Billionaire James Packer’s year from hell

JAMES Packer appears to have returned to business after a bad year, which included his split with Mariah Carey and casino woes.

Australian billionaire James Packer aboard a yacht off Cabo San Lucas in Mexico last weekend. Picture: Clasos/splashnews.

JAMES Packer has returned to business after a nightmare year, which included a highly publicised split with Mariah Carey and casino empire woes.

Mr Packer, who turned 50 in September, appeared at the Crown Resorts AGM last week after a public appearance hiatus following his high profile break-up with the singer-songwriter.

And then last weekend, after jetting off to Mexico, the unlucky-in-love billionaire was photographed sunning himself on deck aboard a yacht off the resort town of Cabo San Lucas.

Relaxing with three male friends aboard the Ganesh A, he sat around in Speedos chatting and eating in front of a giant image of Marilyn Monroe.

The third generation tycoon, who is the son of the late media magnate Kerry Packer, appeared to have have put back on the weight he lost before his break from public life.

Five years ago, Mr Packer was photographed in the surf sporting a six pack after a 35kg weight loss following lap band surgery.

Australian billionaire James Packer aboard a yacht off Cabo San Lucas in Mexico last weekend. Picture: Clasos/splashnews.

A woman holds ups a towel for James Packer aboard the Ganesh A, moored off the Baha Peninsula in Mexico last weekend. Picture: Clasos/splashnews.

James Packer relaxed with friends on the yacht after flying to Mexico from Melbourne last week. Picture: Clasos/splashnews.

James Packer and his then-wife Erica Packer aboard their yacht in Sydney Harbour with their three children in 2012. Picture: INF.

Mr Packer celebrated his half-century birthday milestone last month at his Ellerstina polo ranch in Argentina with perhaps a rueful look back at the year just gone.

His challenging year saw his Crown empire expansions curtailed and the end of his relationship with superstar Carey.

Mr Packer had appeared trim and fit during his relationship with the entertainer, which ended in October last year.

The split came within days of the arrest of 19 of Packer’s Crown Resorts employees in Shanghai for allegedly chasing high roller gamblers.

Crown sold its interests in joint-venture casinos in Macau soon after. The Chinese Government, which deems gambling illegal, released the staffers and fined Crown $1.67m.

James Packer has had a tumultuous year with a split from Mariah Carey and casino empire woes. Picture: Clasos/splashnews.

Packer flew to Mexico after appearing at the AGM of Crown Resorts in Melbourne last week. Picture: Scott Barbour.

To add to Mr Packer’s problems, his friendship with Benjamin Netanyahu was aired during an inquiry into unsubstantiated claims about the Israeli prime minister.

Earlier this year, Mr Packer vanished from sight, reportedly holed up in California and Argentina in the wake of his turbulent break-up and business woes.

He re-emerged in June aboard his superboat, Arctic P, moored in French Polynesia when he was joined by Today show host Karl Stefanovic, 43, and his girlfriend Jasmine Yarbrough, 33.

And on Thursday last week, with his Crown Resorts executive chairman John Alexander, Mr Packer strode into the annual general meeting in Melbourne.

James Packer was looking trim when he stepped out with Mariah Carey in St Tropez, France before their split. Picture: INF.

Mr Packer addressed criticism about how Crown Resorts dealt with problem gambling, saying allegations of misconduct raised by independent MP Andrew Wilkie were “a lie”.

Mr Wilkie had tabled claims in Federal Parliament that Crown Casino had “tampered with pokie machines”.

“Within the gambling industry, we try our hardest to be a good corporate citizen,” Mr Packer told the AGM.

“We have a real responsibility to make sure people aren’t harming themselves because in truth if that happens it becomes bad for us because of the political backlash, let alone the human cost.”

Following the Shanghai detention of Crown staff, questions had been raised about the viability of casinos in Australia with a sharp drop-off in visits by Chinese VIP gamblers.

But Mr Packer also said that he was increasingly confident of the potential for Crown’s $2.4 billion luxury hotel and VIP casino project at Barangaroo in Sydney, due to open in 2021.