Plans have been announced to build a Las Vegas style village in Ireland, with a replica of the White House as the centrepiece.

The 460M euro (£417M) project will include a casino, National Hunt racecourse, five-star hotel, 7,000 seater greyhound track, golf course, and 15,000 seater concert venue.

The development, dreamt up by slot-machine tycoon Richard Quirke, would be set near Two-Mile Borris in Co Tipperary, and take up a total of 800 acres.

Former government minister Michael Lowry has backed the plans, along with trainer Aidan O’Brien, and concert promoter Denis Desmond.

“It is the most sophisticated and ambitious project that Ireland has ever seen,” said Mr Lowry. Mr Quirke, a former policeman, has already poured 30M euro (£27.2M) into buying up land, planning and work already carried out on the site near the new M8 motorway, according to Mr Lowry.

The rest of the funding for what will be known as the Tipperary Venue is expected to come entirely from Mr Quirke and another private investor abroad.

The now Independent TD (MP), put forward as a spokesman for the plans, said it would take three years to build.

It will employ 1,000 people through the construction phase and 2,000 permanent jobs will be created when it is completed, according to the proposals.

Planning applications are to be lodged with North Tipperary County Council on Thursday.

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