How did Bagnères-de-Luchon stop the return of the casino in its tracks?
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16 Jul 2025 •
Reading time: 3 minutes On 9 July 2025, a tense town council put an abrupt end to plans to reopen the Bagnères-de-Luchon casino. Golden Palace’s proposal was rejected by 10 votes to 9, consigning to oblivion a project that had been two years in the making. It was a slap in the face that the spa had not anticipated.
A decisive duel in the vote
The agreement was aimed at restoring a historic monument dating back to 1880 and relaunching casino activity from a temporary casino at the end of 2025. The Belgian operator proposed €4.4m of works and €3m in royalties to the municipality, via a twenty-year public service delegation.
However, despite the promise of renovation, the local councillors deemed the offer insufficient, believing that the municipality should take on the heavy heritage workload. A broken confidence, even by a narrow majority, sealed the project’s demise.
So why the sudden change of heart?
In 2023, the ambition to bring the Luchon casino back to life was clearly announced. The idea was to start again in 2024 with a public concession, then launch the major works in 2026-2027. The listed building, adorned with its theatre, stained glass windows and Norman pavilion, had long been waiting for a facelift.
Golden Palace took the lead on the project in early 2025. However, the deal stalled despite a tempting offer on paper – hence the close vote on 9 July.
Renovating the casino required an overall investment of around €6m, shared between the town and the private sector. The Regional Audit Office estimated the tax benefits at €56m over twenty years.
Despite this potential, the municipal opposition felt that the Golden Palace bid underestimated the real costs, risking a heavy bill for the community. In addition, some elected representatives saw real internal tensions in this dossier, exacerbated by the pre-election context. The slogan ‘Yes to the casino, but not at any price’ uttered at the council meeting will live long in the memory.
Consequences for the local economy
Deprived of a major asset, the attractiveness of the spa resort has suffered. Without a casino, the town is losing out to its competitors in the Pyrenees, such as Superbagnères, Capvern and Argelès-Gazost. Spa-goers, accustomed to a complete package (thermal baths + entertainment), are likely to prefer these destinations.
Delaying the opening of the spa beyond 2028 could have a serious impact on local revenues, even as the historic building continues to deteriorate, inevitably increasing the cost of bringing it up to standard.
What future for the project?
Despite the failure of the Golden Palace plan, the casino project in Luchon is far from being abandoned. In fact, this rejection is not so much a final point as a re-launch under new conditions.
The challenge remains colossal: to attract a serious operator, convince the elected representatives of the financial advances, and launch the long-awaited work to bring this architectural jewel back to life.
The mayor has confirmed that a call for tenders will be issued again in autumn 2025, in search of an operator prepared to make a greater commitment. The giants Partouche or Barrière, or even an independent consortium, would be the main targets.The aim is to designate the future operator by mid-2026, enabling a temporary casino to open in 2026-2027 and the complete reopening by 2028, once the monument has been restored.