Berejiklian, Daley say no change to pokies policy at Barangaroo Crown casino
Both sides of politics have strictly ruled out poker machines at Sydney’s new luxury Crown Barangaroo development ahead of the state election.
Both sides of politics have strictly ruled out poker machines at Sydney’s new luxury Crown Barangaroo development ahead of the state election.
Both Premier Gladys Berejiklian and Labor Leader Michael Daley have told The Daily Telegraph they stand firm on policy which prevents Crown from building pokies into its Barangaroo facility.
A Crown spokesperson confirmed Crown had never sought and are not seeking to have poker machines at the Barangaroo precinct - a luxury 70 floor property.
There has been market speculation that the resort giant would need to supplement the business model for the property by injecting poker machines to boost high roller revenue, but this was ruled out yesterday.
Mr Daley said Crown had not made representations to him for poker machines and told The Daily Telegraph he personally would always oppose pokies at the development.
“When the legislation came before parliament, that was my core concern. That if Labor was going to contemplate supporting a second casino, under no circumstances would there by pokies. I said that in my speech to parliament and it hasn’t changed.”
“No pokies,” he said.
A spokeswoman for Premier Gladys Berejiklian also said the government would not shift on the matter of pokies.
Asked if she ruled out pokies at Barangaroo, a spokesman said “yes, the policy will not change”.
Ms Berejiklian last year described the policy as a “VIP room”.
In 2014, Crown paid $100 million to secure the restricted license for the casino at Barangaroo.
Legislation passed in 2013 that would allow the facility to have an unlimited number of table games but no poker machines.
The resort will be a six star luxury hotel featuring 350 hotel rooms, 80 luxury apartments and is expected to be completed in 2021.
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