworks to feel us back?’”
Eighty-four per cent of consumers now say wellness is a top priority in their lives, with this percentage increasing year on year, according to a preview presentation of McKinsey and Company’s Future of Wellness 2026 research report.
Mass protests have been taking place since Monday 1 June in Albania over the development of a luxury resort by Donald Trump’s daughter Ivanka Trump and her husband Jared Kushner.
The Toverland theme park in the Netherlands has announced a €98m expansion programme that will add a resort, new attractions and staff facilities as it pursues plans to become a multi-day destination.
Global Wellness Day (GWD) marked its 15th anniversary on Saturday 13 June 2026, with the theme: #JoyMagenta – a celebration of the healing qualities of simple gestures and activities that spark joy.
Global luxury hospitality brand, Six Senses, has partnered with longevity healthcare provider, HUM2N, to launch a clinic at Six Senses London, at The Whiteley.
As part of its first hotel partnership, Mayrlife – the medical health resort company known for its site in Altaussee, Austria – has launched a day clinic at the Rosewood Vienna.
Researchers in the US have identified an antibody which could greatly reduce the loss of lean muscle mass in people who are taking weight-loss medications.
Rosewood Le Guanahani St Barth, on the northeast coast of Saint Barthélemy in the French West Indies, is offering a programme of ocean-inspired yoga classes between 8-14 June to celebrate Global Wellness Day (GWD).
Hotel de France, located on the British Isle of Jersey, has created a wellness retreat package that includes a hot yoga session that will take place in Jersey Zoo’s butterfly sanctuary.
