ONCE again the people of Blackpool are being subjected to the three-card trick over the plan for six hotels and casinos. The proposals by Leisure Parcs don't stand up if you ignore the hype.

Take the casinos first. Where are the NEW customers going to come from? The 500 million population of North America can only go to Las Vegas or Atlantic City for casino gaming. In Britain there are casinos in every major city and seaside resort. Only London attracts the so-called high rollers. Our population is only 50 million.

So what is Leisure Parcs real agenda? Could it be that with the help of a council wearing rose-tinted glasses they are pumping up an artificial demand? The gaming authorities might not go for six casinos but swayed by an illusory public poll they could believe one more town centre casino is justified. If that happens pity the two existing casinos. They won't get a look in.

Next, the six hotels. How many bedrooms each? Obviously not the 2,000 or so of the Las Vegas mammoths. Even if the six proposed hotels only match the Norbreck Castle that means over 4,500 extra bed spaces in town. Blackpool already has 69,000 under-used bed spaces. Where are the NEW customers going to come from?

So what will be the result inevitably? The existing casinos and hotels who pay business rates but receive nothing back financially from the council will suffer. And to rub salt in their wounds, they will be subsidising their competitor, Leisure Parcs, which received £1million annually from the council, far more than it pays in business rates. Wake up dummies!

R Naismith,

Hull Road, Blackpool.