NSW Premier backs second Sydney Casino

Plans released by James Packer's Crown Casino group for a second Sydney casino have been backed by NSW Premier Barry O'Farrell who said it would have a positive effect on tourism and employment.

On Friday, Crown advised the NSW Government that it wanted a second Sydney casino as part of a hotel and restaurant complex in the centre of the harbourside Bangaroo site, on land that the Barangaroo Delivery Authority had previously says is intended for "civic, educational and recreation spaces".

However, Premier Farrell told media "I think it's an exciting proposal which could add extra life to Barangaroo, give Sydney another world-class hotel, generate jobs and boost tourism."

Tourism Transport Forum Chief Executive John Lee is also enthusiastic about the proposal saying that it would add "life" to the area.

Lee explained "you only have to go to Melbourne and see that area around the Yarra River, yes there's Crown Casino there, but there is also movie cinemas, bowling alleys - there's all sorts of things that entertain people when they go to the precinct.

"It's actually a place now, or a destination that people love to go to."

With a NSW law currently in place allowing for only one casino licence in Sydney until 2019, legislation would have to be changed to allow the development. Crown or any other developer would also need the NSW Government to change planning rules for the site which now restrict any building to 30 metres high and allow only 60,000 metres2 of development in the whole of Barangaroo Central.

Last week, US landscape architect, Peter Walker, who has been retained to design Barangaroo's headland park, revealed that his plans included open space and sporting fields, similar to the Domain on the eastern side of Sydney's CBD.

Walker also proposed an outdoor space or amphitheatre for concerts in the central area of Barangaroo, which is proposed as a transition between the commercial areas in the south and the headland park in the north.

Greens MP John Kaye highlighted that the potential casino site had been allocated as open space and that Sydney does not need a second casino.

Kaye stated "if you put this to the people of NSW they will say no to a new casino because they know it increases problem gambling, they know it increases connections to organised crime.

"There shouldn't be a back door deal between the Packers and the Premier - this should be a matter of public debate."

Architect Philip Thalis, who was on the original Barangaroo design winning team, is horrified at the way decisions are being made, stating "this just shows what a complete failure of planning we've had in Sydney.

"We've had a continual erosion of what could have been, what should have been, Sydney's great new public western waterfront."

Sydney City Councillor John McInerney from the Friends of Barangaroo says there needs to be full consultation on the casino proposal, adding "what really was terrible about the last government was the way that proper processes were subverted under the infamous part 3A (planning law).

"Developers and anyone with an idea just went to the local minister, or even the local member. Now that's a recipe for ultimate disaster."

15th December 2011 - BURSWOOD ENTERTAINMENT COMPLEX TO BECOME CROWN PERTH