Crown Sydney

Crown Sydney

The proposed design of Crown Sydney.
Map showing location of Crown Sydney in Sydney
Location Barangaroo, Sydney, Australia
Opening date 2020 (2020)
Number of rooms 350
Casino type Land-based
Owner Crown Limited Group
Architect Wilkinson Eyre Architects
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 six-star casino and hotel resort that is pending planning approval for construction in Barangaroo, Sydney, Australia. When it opens in 2020, 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 habitable building, surpassing Chifley Tower.

Construction is expected to start in 2016.[1]

History

James Packer's casino group, Crown Limited, presented an A$1 billion+ proposal to Premier 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.[2] The proposal drew widespread criticism from the Lord Mayor, Clover Moore MP, Paul Keating, and former government architect, Chris Johnson.[3] 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.[4] Tony Harris, a former NSW Auditor General was critical of the decision−making process, claiming the public could miss out on millions of dollars.[5]

Defending his position, Packer opined in The Sydney Morning Herald:[6]

"With our harbour and climate, Sydney should be one of the world's best destinations, but we are being let down by an under-investment in quality tourism infrastructure.... A world-class landmark resort on Sydney Harbour can be the catalyst to help turn the city around, just as Crown assisted in the turnaround of Melbourne.... Some commentators have raised the process we are undertaking to progress our proposal. The NSW unsolicited proposal process exists to allow any organisation with unique ideas to make a submission to the government. We have followed that process to the letter and, despite reaching stage two, there is a long way to go.... For a hotel resort in Sydney to be a landmark building that will attract millions of visitors, it must be on Sydney Harbour. Barangaroo is the only waterfront and harbourside location in the Sydney CBD that will accommodate such a development."

In July 2013 after a recommendation from an independent steering committee Premier 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.[7] 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.[8] 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.[9] In November 2013, it was announced that Crown Sydney received approval for the casino licence and place at Barangaroo.[10] 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.[11]

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.[12] 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.[12]

See also

References

External links

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

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