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Is Crown Casino Perth Open Tomorrow

It has towered over Sydney: a gleaming, twisting harbour-side skyscraper that was supposed to host some of the world's biggest high-rollers.

Is Crown Casino Perth Open Tomorrow Now

Crown Burswood complex. Posted April 26, 2020 08:08:04 The massive car parks at the Perth Crown casino complex are barely full. Welcome to Crown Perth - Discover WA's finest Accommodation, Restaurants, Casino and Nightlife. Explore our packages and special offers.

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But Crown Resort's $2.2 billion Barangaroo development is in danger of becoming a giant white elephant, after its new casino was yesterday blocked from opening.

The NSW Independent Liquor and Gaming Authority (ILGA) ruled that Crown Resorts would not be allowed to open its gaming facilities at Barangaroo in mid-December as planned.

It came after an 11-month inquiry into the company's casinos in Perth and Melbourne.

Late Tuesday night, Crown admitted to the ILGA inquiry for the first time that money-laundering was 'likely' occurring through the accounts it set up for VIP gamblers.

Crown's Barangaroo business is in a holding pattern until the inquiry hands down its findings in February.

Here are three things that could happen after that.

1. The casino is allowed to open as normal

The building was due to be home to a casino, 14 bars and restaurants and a luxury 350-room hotel which were all due to open on December 14.

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Although the regulator has barred Crown from opening the casino on that date, that could change in February 2021.

That's when Commissioner Patricia Bergin, who has been overseeing that 11-month inquiry, will decide whether Crown is fit to keep its gaming licence.

If she finds in their favour, the gaming floors in the 72-storey building would be free to open next Autumn, though don't expect pokies.

The casino is supposed to be exclusively for high-rollers.

2. The casino is allowed to open as long as James Packer is not involved

Is Crown Casino Perth Open Tomorrow Opening

If Crown can salvage its core gaming business, it may be forced to cut ties with James Packer.

The former chairman resigned as director of Crown Resorts in 2018 and sold off a large portion of his shares but remains a major stakeholder today.

Yesterday, counsel assisting Adam Bell SC urged the Commissioner to ban Mr Packer from associating with Crown.

Threatening emails sent by Mr Packer to an anonymous businessman were presented to the inquiry, which Mr Packer admitted were 'shameful' and 'disgraceful'.

Opening

Mr Packer also said he knew of at least four junket operators during his tenure — Suncity, Song, Meg-Star and Qin Si Xin — some of which were reportedly linked to organised crime.

Mr Packer said the junket operators were 'good for business' but admitted he had no understanding of Crown's oversight of them.

In 2016, nineteen employees of junket operators were arrested and charged in China for promoting gambling to find VIPs for Crown's high-roller business, with 16 of them going to jail in China.

Is Crown Casino Perth Open Tomorrow 2020

Throughout the enquiry, Crown's board has maintained it knew nothing of the concerns raised by staff in China.

Earlier this month, Mr Bell said the lack of action showed the reporting lines within the company were 'compromised'.

3. The casino is blocked from opening altogether

Earlier this month, Mr Bell told the inquiry he believed Crown should not be allowed to open their Barangaroo casino.

'In summary, we submit that the evidence presented to this inquiry demonstrates that the licensee is not a suitable person to continue to give effect to the licence and that Crown Resorts is not a suitable person to be a close associate of the licensee,' he said.

Yesterday, that recommendation was upheld, sort of: Crown Resorts will not open their new casino until the ILGA reads and reviews Commissioner Bergin's findings in February.

If Crown's 99-year licence is revoked, the casino element of the tower could be taken over by another operator or repurposed.

For now, the fate of the harbourside tower remains unknown.