Kursaal bosses are flying to the States to launch talks over ploughing more into the seafront attraction.

Directors are visiting Los Angeles next week to meet up with bosses of a mystery company interested in being involved in the Southend centre.

A Kursaal spokesman reiterated his promise of an exciting future for the historic centre, which reopened in a blaze of glory last year.

He added: "The Rowallan Group, which operates the Kursaal, has always made it clear that we will provide the best in family leisure and entertainment in this building.

"We firmly believe that we must make decisions on what goes in the Kursaal based on what people want, not what one or two people believe we should provide.

"It is on that footing that we go off to the United States next week for a meeting with this major international company specialising in entertainment and leisure. Our aim is to get the next phase up and running by spring next year.

"We have an acre of space left in the building earmarked for this purpose."

The spokesman also spoke of his hopes for a new multi-million pound casino on the top floor of the building, occupying around 15 per cent of the total space available.

Following a national search, a company called London Clubs International has been selected as the preferred operator of the Kursaal gaming centre.

The plans, which are subject to final permission from licensing magistrates and the Gaming Board, would be built on the top floor of the Kursaal building.

The spokesman said: "The casino will form a very small part of the building not even included on the original design concept. It will even have its own entrance.

"We are delighted that Southend Council's policy committee has approved the plans and we firmly believe that the casino will underpin and enhance all the facilities at the Kursaal and we look forward to these plans moving ahead."

Converted for the new archive on 19 November 2001. Some images and formatting may have been lost in the conversion.