Resorts World Birmingham: Opening date confirmed

A computer-generated image of Resorts World Birmingham shows the roof terrace and bar

The opening date of a new shopping and leisure centre near Birmingham has been announced.

Resorts World Birmingham, made up of 18 bars and restaurants, 50 shops, a cinema, casino, spa and luxury hotel, will open on 21 October.

Built on the NEC site, it is next to the newly-named Genting Arena - formerly the LG Arena.

The NEC Group was sold by the city council earlier this year.

The resort is the project of Malaysian conglomerate the Genting Group, which owns and runs more than 40 casinos in the UK.

The seven-floor 538,000 sq ft (50,000 sq m) building cost £150m to build, will take 1,200 staff to run, and will be able to accommodate at least 12,000 people at any one time.

The inspiration for the shape of the building is a cruise ship, developers have said

Birmingham airport can be seen from some of the balconies

Retailers, including Next Outlet, Nike Factory Store and GAP Outlet, will open first followed by an 11-screen Cineworld cinema on 23 October, a spokesman said.

The four star Genting Hotel, the first to open in Europe, will open 2 November.

Roughly based on the shape of a cruise ship, the resort is the first of its type in the UK, according to operations manager Barry Clemo, in that visitors will not have to leave the building to pass between the different facilities.

The central 'atrium' will be the resort's showpiece area - construction work on the project has been going on for some time

Peter Brooks, Genting UK president and chief operating officer, said: "We are thrilled that for the time Resorts World Birmingham will bring the uniqueness and excitement of a large scale integrated resort offer to the West Midlands region and beyond - and with it transforming the appeal of the NEC campus and the region's leisure offers."