Sydney Entertainment Centre may be demolished; Profit before people and history, by Greg Tingle

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Let's get one thing clear from the get go... knocking down the historic Sydney Entertainment Centre to make way for a new development is not the same as knocking down or revamping its neighbour across the water - Star City Casino (which become the much nicer 'The Star').

Can you imagine the outrage in the United States if they were to announce a proposal to demolish New York's Madison Square Garden aka MSG.

I bet that is a survey of Sydney-siders, or even say Australians across the board were taken, that close to 100 percent of they would not want the Sydney Entertainment Centre demolished, due to its historical importance to the arts and entertainment industry down under.

"Sin City" Sydney media, especially the arts and entertainment niche, are expected to get all over this topic and the Media Man agency is not going to see this iconic hub of Aussie entertainment die without a hell of a fight.

I don't know about you but the NSW Premier Barry O'Farrell might meet with a tidal wave of opposition against its proposed destruction.

Some of the blub coming out of the NSW Government, no doubt with some cleaver spin added by the proposed developer, goes like this...

The Sydney Entertainment Centre will be demolished and the convention and exhibition centres at Darling Harbour closed for up to three years as the precinct undergoes a $1 billion makeover.

NSW Premier Barry O'Farrell today announced the development of an integrated exhibition and entertainment precinct in the city's CBD.

The fully integrated convention centre will increase the size of the existing precinct by two thirds to 20 hectares and will include the largest exhibition space in Australia at 40,000 square metres.

"The project will mean a complete face lift for Darling Harbour - as well as the world-class facilities," Mr O'Farrell said today.

Up to 3500 jobs are expected to be created during the construction (but what about the job losses at the Sydney Entertainment Centre)?

The 30-year-old Sydney Entertainment Centre is to be demolished while the exhibition and convention facilities will be closed from late 2013 to late 2016.

The project is aimed at boosting the competitiveness of the major events industry in the state, particularly in terms of the Asia-Pacific.

"They will bring NSW an economic benefit of more than $1 billion over five years," Mr O'Farrell said.

"NSW has already lost $150 million in economic benefit over the four years to 2010-11 because the current facilities have not been able to accommodate 169 conventions and 12 exhibitions," Mr O'Farrell said.

The new facilities will include the biggest meeting room space in Australia at 6000sq m and the biggest Australian convention hall capacity.

There will be a red-carpet premium entertainment facility with a capacity of at least 8000 people, suitable for international entertainment events and 'mega' conferences.

"The NSW government is creating a vibrant world-class convention, exhibition and entertainment precinct at Darling Harbour that will keep Sydney centre stage as Australia's global city," Mr O'Farrell said.

Infrastructure NSW (INSW) will lead the delivery of the new facilities as part of a Public Private Partnership (PPP) tailored for the project.

During the three-year construction period, Sydney's major events industry will remain open for business, Mr O'Farrell said.

Sydney Olympic Park, Moore Park, the Australian Technology Park at Eveleigh and various Sydney hotels will play an expanded role in hosting events during the construction period.

A Media Man agency entertainment commentar was overheard "Just how much money had been dangled in front of the NSW Government to get green light to demolish one of Australia's greatest landmarks. You have the Sydney Harbour Bridge, the Sydney Opera House, Crown Casino, Ayres Rock, and then you have the Entertainment Centre in Sydney. I think its likely that a good chuck of Australia's entertainment industry will be vocal in telling the NSW government to save the iconic entertainment venue. We think another proposal for development of Darling Harbour needs to be executed - one that does not include the destruction of the SEC."

Many folks in the Australian entertainment industry are already telling media that they are not "anti development" full stop - they are just against the part of the development proposal that includes the destruction of one Australia's greatest entertainment and arts landmarks.

Those opposing the development of the Sydney Entertainment Centre are encouraged to be vocal and contact media, their local MPs, Minster of the Arts, and another other Australian government department who will listen to reason.

That's it entertainment lovers. Stay tuned to Media Man and Street Corner for more entertainment news and scoops daily.

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Packer tightens his hold on the Crown jewell; Crown prince Packer could be king by Christmas - 13th April 2012

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James Packer looks like reclaiming the $6.5 billion Crown casino group as a subsidiary of his family company by Christmas after lifting his stake beyond 48 per cent yesterday in a $133 million deal.

Investment bank UBS handled the line of 15.25 million shares in Crown, traded at $8.707 each as the market closed.

Packer's Consolidated Press Holdings declared its interest in the shares in early December, notifying Crown it had struck a cash-settled equity derivative ''with an investment bank'' that gave the company an economic exposure to the share price movements on 14.6 million Crown shares.

For UBS, the Crown buying is handy work - but a comparative consolation prize to rival Deutsche Bank's similar arrangements with Packer over $254 million of Echo Entertainment shares.

Echo, owner of Sydney's Star casino, is in Packer's sights after he took his stake to 10 per cent with the Deutsche deal and indicated he has an appetite for more - applying for NSW government approval to cross that legislated 10 per cent limit and pushing for a board seat.

The assault on Echo has been muddied by Packer expressing a desire to attach the Star licence to a property development plan in a sensitive Sydney harbourside development zone.

As Insider noted last month, Packer's move on Echo's share register last month was controversial not so much for his not having revealed the stake earlier, but for companies law that apparently lags behind the sophisticated financial engineering that allows such derivative deals to escape disclosure to the general market.

It is a decade and a half since James' dad, Kerry, rescued his mate Lloyd Williams' Crown, which was sinking into Melbourne's Yarra River under $2 billion of debt. James replaced Williams as chairman not long after that.

Parked in Publishing and Broadcasting, Crown was relisted on the ASX almost five years ago when Packer jnr split PBL in two. The other arm, Consolidated Media Holdings, then held his interests in the Nine Network and various magazines.

Packer's Cons Press last increased its Crown stake in October, and under the takeovers code is allowed to add up to 3 per cent of its holding in any six-month period without triggering the need to have a formal bid on the table.

That means that Packer could legally take his holding in Crown above 50 per cent by October this year, making it a Cons Press subsidiary and having unchallengeable control. Normally that would mean a downgrading of the share price, because there is no premium for control - but any investor in Crown expecting a full and generous offer from a member of the Packer family would have to be an extreme optimist. (Credit: Fairfax Media)

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High heels and low bikinis: It must be pool season in Vegas

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Gretchen Rossi of “The Real Housewives of Orange County” at Bare Pool Lounge at the Mirage on July 4, 2011.


High heels: check. Makeup: check. Bikini tops: maybe.

Welcome to the day party scene in Las Vegas, where bikinis are tiny, tops are optional in some cases and men's shorts are long.

With pool season ramping up, casino resorts count on day parties to add to their burgeoning nightclub business as the biggest money makers on the Strip. Since the day party came to Vegas in 2004 with the craziness of Rehab at the Hard Rock Hotel, it's difficult to find a place not trying to cash in on a phenomenon that has exploded in less than a decade.

"They started in Europe, and many U.S. cities have dabbled in it, but the level Vegas has delivered these and the quality of the pools is something you will find nowhere else in the world," said Jason Strauss, co-owner and operator of the Tao group, which runs the Tao pool at the Venetian and Marquee Dayclub at the Cosmopolitan.

In the past four years, resorts have spent $60 million to $70 million to build lavish pools, where they can offer private cabanas for rent and charge premium drink prices, enticing people to spend as much as $20,000 in an afternoon.

For that price, the parties deliver some of the top celebrity DJs from the electronic music circuit, the chance to see scantily clad starlets and a warm-up to the Vegas nightlife.

It just keeps growing. The Palmshas added Saturdays to its Ditch Friday lineup. Marquee has expanded its lights, sound and staging, because even the pools in Vegas need production value.

If there's any doubt that the female form is part of the marketing, consider that Maxim has sponsored Tao for years and is sending its cover models to promenade at the day parties.

Of course, mix sparse clothing with abundant alcohol, and you may get people who break the law. Police keep an eye on prostitution and drugs.

Mostly, Strauss is seeing the pools drawing the same crowds as the nightclubs, with summers being a time to party around the clock.

"It's the same demographic — they're just pacing themselves throughout the day," he said.

Typically, partiers show up at the pool from 1 to 5 p.m., then nap and start hitting the nightclubs after 11 p.m.

How are this season's pool parties shaping up? Put on the high heels — or long shorts — and come along for a look.

Wet Republic: The party at the MGM Grand started in March and will continue until October. Wet Republic opens at 11 a.m. Thursdays through Mondays. Cover charges vary. Call 891-3563 for more information.

Bare Pool Lounge: With a name like Bare, expect no tan lines and plenty of topless sun worshipping at the Mirage. Bare opened last month, and weekday parties begin April 16. Hours are 11 a.m. to 6 p.m. Cover is $10 for women every day. Men are $20 during the week, $40 on the weekend. Locals are free Sunday through Thursday, and more information is available online.

Liquid: Three pools, including two semi-private ones for cabana guests, await visitors at the Aria adult pool party, which also launched its season in March. Pools open at 11 a.m. Thursdays through Sundays, and reservations can be made online.

Moorea Beach Club: Visitors can get a poolside massage or cook some s'mores at a fire pit at the adult beach club located at Mandalay Bay. Admission starts at $10 for women and $20 for men — $40 on weekends. Locals are free before noon Mondays through Thursdays. Those s'more packages start at $40. Reservations can be made online.

Palms Pool: Palms Pool Saturdays join regular Ditch Fridays this season. Ditch Fridays begin at noon starting April 20, with the Saturday splash beginning at noon May 5 with new resident DJ Roger Sanchez. Cover charges start at $40, although there's no charge for local women. And for those wanting to extend the weekend, the Palms is sponsoring Cabanas for a Cause, where the resort donates its cabana rental fees to a local not-for-profit. Rates those days are $100. Monday hours are 11:30 a.m. to 4 p.m. Organizations interested in raising funds through Cabanas for a Cause should contact Megan Gross with 9 Group Las Vegas.

GO: The GO Pool at the Flamingo offers parties from 9 a.m. to 5 p.m. daily with guest DJs playing music in the early afternoons for people 21 and older. For reservations, call 697-2888.

Tao Beach: Opening April 9, the pool party at the Venetian has become a big draw for star watchers, who have seen Heidi Klum, Jay Z and Jessica Simpson strolling poolside over the years. It's open from 10 a.m. to sundown. There's no cover charge Mondays through Thursdays, and European-style sunbathing is permitted those days. For reservations, call 388-8588

Rehab: The original Vegas day party returns for its ninth season April 21 at the Hard Rock. Partiers can lay on the sand wearing as little as possible. Rehab runs from 11 a.m. until sunset every Sunday. Entry is $30 for women, $50 for men. Admission is free for local women and Hard Rock Hotel guests.

Venus Pool:The Caesars Palace adult pool party kicks off April 20. You can make reservations online.

The Voo: As in Voodoo, which allows guests to worship the sun European-style at the Rio. The pool opens April 13, and initial hours will be from 9 a.m. to 6 p.m. Hours will increase as daylight hours expand during the summer. Day bed and cabana rates vary depending on the day, as do cover charges. For information, call 777-6774..

Encore Beach Club: Now open on Saturdays and Sundays (except Easter), the pool in the Encore at Wynn Las Vegas will begin offering headline DJs next month. A grand opening is scheduled for April 21, featuring sets by Size Matters artists Steve Angello of Swedish House Mafia and AN21. The next day brings in Tiesto, voted "The Greatest DJ of All Time" by Mixmag, to kick off Daystar Sundays. Beginning April 21, Recess Fridays will be added to the lineup. Hours are from 11 a.m. to 7 p.m. Cover is $30 for women and $40 for men and may vary for holidays and special events. Call 770-7300 for reservations or buy tickets online.

Marquee Dayclub: Stockholm dance music DJ Avicii kicks off the season April 21. Other DJs set for the season include Above & Beyond, Armin van Buuren, Arty, ATB, Benny Benassi, Cedric Gervais, Chuckie, Cosmic Gate, Dash Berlin, Dirty South, EDX, Erick Morillo, Gabriel & Dresden, Gareth Emery, Hardwell, Kaskade, Markus Schulz, Nicky Romero, RedFoo, Sander van Doorn, along with Sunnery James & Ryan Marciano. In addition to its eight cabanas, Marquee also has overnight bungalows with individual pools and an open-air party deck. Hours are from 10 a.m. to 6 p.m. daily. For reservations, call 333-9000.

Bagatelle Beach: The Tropicana kicks off a new day party theme on Memorial Day weekend with champagne brunch and poolside Mediterranean dining. It's aimed at being the beachside version of New York's Bistrot Bagatelle. Renovations of the beach and nightclub are under way, and it's all being managed by the ONE Group, which also has STK restaurant in the Cosmopolitan. (Credit: Las Vegas Sun)

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Gai Waterhouse-trained Pierro Wins $3.5 million Golden Slipper: Rosehill, Sydney; Celebs Marquee

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The top line race and racing festival is about big business, money, bums on seats, sports betting, celebrities and milking the news media machine.

Pierro, trained by Gai Waterhouse, has won the $3.5 million Golden Slipper at Rosehill.

"Gai Waterhouse said six months ago this horse was going to win the Golden Slipper," winning jockey Nash Rawiller said.

"(At the time) I shook my head and walked away. She's a genius."

Gai said Pierro would take out the Golden Slipper after the colt made a winning debut in the Breeders' Plate at Randwick Racecourse in October.

Rawiller had Pierro positioned behind the leader Snitzerland and the colt never went around a runner before claiming the world's richest race for two-year-olds.

"Today I ended up getting a perfect run," Rawiller said.

"I knew if he got a trouble-free run he would be hard to beat."

Waterhouse, who saddled up five runners in the race, has now claimed Sydney's signature thoroughbred race four times.

"He just wore the filly down ... it was really exciting," Waterhouse said.

Snitzerland gave everything in defeat after taking up the running as the field settled.

She was being hailed the winner until Pierro, a son of former champion racehorse and now leading sire Lonhro, emerged with his run.

Melbourne filly Samaready, who started favourite, took third placing after covering ground.

Pierro is now unbeaten in four starts.

THE BMW

Manighar has led home a trifecta for imported stayers with victory in the $2.25 million BMW.

Making it three Group One weight-for-age wins under the care of new trainer Peter Moody, Manighar defeated fellow northern hemisphere imports Americain and Drunken Sailor in the 2400m feature.

"He just loves it here," part-owner Simon O'Donnell said.

"He might have been born and bred in France but he's a fully-fledged Aussie as far as I'm concerned."

Jockey Luke Nolen had Manighar racing outside the leader Fiumicino.

Nolen took the six-year-old to front as the field straightened and the result was never in doubt.

Americain gave his all after being forced to race three-wide for the entire trip.

The 2010 Melbourne Cup winner was under pressure at the 400m but rallied strongly in the final stretch.

Drunken Sailor, raced in the same interests as Manighar, took the minor placing.

Manighar and Drunken Sailor were trained by English conditioner Luca Cumani before finding their way into the stables of Moody and Mike Moroney respectively.

"It's been quite a feat," Nolen said of Manighar's run of form which has also included Group One wins in the Australian Cup and Ranvet Stakes.

"Pete's a marvellous trainer but I think we've been given a true indication of his abilities with what he has been able to do with this horse."

GEORGE RYDER STAKES

Metal Bender upstaged a star-studded field to win the $400,000 George Ryder Stakes.

Aided by a precise ride from Michael Rodd, Metal Bender defeated Victorian galloper Rekindled Interest in a blanket finish involving five runners.

"The only place I wanted to go was along the fence. I could see everything opening up in front of me," Rodd said.

"All I could see was green lights everywhere I went."

In a race which changed complexion over the final 100 metres, Metal Bender's head bobbed at the right time to give trainer Chris Waller a Golden Slipper day Group One.

"Full credit has to go to Chris Waller," Rodd said.

"He always gets these horses to back up and run well and he did it again today."

Two-time Group One winner Secret Admirer finished third, just ahead of New Zealand star King Mufhasa, showing she is on target for the Doncaster Mile.

QUEEN OF THE TURF STAKES

Glamour mare More Joyous has continued her march towards the Doncaster Mile with an emphatic win in the $400,000 Queen Of The Turf Stakes.

Making it two wins in as many autumn starts, More Joyous made a one-act affair of the Group One race for fillies and mares.

She worked forward from a wide draw to sit outside the leader Red Tracer before jockey Nash Rawiller took a trail on King's Rose in the middle stages.

Rawiller was then able to bide his time until he presented More Joyous three-wide at the top of the straight.

The multiple Group One winner quickly had her rivals covered, establishing a lead at the 200m before drawing away.

Miss Keepsafe closed late to finish second with King's Rose holding on for third.

"I've got a lot of confidence in her ... why wouldn't I," Rawiller said.

"That was her 17th win in 24 starts ... gee she's got a motor.

"She's an absolute pleasure to ride."

Trainer Gai Waterhouse was typically upbeat about More Joyous's chances in the $2 million Doncaster Mile, run at the mare's home track of Randwick in two weeks.

"She is so well weighted she should win it," Waterhouse said.

More Joyous was a victim of a rain-affected track in last year's Doncaster when she finished 11th of 17 runners as favourite.

Celebrities...

Other than Gai Waterhourse, Myer face Jennifer Hawkins showed and posed for a few photos, and performing artist Jessica Mauboy showed and performed for crowd patrons who were prepared to pay with an additional $70 or so for a fun day at the races. We suspect many would have put that kind of money on an extra bet or two on their favourite four legged friends.

Other...

The weather was beautiful and sunny. Main recommendation for future events is to provide lots more nearby car parking for hard working news media and members of the public.

Summary...

A good day at the races, and with some fine tuning in making the event more public and news media friendly next year the event might almost become perfect. Racing NSW wants to bring back the masses to attend live racing, however they need to go the extra mile, as everyone is competing for the entertainment dollar, and lets face it - there's plenty more entertainment options in town - especially at the moment, and many more more affordable.

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Kerry Packer Aussie Legend Live On Via Art And TV - 12th May 2010

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Media Man revisits one of their most popular news stories from 2010...

G'day punters, casino and gambling millionaires and billionaires, media magnates, journalists, historians and art lovers. Art lovers?! Yes, today we bring you a special Kerry Packer special. The legend lives on, not only here, but now at an Australian artists exhibition, and of course 'Our James' (James Packer) continues to fly the flag and do the family legacy proud with his Crown Limited empire. Not only that, we also cover the pending return of KP to Australian television in an ABC mini series tipped to hit the jackpot, and Network Nine is bringing back 'Underbelly', complete with gambling themes. Media Man and Gambling911 present The Kerry Packer Special...

Kerry Packer & Friends...

Kerry Packer & Friends - NG Art Gallery - 7th Dec - 24th Dec 2010

3 Little Queen Street

Chippendale, NSW Sydney AUSTRALIA

Tuesday - Saturday 11.00am - 5.30pm

Ok punters, here's the rundown. The artist - storyteller is Gina Sinozich. She's an 80 year old, Croat, Sydney based artist who paints in order to help recycle memory. Sinozich's latest exhibition, Kerry Packer and Friends, is her first solo commercial effort in Sydney and is tells the story of the legendary Kerry Packer. She covers the unique personality and complexities of a legend who was known for his astronomical wealth, super whale gambling exploits, running his business with an iron fist, and colourful run ins with the Australian government, amongst other things.

Sinozich migrated down under to Australia is 1956 and began to paint at the age of 75, now having work in Australian and New Zealand corporate and public collections. Her show showcases Packer as 'one of us' rather than the untouchable media tycoon. Sinozich was inspired to tell the story on the premise that we often hear bad before good. This tribute to KP is generous and reveals alot of the most powerful men in the world, who in 2004, was estimated to have a net worth of AUD 6.5 billion. The work of Sinozich will be showcased at NG Art Gallery from the 7th-24th of December and is certain to excite audiences, punters, art lovers or both. A fews Aussie commentator think this blows away much of the art that American gambling tycoon Steve Wynn shows off. Maybe Wynn might like to make a purchase of some classic Packer creations.

Sinozich says Packer gave back to society in a meaningful way and the series was intended to stand as a testament for this man's intrinsic goodwill after his death in December 2005. She recites a story that fuelled her initial interest in Packer, "...one lady said that she was on George Street with two little kids behind her and she was running...running to go on the train, and he (Packer) stopped her and said, 'don't you have a car?' and he wrote a cheque for her and said here, 'buy yourself a car'." Sinozich also fondly recalls, "...when he was playing in casino in Perth he won so much money and the girl who was serving wine...he asked her, 'do you have a mortgage on the house?' she said 'yes', then he wrote a cheque for AUD 600,000."

The talented, even cunning, artist worked like a Trojan horse for a fortnight and managed to produce 26 paintings that deeply explore her subject's nature, removing much of the mystic of Packer as an uncompromising media mogul. All the characters in Sinozich's work have a yarn to tell, and most aspects of his life are covered... birth, death, and much of the in between. Make no mistake, the works are smart, and unique, and are tipped to become collectors items.

The work is relatively simple, but full of life, and has been described as "traditional representational painting", which one may argue is a dying art. We think KP would have liked the tribute, and we await word to see what living members of the Packer clan think of the works.


Kerry Packer Legend To Return To Australian TV In Cleo Mini Series...

Packer is to return to life on Aussie TV via new ABC drama Paper Giants: The Birth Of Cleo (not to be confused with the Cleopatra slot game).

Australian readers may recall the public backlash to the introduction of the super sexy womens’ title in 1972. There were Cleo lovers and haters, but we're still talking about it today, so it made an impact, which is better than many of today's rags.

Rob Carlton will play a young Packer opposite Asher Keddie as publishing pioneer, the sexy and smart Ita Buttrose.

Rumours of a sexual relationship between Packer and Ita around the time of Cleo magazine's start off, but this won't be a focus on the mini-series, due to air next year.

Buttrose, who first made her mark as the magazine's editor, was a consultant on the production.

"If there was a supposed affair it didn't happen in this timeframe. I have no idea if there was, we didn't raise it with her," Edwards said.

There ABC publicity brief has whet our appetite for lots of Packer classic stuff and enough scandal to keep us coming back for more.

"It's 1972. Skirts are up, pants are down. Girls can have anything: Fabulous careers, fashionable clothes and oral sex," spruiks the promo.

The drama cleverly follows the death of Sir Frank Packer and the rise of his second son, who defies even family expectation to succeed, in a way no one could have expected.

"It was a real turning point in Kerry's career. It was a period when he made his first big move and it was an astonishing success and one against the odds in some respects," Edwards said.

Cleo magazine itself was a fine, yet controversial work, and introduced the nude male centrefold and sexual hits, tips, tricks and more for women. Media Man friend, actor Jack Thompson, is tipped to have his racy centrefold recreated. Something about a 6th finger, down there.

ABC TV by all accounts have taken a calculated risk on the series. Most quarters of society, both insiders and outsiders we've chatted with believe the gamble will pay off with a tidy jackpot, and whispers already circulate as to how many awards the show and actors will pick up.


Nine's David Gyngell Respects Packer History; PBL Becomes Nine Entertainment Co...

KP put Publishing & Broadcasting Media on the map and grew it to become arguably the biggest media brands in Australia.

PBL - the name, is now history, since Bondi Beach based chief executive, David Gyngell, rebranded it with Nine Entertainment Co.

Gyngell, who announced the rebranding at Nine's 2011 program launch in Sydney on Friday, advised the new name would be more recognisable to the public and large and went on to emphasise Nine's broad range of businesses, which sport Nine, ACP Magazines, Ticketek and NineMSN.

The recognition factor is important since the firm is likely to be floated on the Australian Stock Exchange by its private equity owners, CVC Asia Pacific, in the first half of next year.

It's understood that a strong level of support from a host of retail investors will be key to the $5 billion-plus float's chances of a jackpot.

Gyngell wisely acknowledged it was not an easy decision given he is the late Kerry Packer's godson and great mate of James Packer. History buffs, just in case you wondered, PBL was formed way back in 1994 when KP merged Nine with ACP (Australian Consolidated Press).

"PBL has a long association with the Packers so personally I don't take that lightly. But it's modernising a business that needs to be publicly known. We don't have the luxury of having James Packer or another mogul giving the company real gravitas."

Other media updates down under include Network Seven being backed by Kerry Stokes and Network Ten's board now has James Packer, News Corporation director Lachlan Murdoch, mining magnate Gina Rinehart and WIN TV owner Bruce Gordon.

"Nine is the biggest thing that we have and it is also the thing that supports all the other companies in the best possible way," Gyngell said. "It will be a new year. We are starting again.

Nine confirmed its crime drama Underbelly would come back with a series set in the roaring 20s in Sydney as well as 3 Underbelly movies! And, get this, a good spot of gambling will also be featured.

Greg Tingle is a Special Contributor to the Gambling911.com website and Runs Media Man International.

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Casinos, Hotels and Resorts Of The World; Media Man Entertainment news update

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Punters, here's 10 of the world's top land based casinos for you to mark down in your travel plans.

Monte Carlo, Monaco: Perched above the Mediterranean and bounded by the French
and Italian coastlines on either side, Monaco provides a spectacular and luxurious setting for the wealthy and the wannabees. Home to the Monaco Grand Prix and the legendary Casino de Monte Carlo, this isn't the place for those on a tight budget. The magnificent Casino hosts the annual European Poker Tour and was also the scene of several James Bond Films, including the original "Casino Royale" and "Golden Eye".

Paradise Island, Bahamas: Located just off the shore of the city of Nassau, Paradise
Island is best known for its sprawling 'Vegas-by-the-sea' resort, Atlantis. The resort spans seven acres along a lagoon, where guests can soak up the Caribbean sun and choose from a variety of outdoor gaming areas. When in need of a break from the tables, guests can enjoy the private beach or one of the resorts 20 sunlit pools.

Melbourne, Australia: As Australia's sporting and entertainment capital, Melbourne
offers the perfect option for high rollers looking for a local break. Aussies need look no further than Crown Casino on the southern bank of the Yarra River, which is one of the largest casino complexes in the southern hemisphere. The main gambling floor stretches more than half a kilometre and the casino was the first to introduce the new game Rapid Roulette, which allows players to place bets on a personal electronic touch screen connected to a central roulette wheel.

Macau, China: Known as the 'Monte Carlo of the Orient,' and the gambling capital of Asia, Macau now rivals Monaco and Las Vegas as one of the premier gambling destinations in the world. With no less than 33 casinos, in addition to local horse and greyhound racing venues, Macau is perfect for the betting junkie. The Wynn Macau casino is a standout, highlighted by 24-carat gold 'Tree of Prosperity' at the entrance, extravagant water displays and Moon Jellyfish Aquarium at reception.

Baden-Baden, Germany: Situated on the western foothills of the Black Forest and on the banks of the Oos River, Baden-Baden is not your typical casino town. However, in addition to its hot springs and picturesque countryside, the town is also known for its 200-year-old 'Spielbank' casino - the oldest of its type in Germany. With French chateau-style salons rooms named after historical figures such as Madame Pompadour and Louis XV's mistress, the quirky casino provides visitors with a very unique gaming experience.

Las Vegas, United States: With over 1700 licensed casinos in operation, Las Vegas offers the ultimate package for travellers who fancy a flutter. A visit to the famous 'Strip' is a must for any player, whether they're looking for a spin on the roulette table or a game of blackjack - this city has it all. The iconic Caesar's Palace hotel and casino offers 129,000 square feet of casino space plus an endless smorgasbord of entertainment, shopping and fine dining options, including Cleopatra's barge, a floating lounge perfect for a relaxing drink after a jam-packed night on the casino floor.

Manila, The Philippines: With a favourable exchange rate, Manila provides great value for Aussies wanting to live the high-life overseas. The city offers a range of shopping and entertainment options, along with a world-class casino at the Hyatt Hotel. Spread across three levels, the sparkling casino offers the newest in gaming facilities for both hotel guests and visitors, and is just a short distance from Manila's tourist hub.

Sun City, South Africa: Known as 'Africa's Kingdom of Pleasure,' this luxury resort and casino complex, just two hours from Johannesburg, boasts two large casinos, two 18-hole golf courses and a wildlife reserve. At the extravagant yet picturesque Palace of the Lost City, guests are treated to stunning valley views from the guestrooms, along with exclusive access to the Grand Pool. The nearby Sun City Casino is the entertainment Mecca of the resort, featuring a myriad of gaming options as well as an indoor jungle of native foliage and water fountains.

Atlantic City, United States: Regarded as the US's 'Las Vegas of the East', Atlantic City in New Jersey is renowned for its gambling, shopping and fine dining. Towering above the banks of the Atlantic Ocean, the Trump Taj Mahal casino is an icon of the city, with an on-site shopping district and an abundance of restaurants and bars. The 157,000 square-foot casino is also hard to miss, with 3,500 slot machines and 200 table games. Unveiled in 1990 by a number of celebrities, including the late Michael Jackson, the casino is the second-largest in Atlantic City and well worth a visit.

Genting Highlands, Malaysia: Nestled on the Titiwangsa mountain range, just an hour's drive from Kuala Lumpur and 6,000 feet above sea level, the Resorts World Genting offers 360-degree views of the surrounding countryside. This spectacular resort has first-class accommodation, dining and entertainment, while avoiding the hustle and bustle of a capital city. The on-site casino, which covers 200,000 square feet, is Malaysia's sole gaming venue and is divided into separate themed areas, such as Hollywood and Monte Carlo, for the ultimate gambling experience.

The Star casino sacks three managers; Sin City Sydney cleaned up

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The Star Echo Entertainment Casinos Clubs Sydney Australia

Downtown "Sin City" Sydney, Australia, continues to get Las Vegas Strip type publicity with its Star casino sacking not one, but three more managers, including one who forwarded an email that disclosed that international high rollers aka "casino whales" are permitted to gamble for more than 24 hours non-stop.

One may ponder what the late, great, Australian king of the "whales", Kerry Packer might have thought of the current situation. Our observations are that James Packer, son of Kerry, takes a more "play by the rules" (legal and totally above board) approach than that of his legendary father, but don't expect public comment to come from JP on that front.

The Star's scandals have not slowed down Mr Packer's desire to own and operate The Star, but back to matters and hand.

The sackings aka's "Don't come Monday" came after the casino last Tuesday engaged high powered and super effective legal eagles to terminate mid-level managers for breaches of its internet and email policies, the Sydney Morning Herald reports.

An unlucky Seven staff have now been dismissed or have left voluntarily in the wake of the termination of the casino's managing director Sid Vaikunta last month.

One of the three recently sacked had forwarded an email, dated February 21, from director of VIP services Dean Wilson that revealed responsible gambling rules used to prevent locals betting for longer than 24 hours did not apply to wealthy foreigners.

Mr Wilson notified staff he asked responsible gambling manager Ron Wagemans to clarify the policy after a staffer wrongly warned two guests that had been playing table games for 21 hours that they would soon be asked to leave.

Mr Wilson said international guests had a limited time to play and an established amount of money they were prepared to gamble with.

He later sent an email saying to several hundred pit managers working at four other casinos in Australia operated by Echo Entertainment stating they should watch international guests for signs of fatigue and ask them if based in were ok to play.

Mr Vaikunta was accused of alleged misconduct and sacked on February 2.

Readers are reminded that if they ever enjoy a punt, please bet with your head, not over it, and have fun.

Australians are widely considered as the world's biggest and most passionate gamblers.

Slot games are the most popular at most venues, followed by poker, blackjack and sports betting.

Media Man congratulates management of The Star - Echo Entertainment on their recent pro active efforts and results in improving the work environment at their world class entertainment and casino complex.

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TV Week Logies Nominations In Sydney, Australia Tonight; Park Hyatt Hosts Stars

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Tonight's the night for the Australian entertainment industry... especially television land. Ok, it's arguably Australian TV's second most important night, being that for the TV Week Logies Nominations.

Rupert Murdoch owned News Limited has leaked a list of Gold Logie nominees we understand. You want to know who is on the list...here goes, but this is speculation, not actually face, so here it is...

Esther Anderson
Carrie Bickmore
Hamish Blake
Adam Hills
Asher Keddie
Karl Stefanovic

Last year News Limited also disclosed a list of Gold nominees ahead of time and was pretty close to the mark, but not quite a hundred percent, by tipping Carrie Bickmore as a Gold nominee for 2011.

Check in with us again in a few hours when we can disclose the full list of nominees, with no guesswork or Chinese whispers required.

We would like to say a big thank you to everyone who made The Logies Nominations a success, and a big thank you to The Lantern Group. We'll see you on the red carpet again soon... most likely at the 2012 Logies.

The 2012 TV Week Logie Awards will take place on April 15 at Melbourne's Crown Casino, and US rapper Flo Rida is tipped to open the festivities. No word yet on whether Mr and Mrs James Packer (top brass of Crown Limited) will attend, as they are usually lurking in the shadows... so to speak, rather that looking for the spotlight - which we're sure many stars will be seeking out.

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The Star Opens Marquee Nightclub; Entertainment Rather Than Casino Focus - 15th March 2012

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The Star Echo Entertainment Casinos Clubs Sydney Australia

The Star tonight unvieled their latest weapon in the Australian casinos wars - all part of the battle for the entertainment dollar.

The pitch reads...

Internationally acclaimed nightclub operator Tao Group is set to bring a monumental change to Sydney's nightlife landscape with the opening of Marquee - The Star Sydney in late March 2012.

Marquee - The Star Sydney will be located on the entire top tier of The Star's new Pirrama Road harbourside entrance, commanding expansive views of Sydney Harbour and the city skyline. With nearly 20,000 square feet of floor space, the venue is designed to house three distinct spaces within the one venue to cater for different tastes and moods.

The Main Room will feature a 30-foot projection stage with an LED DJ booth and two dance floors.

In contrast, a stylish Library style room will offer an intimate lounge experience, accentuated by a working fireplace.

Venturing further into the venue, club-goers will come across the Boom Box, with a separate DJ, state-of-the-art sound system and outdoor patio. There is also a chill-out area with unparalleled views of the Sydney skyline and a unisex "bathroom lounge".

Furnished with dynamic and unique interiors, the venue will have a retail store and separate VIP entrance for quick entry from street level.

Perth based band Gyroscope played:

Pain
1981
Beware
Wolf
Still Taste Blood
Dream BS Scream
Doctor Doctor
Live Without You
Sotpik
Midnight Express
Baby
Weapon
Enemy Friend
These Days
Safe Forever
Take This For Granted
Fast Girl
Snakeskin

We would like to say a big thank you to everyone who made today a success, and we'll see you back at The Star again soon.

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James Packer Super Keen On Sydney Hotel Casino Complex; Expanding Gaming Empire In Sin Sity

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Kerry Packer (the late) and James Packer

The Packer family has long wanted a substantial gaming investment in "Sin City" Sydney. The late, great Kerry Packer missed the boat, and son James intends to get the job done.

This time a Packer has time on his side, and many experts feel that the environment is right , plus Echo Entertainment is seen as quite a soft target at present.

For decades, the Packer name has gone hand in hand with land based casinos.

Kerry Packer was a casino whale VIP of the highest order. We mean high roller of the highest callibre.

Most readers would have heard about his table bets that made other casino owners tremble with fear. Australia, Las Vegas and quite a few points in between. When word got around KP was to bet at a casino, casino owners and managers got nervous. Sometimes the house would win a million or two, or much more - sometimes it was the other way round, but the big man loved a punt.

Croupiers more often than not would get a generous tip from Kerry, so you can imagine the mourning in the casino world when we lost KP.

His first attempt to jump to the other side of the tables, however, ended badly when the New South Wales government awarded the tender for what is now The Star, Sydney's first legal casino, to a rival consortium led by construction group Leighton. Don't get us started on illegal gambling dens, but you might want to read up on George Freeman and friends.

The Sydney Morning Herald covered some of the history beautifully when it points to a rough as nails battle against the Fahey government, casino regulatory authorities and the winning consortium, complete with lurid accusations that Leighton's preferred land casino operator, the US-based Showboat, had ties with the Miami Mafia.

Before the official declaration of war, however, the Kerry Packer camp attempted to persuade Leighton's Wal King, at a face to face meet in his Crows Nest headquarters, that what he needed was a business partner and that Consolidated Press was willing.

More like an equal partnership, with half the management company too, King refused and the war was on for young and old.

Moving forward to the present day...some 18 years later and Packer JR is having a crack at the monopoly licence situation held by The Star, a monopoly that is in place to 2019.

Talkback radio kingpin Alan Jones has offered some modest on air (and off air) support to Packer, state politicians are lining up to take sides and James Packer, head of the Crown Limited, has used some nifty tricks er tactics his bid to make an impression on "Sin City" Sydney.

As of late its looking like a takeover in the building. Echo Entertainment was born out of Tabcorp last year. They own The Star and two Queensland casinos - one in Brisbane and another on the Gold Coast. Echo is set to accuse Crown Limited of failing to make proper disclosures, which have resulted in an uninformed market.

Last week Sydney was presented with plans for a huge new casino and hotel development, rising out of previously designated parkland at Barangaroo. Soon afterwards, it came to light that JP had put together a 10 per cent stake in Echo Entertainment and was pushing for board representation; except that he hadn't bought any shares at all.

What he bought, or rather what Deutsche Bank has assembled on Crown's behalf, is a "cash- settled derivative" over Echo Entertainment stock. Until last night no moolah has changed hands, it therefore is an "unsettled cash-settled derivative". Experts are trying to figure out exactly what that means. The word is that JP thinks he has control and is in the drivers seat.

The threats have put Crown into action and last night it confirmed it would pay Deutsche Bank $254 million today and tomorrow for the physical stock.

Before last year's demerger, James Packer reportedly owned 4.9 per cent of Tabcorp, which would then have delivered him 4.9 per cent of Echo Entertainment. Under the takeover laws, once an investor moves to 5 per cent, all share transactions must be disclosed to the stock exchange to ensure an informed market.

But under New South Wales law, no single shareholder can own more than 10 per cent of Echo. And so Echo will argue that by building a 10 per cent stake without buying shares on market and without disclosing an interest above 5 per cent, Packer has built a blocking stake in Echo in an uninformed market. But he faces potentially far greater challenges in his dream to build a second Sydney casino.

The plan has been put into action quickly. Too quickly is the billion dollar question, but it may be too early to tell for sure. JP is pushing the state government to alter the laws regarding Echo's shareholding restrictions and the development planning at Barangaroo.

The Star has nearly completed an $850 million refurbishment, specifically designed to take it upmarket and attract Asia's high rolling VIP "whales". After years of shunning high-end Asian gamblers, The Star almost overnight has become a direct competitor to Packer's Crown and Burswood casinos, which long have targeted wealthy Asian tourists, including the sought after "whales".

The competition regulator could get interested here because if Packer snatches Echo, it would give him absolute dominance in the Australian land based casino market.

Fairfax Media explained it this way "the cheekiest part about Packer's plan is that, given that Sydney has only one casino licence until 2019, and a single site licence at that, his plan is that Echo will fund this new billion-dollar edifice on the other side of Darling Harbour and operate it under a sublicence. It's a cute plan. Perhaps a little too cute."

NSW Premier Barry O'Farrell delivered a strong endorsement to the concept as soon as it was announced last week. He knows it will generate employment during construction and deliver much-needed tourist dollars. But as a politician, he's also switched on enough to realise the kind of political backlash this could generate.

Laws would need to be changed. And if a second casino is warranted, maybe go down the tender path. Maybe its time the likes of Donald Trump, Steve Wynn, Richard Branson and friends had a crack at running a casino operation in "Sin City" Sydney, Australia. Gambling and tourism tycoons - your throw of the dice.


Packer Gets 10 Percent In Echo Entertainment...

Media and gaming tycoon James Packer's Crown Ltd declared that it was not a substantial shareholder in Echo Entertainment, despite acquiring 10 percent of the rival casino group. Ken Barton, chief financial office for Crown, advised the company was "not a substantial holder of Echo for the purposes of the Corporations Act and therefore has no obligation to lodge a notice". Observers say this means Crown has not taken control of the 10 percent of Echo from Deutsche Bank, the investment bank believed to be the current owners of the shareholding.


Australian Casino kings James Packer and Larry Mullin war; Friendly or not?...

Top brass of The Star has issued a challenge to Crown Limited's James Packer to launch a full takeover bid if he desires a second Sydney casino.

A verbal has taken place between two of Australia's most high profile and successful gaming bosses as Larry Mullin, the CEO of Echo Entertainment - which runs The Star - railed at suggestions Mr Packer's Crown group wanted to use a stake of less than 20 per cent in Echo as the platform to build a $1 billion casino at Barangaroo.

Mr Mullin argued Mr Packer should not be allowed to build the casino without first taking over Echo Entertainment.

"There is only one casino licence (in Sydney)," he advised.

"If James Packer wants to get into this market the only way to do so is to launch a full takeover bid for Echo and reward all our shareholders."

Mr Packer was quick to reply, saying: "I don't expect Larry, as an American, to know Australian corporations law verbatim. Clearly he should spend more time studying before he ventures into that territory."

The knives started to come out as JP's bid for a Barangaroo casino received a boost from NSW Treasurer Mike Baird - who described it as a "bold" vision.

"I, for one, put my name on the table as someone that would welcome it as a great addition to Barangaroo, subject to the normal conditions," Mr Baird said.

Mr Mullin talked up the existing casino at Pyrmont, stating Echo's recent renovation program for The Star meant there was now "tremendous" growth potential for the venue's international VIP business that would flow through to the company's profits in coming years. He pointed to Echo accounts released last week showing overall VIP gaming revenues had doubled in the last six months.

Mr Mullin also broke his long standing silence on the sacking of The Star's former managing director, Sid Vaikunta.

He denied claims of a culture of covering up sexual harassment at the casino, saying: "We believe we reported everything appropriately."

Mr Mullin said he had known Mr Vaikunta "since 2002".

It is understood the two men worked together for about seven years at the Borgata Hotel and Casino in Atlantic City, USA.

Mr Mullin said an investigation limited what he could say publicly about his former colleague.
"I'm disappointed. It was someone I knew and respected and who had worked for us, and unfortunately he's moved on," he said.

It has been reported Mr Vaikunta was accused of "hitting on" a staff member in a limousine - and then a human resources manager at a staff function - in the space of two days.

A Media Man spokesperson / media commentator said "It appears to be a bit of a case that management forget they were now working out of Sin City Sydney... and not Las Vegas, where its well know that what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas. That's not usually the case in Sydney, despite the city being known for diversity and an open mind approach. This situation has made Echo Entertainment appear to be a softer target for some, which may include the likes of Crown Limited's James Packer."

Barrister Gail Furness SC is conducting the inquiry into his sacking on behalf of the NSW Casino, Liquor and Gaming Control Authority.

Stay turned to Media Man and Street Corner for more on this developing situation.


Buttrose's ex-husband sues over TV portrayal...

The former husband of media personality Ita Buttrose is suing the ABC for the way he was portrayed in the popular television mini-series Paper Giants.

Alasdair Macdonald says he has been defamed because the show wrongly depicted him as a man who left his wife because he was threatened by her.

In the New South Wales Supreme Court, Justice Henric Nicholas today referred the parties to mediation.

Paper Giants: The Birth Of Cleo was a massive ratings success for ABC1, with Asher Keddie winning an AFI and a Logie for her portrayal of Buttrose and her famous lisp.

Kerry Packer (Played by Rob Carlton) - credit: ABC

In the early 1970s Kerry Packer is in his 30s, a chain-smoking young man who has yet to step out from beneath the shadow of his indomitable father, Sir Frank Packer. CLEO magazine is the first project Kerry works on independent (to a large extent) of his father, and he knows if he blows this, his career in the business will be forever damaged. Yet knowing the consequences he decides to trust his instinct and back himself and respected colleague Ita Buttrose. With the successful launch of CLEO in November 1972 Kerry emerges as a shrewd businessman with street cunning and a visceral understanding of the media and how to make money from it.
Sir Frank’s death in 1974, two years after the sale of his beloved Telegraph newspapers, is traumatic for Kerry who feels the loss deeply, but the young entrepreneur also knows it is now his time to take the reins – and he is ready for it.

*the writer owns shares in Crown Limited, Virgin and Ten Holdings

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Gambling on advertising billboards in Sydney NSW; Packer and Singleton: You Bet, by Greg Tingle

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A cashed up company part-owned by media tycoons James Packer and John Singleton will soon fully start to cash in on major Sydney motorways, headed up by the M2 motorway.

Construction work on advertising billboards owned by Packer and Singleton's firm first started about 6 month ago and its understood some campaigns are already up and running, but the firm is not disclosing its full client or campaign list, as you would expect - not that anyone else could likely give them much of a run for their money.

These are not any average billboards... they will cost about $500,000 each all told, "Packer and Singo" are looking for strong return on investment.

The concession to erect billboards over the M2 was purchased by Manboom, a company owned by JP, Singo and Robert Whyte, from the M2's owner, Transurban, back in 1998. Talk about forward planning.

For more than a decade Manboom was unable to erect signs over the road because of road blocks from local councils! The M2 passes through three council areas and only one, Hornsby, would permit advertising billboards.

But in 2007 the then planning minister, Frank Sartor, amended legislation that stripped away councils of the right to determine policies for signs over motorways. The Department of Planning became the sole consent authority for motorway advertising.

The Media Man agency strongly suspects that a strained economy (and diluting council coffers) lessened council opposition to the advertising proposal put forward. You know... "Money talks and BS walks", whispered a Media Man insider.

It is not clear how much income Manboom will make from the concession to advertise over the congested M2. The firm has agreed to annual payments to Hornsby Council, the Hills Shire and the City of Ryde in return for its signage rights.

It will also pay for public benefit works commissioned by Roads and Maritime Services.

Transurban's spokesman said months ago: "The installation of advertising signage will fund improvements to the aesthetics and operation of bridges on the motorway, including new bridge facade cladding.

"The project will deliver safety improvements to the motorway and a designated source of ongoing funding for safety enhancements to the motorway," he said.

"The use of advertising signage provides an important alternative source of funding for infrastructure improvements and enhancements."

The M2 is in the middle of a two-year upgrade.

The former RTA last year opposed four of Manboom's 15 proposed signs on safety grounds. It cited a fear about "sign clutter" and a concern the angle of one billboard would distract motorists.

The Department of Planning upheld the RTA's concerns about the four signs.

Some studies say billboard advertising helps keep drivers alert, whilst others suggest they are a dangerous distraction. Readers - what do you think? A gamble with saftey or a gamble on the investment?

Its a safe bet that Packer, Singleton and Whyte have done their sums.

In the meantime plenty of other Sydney councils are watching the project closely to see if they may be able to also benefit financially from extra advertising on their roads.

*the writer owns shares in Crown Limited, Network Ten and Virgin.

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Crown Limited not substantial shareholder in Echo Entertainment - 1st March 2012

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Packer Gets 10 Percent In Echo Entertainment...

Media and gaming tycoon James Packer's Crown Ltd declared that it was not a substantial shareholder in Echo Entertainment, despite acquiring 10 percent of the rival casino group. Ken Barton, chief financial office for Crown, advised the company was "not a substantial holder of Echo for the purposes of the Corporations Act and therefore has no obligation to lodge a notice". Observers say this means Crown has not taken control of the 10 percent of Echo from Deutsche Bank, the investment bank believed to be the current owners of the shareholding.

Australian Casino kings James Packer and Larry Mullin war; Friendly or not?...

Top brass of The Star has issued a challenge to Crown Limited's James Packer to launch a full takeover bid if he desires a second Sydney casino.

A verbal has taken place between two of Australia's most high profile and successful gaming bosses as Larry Mullin, the CEO of Echo Entertainment - which runs The Star - railed at suggestions Mr Packer's Crown group wanted to use a stake of less than 20 per cent in Echo as the platform to build a $1 billion casino at Barangaroo.

Mr Mullin argued Mr Packer should not be allowed to build the casino without first taking over Echo Entertainment.

"There is only one casino licence (in Sydney)," he advised.

"If James Packer wants to get into this market the only way to do so is to launch a full takeover bid for Echo and reward all our shareholders."

Mr Packer was quick to reply, saying: "I don't expect Larry, as an American, to know Australian corporations law verbatim. Clearly he should spend more time studying before he ventures into that territory."

The knives started to come out as JP's bid for a Barangaroo casino received a boost from NSW Treasurer Mike Baird - who described it as a "bold" vision.

"I, for one, put my name on the table as someone that would welcome it as a great addition to Barangaroo, subject to the normal conditions," Mr Baird said.

Mr Mullin talked up the existing casino at Pyrmont, stating Echo's recent renovation program for The Star meant there was now "tremendous" growth potential for the venue's international VIP business that would flow through to the company's profits in coming years. He pointed to Echo accounts released last week showing overall VIP gaming revenues had doubled in the last six months.

Mr Mullin also broke his long standing silence on the sacking of The Star's former managing director, Sid Vaikunta.

He denied claims of a culture of covering up sexual harassment at the casino, saying: "We believe we reported everything appropriately."

Mr Mullin said he had known Mr Vaikunta "since 2002".

It is understood the two men worked together for about seven years at the Borgata Hotel and Casino in Atlantic City, USA.

Mr Mullin said an investigation limited what he could say publicly about his former colleague.
"I'm disappointed. It was someone I knew and respected and who had worked for us, and unfortunately he's moved on," he said.

It has been reported Mr Vaikunta was accused of "hitting on" a staff member in a limousine - and then a human resources manager at a staff function - in the space of two days.

A Media Man spokesperson / media commentator said "It appears to be a bit of a case that management forget they were now working out of Sin City Sydney... and not Las Vegas, where its well know that what happens in Vegas stays in Vegas. That's not usually the case in Sydney, despite the city being known for diversity and an open mind approach. This situation has made Echo Entertainment appear to be a softer target for some, which may include the likes of Crown Limited's James Packer."

Barrister Gail Furness SC is conducting the inquiry into his sacking on behalf of the NSW Casino, Liquor and Gaming Control Authority.

Stay turned to Media Man and Street Corner for more on this developing situation.

*the writer owns shares in Crown Limited

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Sydney needs more 5 star hotels says Chamber

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The Sydney Business Chamber has expressed its disappointment to opposition from the City of Sydney Council to a proposal for the development of a 5 star hotel at Barangaroo.

“If Sydney is serious about being in the tourism game, we need more 5 star hotels to compete with other Asia Pacific destinations,” said Patricia Forsythe, Executive Director of the Sydney Business Chamber.

“The Premier has every right to express his vision and support for developments in the Barangaroo precinct – it is a state significant project that should have the interest of the Premier.

“One of the reasons why Sydney has a scarcity of 5 star hotels is height limitations because of the City of Sydney’s limited vision.

“If we are going to compete on a world scale and maintain our place as a destination of choice, Sydney needs the type of accommodation that this development offers.

“Barangaroo is a once in a lifetime opportunity to add a truly remarkable precinct to the very heart of Sydney’s CBD. Being timid, and lacking imagination, will not deliver the sort of visionary project like the Sydney Harbour Bridge and Opera House that Sydneysiders will be expecting.”

Mrs Forsythe said that while the Sydney Business Chamber was supportive of bold developments in Barangaroo, such as a 5 star hotel development, it still needed to be approved through appropriate consultation and planning processes.

“What we are saying is, ‘don’t be opposed to any idea for opposition sake’ – and this development has far reaching implications that go well beyond the remit of the City of Sydney."

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Playboy Virgin Planning Space Club; Australia and U.S To Outer Space For Luxury Travel

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What could the future hold for adult entertainment brand Playboy? Think futuristic club: a zero-gravity dance club and a casino featuring "human roulette" – in outer space no less.

The potential Playboy Club in outer space would also include a restaurant for fine dining. It would be a massive structure for fun and games on a huge private space station, all in sci-fi fashion. Casino whales would be most welcome here.

We wonder if Australia's casino tycoon James Packer would want to get in on the action, and perhaps Yankee property tycoon Donald Trump, along with Las Vegas casino king Steve Wynn.

The space station project would be in conjunction with the space tourism company Virgin Galactic.

The concept is the brainchild of artist Thomas Tenery. The adult entertainment magazine also worked with several futurists and scientists, including Adam Wells, Virgin Galactic's head designer.

"As Virgin Galactic gets closer to becoming the world's first commercial space line, Playboy is eagerly pondering the creation of the ultimate intergalactic entertainment destination," Playboy editorial director Jimmy Jellinek said in a statement . "This heaven-in-the-heavens will exceed starry-eyed travelers' wildest dreams, and guests will truly experience a party that's out of this world."

The idea brings Playboy founder Hugh Hefner's vision to another dimension, which the magazine said tracks with the path of space exploration.

In the early 1960s, Hefner started opening Playboy Clubs and publishing the magazine's iconic "pad" features as the space race heated up.

"So at the dawn of the new space race, as corporations rather than governments vie to be the first to launch pleasure-seeking civilians into the heavens, we created the first renderings of a new celestial mecca," the magazine stated on its website. "With the help of futurists and rocket scientists … we imagine a Playboy Club in space. Here's your exclusive ticket to a party that's out of this world."

"The Playboy Club in space will be on a station in orbit, like a cruise ship," Playboy writers A.J. Baime and Jason Harper said. "Orbiting Earth is one idea, but it could also travel around other celestial bodies."

Hefner, Packer, Branson, Trump and Wynn - your throw of the dice.

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NSW Premier delighted with new Sydney casino plans; Packer Crown Limited pending jackpot

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The Australian casino (or gaming) wars have got to a whole new level. It's Packer's Crown VS Echo Entertainment in an almost 'State Of Origin' type battle for the bulk of Australia's land based casinos. One that will take place in a boardroom, rather than on a football field, but make no mistake - it's war.

But, there is no war but peace between Crown Limited and NSW Premiere Barry O'Farrell.

The New South Wales Premier Barry O'Farrell advised he is very pleased with plans for a second Sydney casino at Barangaroo.

James Packer's Crown Casino - Crown Limited gaming giant desires to construct a world class hotel, casino and entertainment complex at the site based Sydney Harbour.

It's a given that Packer has been watching the success of Echo Entertainment's The Star, which overlooks Sydney Harbour - but has recently got itself into a few scandals.

Last week Crown Limited increased its stake in Echo Entertainment, which runs The Star casino.

Mr O'Farrell says the proposal for a second venue would bring jobs and tourism to Barangaroo, however it would need to achieve regulatory approval before moving forward to development.

John Lee from the Tourism Transport Forum says it would add life to the area.

"You only have to go to Melbourne and see that area around the Yarra River, yes there's Crown Casino there, but there is also movie cinemas, bowling alleys - there's all sorts of things that entertain people when they go to the precinct," he said.

"It's actually a place now, or a destination that people love to go to."

Currently the law allows for only one Sydney casino licence until 2019.

Greens MP John Kaye says Sydney does not need a second casino.

"There shouldn't be a back door deal between the Packers and the Premier - this should be a matter of public debate," he said.

"If you put this to the people of New South Wales they will say no to a new casino because they know it increases problem gambling, they know it increases connections to organised crime."

Packer and his team have a history of getting things done... perhaps move than that of say Prime Minister Julie Gillard.

Watch this space.


NSW Premiere Barry O'Farrell applauds Packer proposal for a second casino...

The NSW Premier, Barry O'Farrell, has embraced plans by James Packer's group for a hotel and second Sydney casino at Barangaroo on land set aside as playing fields for office workers.

On Friday Mr Packer's casino group, Crown, advised Mr O'Farrell that Crown wanted a second Sydney casino as part of a hotel and restaurant complex in the centre of the harbourside site, which the Barangaroo Delivery Authority says is intended for "civic, educational and recreation spaces".

Mr O'Farrell said: "I think it's an exciting proposal which could add extra life to Barangaroo, give Sydney another world-class hotel, generate jobs and boost tourism."

The plan also involves building a 5 star hotel well north of the proposed commercial precinct, ensuring guests on upper floors have unobstructed views of the Sydney Opera House and the Heads.

"It's the sort of tourism-related investment we want in Sydney but everyone's aware there are a range of regulatory approvals needed before it could proceed," Mr O'Farrell said.

Those approvals include permission from government bodies for a second Sydney casino because the law now allows only one licence until 2019.

On Friday Crown increased to 10 per cent its stake in Echo Entertainment, which owns the Star casino, and has sought permission from regulators to increase its stake further.

If Crown Limited can gain control of the Star, its executive chairman, Mr Packer, could in fact pursue his plan for a Barangaroo casino to operate under an extended licence for the Star.

He has flagged that such a casino would not need poker machines and could simply have gaming tables, of which the Star can have an unlimited number.

As well as approval for a second casino, Crown Limited or another developer would need the government to change planning rules for the site which now restrict any building to 30 metres high and allow only 60,000 square metres of development in the whole of Barangaroo Central.

Last week a US landscape architect, Peter Walker, who has been retained to design Barangaroo's headland park, revealed that his plans included open playing fields for office workers, similar to the Domain on the eastern side of the central business district.

He has also proposed an outdoor space or amphitheatre for concerts in the central area of Barangaroo, which is proposed as a transition between the commercial towers in the south and the headland park in the north.


James Packer planning $1.5bn casino investment...

Crown Limited plans to spend more than $1.5 billion on building new luxury hotels in Sydney and Perth, after boosting its investment in rival casino operator Echo Entertainment, Crown's executive chairman James packer advised The Australian Financial Review.

Mr Packer's plan to expand the Crown chain beyond Melbourne is part of a campaign to attract wealthy Chinese gamblers aka "Oriental whale VIP high rollers" to Australia's shores, he told the newspaper.

“Australia needs to have truly world-class hotels,” he said, acknowledging that regulators would probably raise competition concerns.

“I want to build one in Perth and one in Sydney to go with what we have in Melbourne. It puts these cities on the map."

Mr Packer's comments come after Crown spent more than $250 million lifting its stake in Echo, which owns The Star casino in Sydney, and Jupiters on the Gold Coast, to 10 per cent, from 4.9 per cent previously.

Echo rejected Mr Packer's call for representation on the company's board.

*the writer is an investor in Crown Limited, Network Ten and Virgin Enterprises

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