Greenwich's bid for the Millennium Dome to become the country's only super-casino will not be affected by recent controversies and speculation, the chairman of the Casino Advisory Panel has said.

A meeting to examine plans to transform the London venue into a Las Vegas style casino - with a permit of up to 1,250 unlimited jackpot machines - is taking place today.

But the public hearing could not come at a worse time after it was revealed yesterday that the US owners of the Dome issued an apology to local religious leaders for wrongly claiming they backed their bid.

Panel chairman professor Stephen Crow reportedly admitted the rows had "complicated" matters and had resulted in "silly stories".

But he denied the selection process was "mired in confusion".

The Panel is holding public hearings for each of the seven shortlisted regional casino sites.

Today's discussion will look at the social impact, regeneration and community benefits of a super casino in the Greenwich area.

The Dome was leading Glasgow, Blackpool and Sheffield after the first round of judging by the Panel.This is Local London reported yesterday that the Anschutz Entertainment Group, which owns the London venue, claimed in a document posted on a government website that the Greenwich Peninsula Chaplaincy - which represents Christian, Muslim and Sikh faiths - was broadly positive towards the casino plan.

But the Rev Malcolm Torry, from the Chaplaincy, said in a leaked email exchange that much of the published document "had been simply made up".

"I'd be perfectly happy for genuine correspondence to be published - but there hasn't been any, and the paper on the Culture Dept. website looks like a letter from me and it isn't one," Rev Torry said in the leaked email posted on Iain Dales' political blog.

"Much of the document has been simply made up and it has a tone which is positive towards the casino plan whereas the paper which our trustees put out is negative."

AEG European CEO David Campbell offered an apology to the Chaplaincy.

"I cannot excuse the fact that this summary should have been cleared with you. I don't know how this happened but it is a mistake and as CEO I am ultimately responsible and so apologise unreservedly to you and your colleagues," Mr Campbell wrote.

The latest crisis follows controversy over the Deputy Prime Minister John Prescott's stay at the US ranch of Dome owner Philip Anschutz.

Last week, Wembley's bid to host the super-casino was scrapped after Brent Council withdrew its support.

A "social study" commissioned by the council into the likely impact of the casino found that it would lead to a rise in crime. It also found that community health, transport and the environment would suffer.

A final decision will be made by the government in October.

Another 16 large and small casinos will be granted licenses under the new Gambling Act.

The boroughs of Dartford and Newham made the shortlist for these licences, along with 29 other councils.

The Panel looked at 67 licence applications from local authorities countrywide.