Echo Entertainment and Crown Casinos are battling it out to be chosen as the casino operator that will expand Sydney’s gambling market. NSW Premier Barry ‘O Farrell has told both operators to keep the details of their proposals quiet, but a new report will provide the general public with some insight into each company’s plan. The report is currently being compiled by a local businessman David Murray.
He will compare the pros and cons of each proposal and offer insight into which one would be best for Sydney’s economy. Each casino operator has commissioned their own reports on the topic, but Murray’s will be entirely unbiased. Crown Casinos has proposed building a high roller casino in a 60-storey tower with a six-star hotel.
Its report announced that the new casino would bring in millions of new visitors and generate $400 million in additional revenue for the economy. Echo Entertainment has proposed an expansion of its Star Casino complex. The company will spend $1.1 billion on building two new hotels and creating parklands. Echo is willing to spend up to $250 in a payment to the government to extend its monopoly for an additional 15 years.
The company’s own report states that Crown Casino’s proposal will only generate 10 000 new visitors every year and cause a decline in gambling revenue. Murray’s report will decide once and for all which proposal will provide more benefits to the state of New South Wales. The report will be released to the public, but its supporting documents may not be.
It is up to the Premier to decide whether or not to publish these documents. The general public feels that it should be more involved in the decision of which casino operator should be chosen but Barry O’Farrell has left the decision up to a government committed. Releasing Murray’s report seems to be a fair compromise but residents are disappoint that they won’t have a say in the future of their gambling market.
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