Crown Resorts has been working hard to gain planning approval for its Barangaroo Casino property in Sydney. The process has been quite complex, as the casino operator has had to overcome a number of obstacles. Now, yet another complication has cropped up as city planners in Sydney argue that the design of the casino should be rejected.

The proposed Crown Barangaroo tower will be 275 metres high, and it will be located 30 metres from the edge of the Sydney Harbour. While Crown Resorts argues that the tower will be an iconic addition to the waterfront, city planners are concerned that it will overpower the landscape and take away from its existing beauty.

They are also concerned at the use of public space. Graham Jahn, an architect for the City of Sydney, has argued that the city council and Crown Resorts have not considered the suitability of a casino to the Sydney Waterfront. He states that it does not seem to suit public interest.

"North-eastern views of the Opera House for 66 apartments and VIP guests, at the expense of permanent foreshore parkland for Sydneysiders, cannot be a defendable trade-off under the Environmental Planning and Assessment Act,” he said at a recent planning hearing. Mr Jahn has even recommended other locations for the hotel and casino property.

He pointed out that Crown Resorts could place its casino near the Darling Harbour  in the B4 zone, which would not take any space away from the public. While Crown Resorts is willing to redesign the tower once again, Mr Jahn and other city planners are not convinced that this would be the best solution.

Even if the casino tower was redesigned, there would still be the issue of public space, as the venue would require the relocation of a city park that is currently in the process of being planned. The Crown Barangaroo Casino has the potential to truly benefit the NSW economy. The venue will bring in millions of tourism dollars from high-roller gamblers from around the world, while creating thousands of jobs for local residents.

The debate over the design of the casino will likely further delay its opening. While it was originally planned to open in 2019, this date has been pushed back 18 months to 2021. Should this planning debate continue, the Crown Barangaroo Casino may not be open to the public until 2022.

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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.