In June 2014, the parliament of Spain's autonomous community of Catalonia announced its intentions to grant six gaming licenses to operate land-based casinos in the province of Tarragona as part of its Barcelona World (BCN World) project, which is expected to open in 2017.
The construction of BCN World is expected to cost €4.7 billion to create a lavish entertainment complex with plans for world-class hotels, casinos, a theme park, water park, golf course, beach club, convention center, meeting theater, offices, shopping centers, restaurants, and swimming pools.
Melco International, a gaming company controlled by Hong Kong billionaire Lawrence Ho Yau Lung, initially submitted two separate bids for licenses with one of the bids involving a joint venture between the company's MelcoLot subsidiary and the Spanish company Veremonte.