Hotel, casino complex planned for former KPN headquarters

With the construction to turn one of Sloterdijk's largest vacant office buildings - KPN Telehouse - into a massive entertainment heaven well under way, an event was held at the location on Wednesday to celebrate the start of the journey. This mega hospitality building will be called Ven and will include a hotel, a casino, a convention center, restaurants, a rooftop bar and a spa. The event was organized by Israeli real estate company Omnam Investment, who took over the complex last year. According to Tali Bielski, marketing director of Omnam, "the event marks the beginning of the change to come and a range of key influencers and leading industry figures from the Amsterdam community were invited to be part of that change from the very outset". Ven will accommodate visitors and guests seven days a week, 24 hours a day from next year. The complex is aimed at business travelers who add a few private days to business trips and Amsterdam residents alike. "We want a connection between international flair and the community in Amsterdam." If all goes to plan, the complex will open late next year and attract an expected half million visitors per year. "We believed that this once open office space could be transformed into a global hub, ful of life, energy and color." Bielski said in an email to the NL Times. "We hope to serve as a catalyst for further developments in the upcoming Sloterdijk area, improve the work environment of thousands of people working there every day and being a destination for local and global visitors seeking for new experiences." More information can be seen on the Ven Amsterdam website.