There was hope last night that Birmingham's NEC super-casino bid might be resurrected after a Government body indicated it would consider fresh representations to include the £250 million project on a national shortlist.
The Casino Advisory Panel has refused to meet a delegation from Birmingham and Solihull Councils, but will look at "substantial and relevant" new written evidence, a spokeswoman said.
Jane Bransby, the panel secretary, said the two councils and the NEC would have to come up with arguments that were not considered when the shortlist was drawn up in order to have the matter reconsidered.
The Birmingham-Solihull NEC bid failed to make the shortlist of eight possible super-casino sites published by the panel a month ago. Two other West Midlands bids, in Coventry and Dudley, were also excluded.
Ms Bransby said the panel would not comply with a request from Birmingham City Council to meet a delegation from the NEC because, however well meaning, a delegation would "not get to the crux of the matter".
She added: "Basically, the panel's response is that they are not meeting with people, primarily because they wish to have a process that can be seen to be open and auditable.
"They have asked that any representations should be made in writing.
"What they have said following the shortlist process is that if any of the disappointed areas wishes to make representations they have to be substantial and relevant with new evidence."
Her comments were welcomed by NEC Group spokes-woman Debbie Smith.
Mrs Smith said: "A lot of work has been going on between Birmingham City Council, Solihull Council and ourselves. We have been analysing in detail the shortlisted bids and where we believe our case is much stronger.
"We are operating to a certain extent in a vacuum because the panel hasn't published any rationale for its decisions.
"We are looking at what further evidence we can come up with to back our case and make sure the panel understands fully the regeneration implications." ..SUPL:
