Crown Sydney

Crown Sydney
The proposed design of Crown Sydney.
Map showing location of Crown Sydney
Location Barangaroo, Sydney, New South Wales, Australia
Opening date 2020 (2020)
No. of rooms 350
Casino type Land-based
Owner Crown Resorts
Architect WilkinsonEyre
Coordinates 33°51′39.6″S 151°12′03.64″E / 33.861000°S 151.2010111°E / -33.861000; 151.2010111
Website www.crownsydney.com.au

Crown Sydney is a casino and hotel that is currently under construction in Barangaroo, Sydney, Australia. When it opens in 2021, it will be the second legal casino in Sydney, the other being The Star. However, unlike The Star, Crown Sydney's casino will only operate with VIP membership restrictions. With 75 floors (including mezzanines) and a height of 271.3 m (890 ft), it will become the city's tallest building, surpassing Chifley Tower.

Planning approvals

James Packer's casino group, Crown Resorts, presented an A$1 billion+ proposal to Premier Barry O'Farrell in February 2012 to build a hotel, casino and entertainment complex at the site on land that was set aside for open space at Barangaroo Central. The Premier initially welcomed the proposal, yet cautioned it would need to gain regulatory approval before going ahead.[1] The proposal drew widespread criticism from the Lord Mayor Clover Moore, Paul Keating, and former government architect, Chris Johnson.[2] In October 2012, Premier O'Farrell announced that the NSW Cabinet reviewed the proposal and decided that the government will enter into detailed negotiations with Crown Limited for the establishment of a casino and hotel complex at Barangaroo.[3] Tony Harris, a former NSW Auditor General was critical of the decision−making process, claiming the public could miss out on millions of dollars.[4] Packer wrote a defence of his proposal for the press.[5]

In July 2013 after a recommendation from an independent steering committee, O'Farrell announced the Crown proposal would be moved to Stage 3 of the unsolicited proposals process, the final stage where the parties will negotiate a binding contract.[6] The government is to receive a $100 million upfront fee for the licence, despite being offered $250 million with alternative tax arrangements which the steering committee's economic advisor Deloitte calculated was a superior offer.[7] Crown's intention is to lure Chinese high-rollers to its Sydney casino leveraging off its interests in its Macau casinos and taking advantage of a new streamlined visa process introduced by the Australian government for Chinese citizens wanting to gamble at Australian casinos.[8] In November 2013, it was announced that Crown Sydney received approval for the casino licence and place at Barangaroo.[9] In November 2015, Packer announced that the project had been delayed. In March 2016, a series of proposals to change aspects of the building were recommended by the State Government in order for the project to receive approval. This included introducing a new recess in the interior as well as new cladding on the south side of the building. An observation deck as well as public access to the upper floors was also proposed.[10] In June 2016, the casino received final approval from the Planning Assessment Commission on condition that the casino met the needs proposed. In early August, the Millers Point Fund lodged legal action against the project, challenging the validity of the casino. The Millers Point Fund aimed to have work on the project halted. Crown resorts said they would "vigorously defend" their actions. The dispute was held in the Land and Environment Court of New South Wales in late August.[11] Construction began in early October, 2016 and is expected to be finished around the year 2021.[12]

Sociological criticism

Researchers from the Responsible Gambling Fund financed, University of Sydney Gambling Treatment Clinic, have suggested that strategies such a minimum bet size are not likely to prevent the local community from being affected by problem gambling.[13] They have suggested that typically students, new immigrants and working class individuals are found to be losing large amounts of money at Casino style table and electronic games.[13]

Academic researchers have suggested that while the casino is initially not licensed to offer poker machines, it will inevitably gain a licence in future years.[14]

See also

References

  1. ↑ "Premier pleased with new Sydney casino plans". ABC News.
  2. ↑ "Moore takes on O'Farrell over Barangaroo casino". ABC News.
  3. ↑ "Packer's $1b casino plan gets cabinet backing". Sydney Morning Herald.
  4. ↑ "Ex-watchdog slams O'Farrell on Packer casino". Financial Review.
  5. ↑ Packer, James (3 November 2012). "Under-investment in top-class tourism puts the city at a serious disadvantage, writes James Packer". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 12 July 2016.
  6. ↑ "Crown proposal moves to stage 3" (PDF). Premier of NSW.
  7. ↑ "O'Farrell under pressure to lay bare casino decision a day after receiving report". Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 31 July 2013.
  8. ↑ "James Packer Bets Big luring Chinese Gamblers Sydney Casinos". South China Morning Post.
  9. ↑ "NSW gives green light to Packer casino at Barangaroo". Sydney Morning Herald.
  10. ↑ "Barangaroo changes recommended for approval by state government". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 2016-03-30.
  11. ↑ "Crown Resorts hit with legal challenge to Sydney casino". 2016-08-02. Retrieved 2016-08-16.
  12. ↑ Robert, Jacobs. "The Crown Casino in Barangaroo will be 6 Stars". Retrieved 2017-01-16 – via BuildSydney.
  13. 1 2 Editorial (23 March 2014). "Time for more community backbone to tackle problem gambling". The Sydney Morning Herald. Retrieved 12 July 2016.
  14. ↑ Markham, Francis. "Packer's Barangaroo Casino and the inevitability of pokies".

Coordinates: 33°51′40″S 151°12′04″E / 33.86100°S 151.20101°E / -33.86100; 151.20101

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