After agreeing with regional city leaders to lend support for the development at Glass Houghton, Leeds City Council bosses have now decided to launch their own bid.
Phil Dobson, deputy leader of Wakefield Council and cabinet member, said: "We are ob
viously frustrated that Leeds City Council had indicated it was supporting the Five Towns bid and have gone back on their agreement.
"Two bids from the Leeds City region dilute the strength of our case and reduce the chances of the casino – and the jobs associated with it – coming to the area."
The planned casino would create 1,500 jobs at the Xscape site in Glass Houghton, as well as 6,000 more across the Five Towns.
A spokesman for Leeds City Council said: "It was felt that it was important that the Casino Advisory Panel should also consider a Leeds regional casino bid to ensure that the wider Leeds city region was in as strong a position as possible to compete.
"This decision was taken after careful consideration of all the benefits a regional casino would bring and taking account of all the available research into the regeneration benefits of having a Leeds regional casino."
Only one Las Vegas style super casino – which would be able to offer up to 1,250 unlimited jackpot machines, betting and bars and restaurants – is available for each region.
The spokesman added: "The council hopes that either the Wakefield or Leeds bid is successful, and it will certainly continue to be supportive of a development anywhere in the city region that brings jobs and regeneration."
Leeds will submit its finalised bid to the Department of Culture, Media and Sport before tomorrow's deadline.
