Soon, Queensland politicians will decide which casino operator will receive the final license to operate in Brisbane. As the decision grows ever nearer, Crown Resorts is making one last push to secure the license for itself. According to a report in the Courier Mail, Crown Chairman James Packer has announced that his company’s plans will ‘put Brisbane on the map’ by making it a major tourist destination.
He promises that Crown’s casino and entertainment complex will help to make Brisbane as well-known as Melbourne and Sydney. “Crown is a global company and Brisbane can be a great global city,” he says “Crown can help bring world-class entertainment and events to the city and transform Queen’s Wharf, just like we have done in Melbourne at Southbank and Burswood in Perth.”
Crown continues to compete with Echo Entertainment for the last remaining gambling license in Brisbane. Both companies have proposed multibillion-dollar entertainment complexes that will include casinos, shopping centres, conference facilities, hotels and restaurants. They are designed to be more than the average casino resort by providing a wide range of facilities and entertainment that all types of visitors can enjoy.
The proposal for Crown includes Brisbane’s first-ever 6-star hotel and a huge gaming floor. The casino will include up to 2500 gaming machines, while the rest of the entertainment complex will include theatres and a water park. Another major benefit will be job creation. Packer promises that the new Crown Brisbane casino resort complex will employ 15 000 people.
He also stated that the developer will use local builders during the construction of the complex to help boost the economy. Packer continues: “We will ensure the people of Queensland have an entertainment and leisure precinct they can be proud of.’’ As Queensland government officials get closer to a decision, things are certainly heating up. It will be very interesting to see which casino operator will receive the last license in Brisbane.