Crown Melbourne is currently spending millions of dollars on an expansion to attract younger clientele. To accommodate the new visitors, the casino will need plenty more parking, and the operator has applied for more than 1200 new 24-hour spaces. The casino operator has requested that 1283 existing spaces be made into 24-hour parking.

Currently, the spaces are closed between 5:30am and 9:30am to stop work commuters from parking in the complex. If the proposal is approved, the spaces will be open at all times during the day and night. "Crown's priority is the servicing of customer car parking needs ahead of that of general commuter parking," reads a report from the casino operator.

Melbourne City Council has previously expressed complaints about commuters using car parks during rush hour. During these peak times, traffic congestion is at its worst and increasing parking at Crown Casinos would worsen the issue. The million-dollar makeover was a huge investment by Crown Melbourne, and the property has seen a significant increase in players and patrons.

The refurbishment has taken place over the course of the past decade, and the operator’s hard word has certainly paid off. The casino’s floorspace has instead by 24%, and there are hundreds of new games on the property – in addition to new restaurants and bars. As such, there are many more visitors to Crown Melbourne, but they often have trouble finding places to park.

While submitting the application for expanded parking, Crown Melbourne is also negotiating a new levy on the poker machines located at the casino. From 2014, the casino will be paying an additional $22 000 in taxes per pokie, and the owner wants to secure a better deal with the state government.

The city council will review the casino operator’s appliance for more parking, but there is no word yet on when Crown Casino can expect a response.

About the Author

George Anderson
Author George, has over 25+ years’ experience in the Pokies and Casinos industry throughout Australia and New Zealand. Loves to research new Pokies games on the block and follows announcements from top industry providers about their upcoming releases. As soon as a new interesting pokie game appears on his radar, George is there to check it out and give you the scoop before anyone else and tell you about all casino sites where can play the latest game. Before this gig, George worked as Pokie game tester, making him an ideal candidate for this genre of work. He is also an animal lover and a proud owner of three dogs.