Aspers Group secures London’s only large casino licence with Remit's expert project management
WHAT: End-to-end project management of a complex, high-stakes casino licence bid
WHY: To win the sole large casino licence in London, ahead of the 2012 Olympics
WHEN: 2010–2012
Winning the bid for London’s flagship casino
In 2010, Aspers Group was presented with a once-in-a-generation opportunity. Following the Gambling Act 2005, Newham Council was authorised to grant a single large casino licence — the only one in London. For Aspers, this was the ultimate prize: a licence to operate a major casino within the newly built Westfield Stratford City, opening just ahead of the 2012 Olympics.
To succeed, Aspers needed to produce a bid that stood out in every possible way. The application process was rigorous, requiring detailed legal, architectural, financial and operational submissions, all delivered through a single, high-quality document. For Development Director Deborah Roil, the stakes were clear — and so was the need for expert support.
““I realised I would need assistance getting it done on time, to the quality we felt we needed to win the bid - and that needed to be someone I could trust to run the project as I would.””
A trusted partner for complex delivery
Aspers turned to Remit Consulting.
This was not a remote consultancy exercise. Remit worked directly from Aspers’ office, driving an intensely hands-on process. The final submission — a bespoke, professionally bound document supported by digital content — was split into nine sections, designed for modular review by the council.
““Remit has specialist project management skills. I needed somebody who could project manage – really project manage, not just tick boxes – and I knew I could rely on her and Remit to do that and to keep me up to date. I needed someone to work with me I could trust to make the same decisions I would when I wasn’t there.”
“Remit treated the project as if it were their own, with that same level of personal commitment.””
Managing complexity under pressure
With over 20 contributors across Aspers, Westfield, and Australian-based shareholder Crown, Remit’s role was central in aligning inputs and maintaining a consistent voice throughout the document.
Each section was tracked meticulously through drafting, review and design. Thomas ensured that feedback was acted on quickly, and any potential issues were identified before they became critical. The collaborative process also demanded agile decision-making and careful stakeholder management, all under tight deadlines.
““There was huge pressure from all parts of the business, and not everyone can produce such great results under that level of scrutiny.””
Quality in every detail
Aspers' commitment to excellence extended to every visual and editorial element. CGI images needed to feature people to feel authentic, so a custom photoshoot was organised using staff at another site. Stratford photography was commissioned with tight constraints — no visible children or brands — requiring precision and care.
Even the application form itself was reformatted to match the design and tone of the wider document.
Aware of the pressure on submission day, the team allowed for contingency time. Some books had to be reprinted and were hand-delivered to ensure perfection.
Bid success — and beyond
Aspers' submission was recognised by Newham Council as the most professional. The bid was successful, and the casino opened in December 2011. Predictions in the business plan were exceeded: 30,000 visitors arrived in the first three days and over 150,000 in the first month alone.
When the opportunity arose to bid for another large casino in Milton Keynes, Aspers didn’t hesitate to engage Remit again. With Roil busy launching Stratford, Thomas was given day-to-day control of the second submission.
Although the Milton Keynes bid reused the same format, it required entirely new content to meet the council’s different criteria. Remit again delivered - and the Milton Keynes casino opened the following year.
For further information, please contact Andrew Waller.