written and last updated by
Sam Smith at
14 Jan 2022
Journalist, Editorial Department
In 2023, Ukraine will see the establishment of its first-ever resort city featuring a casino, named Dunaya Resort Ukraine. The initiative was announced by its author, Fazil Askerov.
According to Askerov, the Dunaya project is set to be developed in the Tatarbunar district of the Odessa region. The main infrastructure will be situated on a spit of land between Lake Sasyk and the Black Sea bay, covering an area of approximately 500 hectares.
The plan involves transforming untouched land into a site for 95 hotel complexes, which will collectively accommodate between 5 to 6 million tourists annually, with a capacity for 20,000 guests at any given time.
"We have an incredibly ambitious goal ahead of us — to open five project hotels in the Odessa region by 2023. This needs to be accomplished by May. Following that, we plan to launch five to six new facilities each year. As a result, we will not only create a unique infrastructure for the entire country but also generate around 25,000 new jobs. Additionally, related businesses could employ a total of 100,000 people. This is a very ambitious task that we must tackle," Askerov stated.
He noted that the concept was developed based on existing experiences from similar projects in other countries, including Russia, Kazakhstan, Georgia, and South Korea.
"We have studied the existing experiences because we do not want to make mistakes. In Batumi, for instance, casinos were allowed within the city limits due to a lack of a clear strategy, which later led to serious problems and disputes. There were oversights regarding the need to preserve the flora and fauna of the surrounding areas, which is unacceptable. We are keeping all these issues in mind. Our goal is to create not just a gambling zone, but a resort city with opportunities for the development of the gaming industry," Askerov added.
He also mentioned that 30 hospitality companies have already expressed interest in the Dunaya project.
For context, the Tigre de Cristal casino was recognized as the best gaming establishment in Russia in 2021.
