Birmingham looks set to benefit from a new £90 million conference and leisure development after the NEC Group outlined its future plans in the second city.
At present the NEC generates around £2 billion for the West Midlands economy, supporting some 29,000 jobs.
Now it intends to make use of a patch of land in the Solihull area, which it has long argued is not being used to its full potential and has secured a multi-million pound deal with the leisure company Genting Stanley to construct a new casino and leisure complex on the site.
It is expected that the new complex, which will also include a number of restaurants and bars and a hotel, complete with state-of-the-art events and conferencing facilities, will create an additional 1,000 jobs in the region and reaffirm Birmingham's status as a business destination.
Commenting on the news, Birmingham City Council leader Mike Whitby stated: "This is an important opportunity for Birmingham and the West Midlands in helping to ensure the NEC is able to attract even more visitors into the region and to provide a world class attraction for the citizens of Birmingham and the West Midlands too." 
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