TOEFL---IBT閱讀材料：英國城市爭當“拉斯維加斯”

美國的拉斯維加斯賭城舉世聞名，這座賭城每年都為美國旅遊業貢獻大筆收入，也帶來了許多就業機會。而近期，英國政府也計劃在境內選取一座城市新建大型賭場，這引起了英國各大城市的激烈競爭。

英國各城市為修建國內唯一一座拉斯維加斯式超級賭場的爭奪，正變得撲朔迷離。負責選址工作的機構目前已收到逾40份申請，而該機構負責人表示，他不知該如何從中選擇。

The scramble to house the UK's only Las Vegas-style super casino is turning into a lottery. The body set to up to decide its location has already received more than 40 applications and its head says he does not know how to chose between them.

英國政府賭場顧問小組(Casino Advisory Panel)負責人斯蒂芬·克羅(Stephen Crow)教授表示，在評估這些申請的時候，“公平和嚴格審查是我們的口號”。但是，當被問及如何選擇的時候，他說：“我們怎麼下決定?我不知道。”

Professor ​​Stephen Crow, head of the government's Casino Advisory Panel, said “fairness and rigorous examination will be our watchwords” when assessing the applications. But when asked how he would choose, he said: “How are we going to make up our minds? I don't know.”

由於申請截止日期是3月31日，預計還會有更多城市表示有意讓超級賭場落戶。在所有申請城市中，布萊克浦提出了一個圍繞超級賭場的全城重建計劃，成為奪標大熱門。

With the deadline for applications not until March 31 more authorities are expected to register interest in having a super casino. Blackpool is the favourite to win the licence, having made a super casino the cornerstone of a city-wide regeneration programme.

然而，倫敦也有希望贏得這張牌照。該市擬在新的溫布利體育場(Wembley)和千禧穹頂(Millennium Dome)修建超級賭場。

However, London is also hopeful of winning the licence, with super casinos planned at the new Wembley stadium and next to the Millennium Dome.

英國政府去年通過了頗受爭議的新賭博法，僅允許成立一家超級賭場。此外還將發放8張中型賭場和8張大型賭場的牌照。

Under the government's controversial new gambling laws, which were passed last year, only one super casino will be allowed. An additional eight medium-sized new casinos and eight large ones will also receive licences.

在一次社會市場基金會(Social Market Foundation)的研討會上，克羅向包括數家美國賭場經營者在內的聽眾表示，多數地方當局僅對超級賭場感興趣。他稱：“他們對大型或小型賭場的興趣沒有那麼大。”

Speaking at a Social Market Foundation seminar to an audience that included several US casino operators, Professor ​​Crow said most local authorities were only interested in super casinos. “They are not so interested in the large or small ones,” he said.

英國政府原本打算發放8張超級賭場牌照，但經過去年大選前與保守黨的緊張談判後，政府被迫將超級賭場牌照數量減至一張。

The government originally intended to grant eight super casino licences but was forced to cut the number to one after tense negotiations with the Conservatives in the run-up to the last general election.

英國體育大臣理查德·卡本(Richard Caborn)最近表示，如果能獲得地方當局、議會下院議員及公眾的足夠支持，政府有可能修訂相關立法，增加超級賭場牌照的數量。

Richard Caborn, gambling minister, said recently the legislation could be revisited and the number of super casino licences increased – provided there was sufficient support from local authorities, MPs and the public.