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Burswood
Entertainment Complex and Casino
News
James
Packer - Andrew "Twiggy" Forrest Indigenous
Employment Tag Team - 6th July 2011
Crown
Casino Aussie Millions; James Packer Special, by Greg
Tingle - 24th January 2011
G'day
punters, journos, high rollers - casino whales, gambling
millionaires and billionaires, poker sharks, entertainment
and arts news junkies, media tycoons, politicians,
insiders, outsiders, legal eagles... one and all.
You know who you are. Today we have a massive Crown
Casino Aussie Millions update for you, along with
other big news from Crown Casino's parent company,
Crown Limited, including the one and only 'Our James'
(James Packer) and friends. Media
Man and Gambling911
with a jam packed report we think the late, great,
Kerry Packer would be proud of, and we hope you're
delighted with it too...
Shane
Warnie M.I.A At Aussie Millions Yesterday (Including
Last Night); UK Connection?...
Champion
spinner, celeb poker pro (sort of) and face of Crown
Poker, Shane "Warnie" Warne was Missing
In Action yesterday, including in nocturnal hours,
as fellow hot blooded sportsman, Tiger Woods might
say. Yep, no show of Warnie and Aussie Millions, but
he wasn't seen on a jet either. Maybe one of Crown's
private fleet was commissioned for special delivery.
Warnie has been getting up nice and cosy to U.K babe
aka "poker babe" Liz Hurley in Los Angeles
of late, and we wish the happy couple many more winning
hands (and kisses and hugs et al). Warne is full expected
to show up at Crown Casino later this afternoon or
in the evening, or tomorrow at the latest. Warnie,
if you're a little behind schedule, its ok. No detailed
step by step - blow by blow explanation is required.
Great to see the work - life priorities in order.
Poke - er, on and off the felt - way to go son. Stay
tuned for more of the life and times of Shane Warne,
but sorry, no nude shots here, but inside scoops none
the less.
Melbourne,
Australia and UK: Aussie Millions Gossip: Did Poker
Ace Warnie Poke Her?...
The
champion spinner and reported ladies man, Shane Warne,
admitted he had been "busted" spending a
romantic weekend with English actress - babe Elizabeth
Hurley. The cricket legend had been trying to keep
the reunion under wraps after making a last-minute
dash to Los Angeles to rendezvous with the glamorous
movie star. But Warne, 41, was outed by keen News
Limited newspaper readers who spotted him on a flight
back from Los Angeles on Sunday evening. Approached
by the News Limited's Herald Sun at Crown's Aussie
Millions Poker charity fundraiser on Wednesday night,
Warne grinned and said: "Yeah, I know we've been
busted." He declined further comment on the success
of his reunion with the 45-year-old beauty. "Er,
next question," he replied. But mates at the
benefit later revealed Warne had confirmed his weekend
had gone "very well" and he had rekindled
the flame with Hurley. Their romance has slowed a
touch when it was revealed Warne has apparently sent
more than 100 text messages to married Brighton woman
Adele Angelari. "Let's just say he was pretty
happy," said a mate. Hurley made no secret of
being in Los Angeles, tweeting about the weather and
saying she watched the Golden Globe Awards from her
hotel. Shortly after Warne boarded the plane for home,
she tweeted: "A great weekend. Best in a long,
long time." We think congratulations may be in
order for Warnie's speculative "innings"
across the water. Yeah Warnie keep row row rowing
the boat, life might be such a breeze. May the good
fortune of Warnie rub off on you and may every hand
and women bring you a champion result. Warnie is not
only a solid poker player, but is a face of Crown
Poker, and also a keen golf player. It's not known
if he has scored a hole in one, but he sure knows
how to play them birdies. You know what we mean.
Aussie
Millions: A History Of Champions...
Who
will win this years Aussie Millions Championship?
It may be too early to tell, but Phil Ivey is a hot
favorite.
Let's
take a walk down memory lane and see who has taken
out the big one over the years...
2010
Champion
Tyron
Krost
Origin: Australia (Sin City Sydney)
Winnings: $2,000,000
Defeated 746 players
*sponsored by PartyGaming's PartyPoker
2009
Champion
Stewart
Scott
Origin: Australia
Winnings: $2,000,000
Defeated 681 players
*sponsored by PartyGaming's PartyPoker
2008
Champion
Alexander
Kostritsyn
Origin: Russia
Winnings: $1,650,000
Defeated 780 players
2007
Champion
Gus
Hansen
Origin: Denmark
Winnings: $1,500,000
Defeated 747 players
2006
Champion
Lee
Nelson
Origin: New Zealand
Winnings: $1,295,800
Defeated 418 players
2005
Champion
Jamil
Dia
Origin: New Zealand
Winnings: $1,000,000
Defeated 263 players
2004
Champion
Tony
Bloom
Winnings: $ 426,500
Defeated 133 players
2003
Champion
Peter
Costa
Origin: England
Winnings: $39,4870
Defeated 122 players
Aussie
Millions Player Profile: Phil Ivey; Hot Favorite...
He's
arguably the world's most famous gambler, only battling
for headlines with living legend, Doyle Brunson. He
bets, wins and looses fortunes on the flip of a card,
and he's certainly living the American Dream... to
be continued at Australia's expense many tipsters
stay. The 34-year-old shark (affectionate)... we like
you Phil, is playing in the Aussie Millions poker
tournament at James Packers' Crown Casino but he states
it's not the tourney or its million bucks main event
first prize that got him down under - its "the
action". Ivey is also rumoured to check out Sin
City Sydney's Star City, something we're not sure
Crown Limited powers that be wanted to read about,
but we have to keep things fair in the world famous
'Australian Casino Wars' right? No, we don't own shares
in Tabcorp - not yet anyway.
Ivey
is understood to have some similar nocturnal habits
to Tiger Woods, who he has sometimes been compared
to. He's also widely acknowledged by his peers as
the best player on at the planet at all 3 main poker
disciplines of the poker: online poker, cash games
and of course, tournament! Yeah, he's a killer, and
he also excels at other casino games.
Master
poker player Chris "Jesus" Ferguson generously
shares the following to the press: "In the past
that was three different people, but over the last
few years the best player was just Phil Ivey, and
there isn't even an argument, and that's really unusual
in a game like poker.
Howard
Lederer, another genius poker nut went on record with
"It doesn't matter what the game is, Phil's the
best". By the way, Lederer has a side bet with
Ivey on whether the champ will win another World Series
of Poker in the next two years. The bet is rumoured
to be $US5 million.
'Aussie
Millions' is Australia's undisputed richest poker
tournament, but the organised (official) poker games
are often quite the distraction for poker professionals
playing private cash games and taking side bets, while
they enjoy taking in everything that Australia has
to offer, including the beaches, Melbourne culture
and of course, the beautiful Australian women (and
climate).
Ivey
started playing card games at his grandfather's house
in New Jersey, USA growing up, later moving to Atlantic
City in his teen years. He trained 10 to 12 hours
a day playing, under a fake ID of course. Hey, it
is poker. Legend has it he went on to develop his
game at a regular 7-card stud game run by the Hustler
(the skin lad's mag and website) media mogul publisher
Larry Flynt.
It
was in 2002 Ivey won 3 WSOP bracelets thus establishing
himself as the world's best.
The
champ also plays table games including baccarat and
craps, and is a very keen better on sports.
"I
enjoy myself when I'm betting, life's just more fun
that way," said Ivey.
This
guys is loaded, on an off the felt. What's his fortune
worth? No one knows for sure. He shares "can't
relate to it and to talk about it seem crass".
Industry sources say Ivey has made more than $US18
million in online poker games since circa 2007.
Folks,
don't change your dials. The Aussie Millions Poker
Championships runs until Sunday, and yes, Packer,
Warnie and even yours truly are tipped to make a special
appearance, planned or a surprise. Security is the
strongest its ever been, so no funny business everyone.
Don't try to call our bluff.
Aussie
Millions: Sam Trickett Wins $100,000 Challenge Yesterday...
Trickett
Wins $1.5 Million to Grow his Career Wins to $3 Million
after a Challenging 3-Handed Battle against Tony Bloom
and Erik Seidel.
7
of the best players in the world, $100,000 each. Just
1 winner!
The
Final Table Chip Counts (with thanks to our Crown
Casino friends and spies)
1st
Sam Trickett 961,000
2nd David Steicke 622,000
3rd James Obst 571,000
4th Jeffrey Lisandro 454,000
5th David Benyamine 363,000
6th Erik Seidel 169,000
7th Tony Bloom 148,000
8th Chris Ferguson 89,000
James
Packer To Get High Roller Super VIP's On The Water
Off Perth, Western Australia...
Gambling
and media billionaire James Packer has an offer (and
a boat ride) for you, if you can afford it.
Welcome
to 'Infinity', a $50 million, 40m long Italian-made
'super yacht' to be berthed full time in Perth as
part of the Crown's 'World Of Entertainment' offering.
It's now tied into Burswood Casino, who are looking
to lure in more Asian - Oriental gamblers.
The
floating 5 star plus pad (if you can rate the unbelievable
luxury), along with its crew of lucky seven will be
available for the enjoyment of VVIP (very, very important
person) high rolling gamblers.
They
will lap up 4 guest rooms, including a huge owner's
stateroom complete with his and hers bathrooms.
Infinity
was unveiled to a group of Perth business folks this
past Thursday, strategically ahead of the opening
of the $10 million Rockpool restaurant, a new secret
weapon of Burswood.
Packer
was quoted by our friends at The Western Australia
"We regard ourselves as very lucky to be in Perth.
Clearly it's the boom city in Australia. I also personally
love Western Australia. "I've spent - for an
easterner - a lot of time in the west over the years.
I think the best of Australia is found in the characters
in Western Australia." It's well know that one
of Packer's good mates and close business associates,
Andrew 'Twiggy' Forrest is also based in Western Australia.
Burswood's
makeover is targeted at China's billionaires... all
150 of them! Yes, someone counted them.
Packer
is aware of the Burwood's casino and entertainment
complex mixed reputation and shares "If we keep
investing in the facility and we keep making it better
and better, then I think that will change. If you
look at Crown (casino) in Melbourne, all segments
of society frequent (it) from all different stratas
- and that is absolutely our desire for Burswood over
time."
Also
forecast this year are are two Infinity Mansions...total
price tag of $25 million - to be built in the grounds
at Burswood and the completion of a new and exclusive
Infinity gaming room, currently under way via the
rooftop of the Intercontinental Hotel of the complex.
"Our
genuine hope is that the mansions will be the two
best hotel rooms in the world," Packer said.
"That was our brief."
A
Media Man Int spokesperson said "Don't bet against
James Packer. He's proved the knockers wrong so many
times before its not funny. If you had believe the
naysayers, Packer would have lost all of his fortune
a few years ago. He bounced back in champion fashion
in is now regarded as one of the very best gambling
and media tycoons on the planet. Apart from that,
he's also a heck of a nice bloke who is fair and balanced
with his dealing with the press and public, and the
universe continues to reward the man and his family
for their good deeds. Packer is on a roll and nothing
not nobody looks to be able to catch him at the moment,
including Tabcorp or anyone else that dare try. Yeah,
we're glad we bought shares in his company also, and
make no secret about it. Of late, just about everything
he touches turns to gold. It's going to be a golden
year aboard the Packer express".
James
Packer Loves Perth: People, Innovation, Lifestyle,
His Casino And Food...
JP
told The Sunday Times on Friday, "I love the
Swan River ... it's better than Sydney Harbour."
Packer who is doing Perth with prime goals including
the launch the new Rockpool restaurant at his Burswood
complex, flew in from Singapore on Friday and posed
for photographs before heading off for an appointment
with mining heiress Gina Rinehart (a fellow major
shareholding in Ten). "We want to invest more
money in Perth. We regard ourselves as very lucky
to be here. It is clearly the most go-ahead city in
Australia and has an enormous future." Ok, so
what else can we tell you? His $350 million plans
to upgrade the Burswood resort include revamped rooms,
a new pool, a private gaming den, an extra 250 electronic
gaming machines aka "one armed bandits"
(Aussie slang), 50 more gaming tables and a 40m luxury
yacht for entertaining high rollers. Packer advised
he was looking forward to digging into a steak sourced
from five tonnes of beef on site but did not share
the same tastes as his late father, Kerry, who famously
walked out of the Barrenjoey House restaurant in the
1980s when Neil Perry, head chef at the time, refused
to cook him a well-done steak with tomato sauce. "I
like my steak medium-rare," JP said. For the
record likes with tomato sauce (so do we). "And
Neil doesn't cook enough of them for me." Punters,
what are you waiting for. Get yourselves over to Burswood
for a bit of 2, 4, 6, 8, dig in, don't wait. And,
good luck on the slots, tables, and out on the water,
if your lucky enough. Crown Limited powers that be
- your throw of the dice.
Take
the time to research and learn games before placing
down money
Media
Man, Casino
News Media and Gambling911
are website portals. Not casinos as such, however
are recognised as world leading websites that cover
the sector and act as central points to games, news,
reviews and more.
Readers...
er, punters, how did you like our special Aussie Millions,
Crown Limited and James Packer report? Tell us in
the forum.
If
you have a bet, please bet with your head, not over
it, and for God's sake, have fun.
*Greg
Tingle is a special contributor for Gambling911
*Media
Man is primarily a media, publicity and internet
portal development company. Gaming is just one of
a dozen sectors covered
*The
writer owns shares in Crown Limited
News
Australian
Casino News: Burswood Casino Update, by Greg Tingle
- 1st October 2010
A
big week for our friends at Burswood Casino aka Burswood
Entertainment Complex. Crown Limited head honcho James
Packer is back in Australia and is showing tremendous
leadership in the Australian gaming and entertainment
industry. Media Man treks across to Perth, WA, home
of the black swan and West Coast Eagles AFL club with
this special report. We've got it all for the loyal
and vast audience...
Burswood
Casino: Hotbed For Politics, Legal Eagles And Entertainment...
Burswood
Casino's 1750 or so gaming machines may sidestep new
rules aimed at curbing "problem gambling"
(still trying to figure out that) because WA authorities
claim they are games more of skill than chance. Yep,
its the age old argument of skill VS chance, first
championed in poker and online poker circles.
In
an interesting development to PM Julia Gillard's promise
to roll out "pre-commitment technology"
for poker machines by 2014, gaming officials claim
Burswood's machines are not pokies.
They
state they are electronic gaming machines, which may
be excluded from a national clampdown on problem gambling
requiring machines to be fitted with technology that
will force players to set a limit on how much they
choose to lose.
"EGMs
must have player interaction and it must not be possible
to play the machine without the player making a choice
of strategy or predicting an outcome prior to completing
the game," a spokesman for the Department of
Liquor, Gaming and Racing said.
Conventional
poker machines that dominate pubs, clubs (pokie palaces)
and casinos up and down Australia's east coast are
games of chance, and can be played with one button
press per spin, making it easier for players to loose
their moolah.
Both
the department and Gaming Minister Terry Waldron said
they were waiting for more details from Canberra to
see how the Prime Minister's pledge would affect WA's
machines.
"The
Gaming Commission is the gaming regulator in WA, it
will respond to any Federal proposals and it will
advise the State Government if a proposal is received,"
Waldron said.
Burswood
Casino, which is controlled by one of Australia's
wealthiest men, James Packer, declined to comment.
On a sidenote, Packer is also friends with Perth billionaire,
your friend and ours, Andrew "Twiggy" Forrest
(usually holding the #1 position on the Aussie rich
list). Forrest, Packer (and Media Man), are known
for their passion and support of GenerationOne initiatives,
which also include employment in casinos (inc tourism
and entertainment) and in the mining sector.
Let's
swing into the political aspects...As part of a deal
to hang on to power, Gillard verbally agreed to key
independent Andrew Wilkie's demand to mandate pre-commitment
technology for poker machines by 2014, either in co-operation
with the States or legislating over the top of their
objections. Exactly how much of the verbal become
a legally binding document is now known, but leading
Australian legal eagles say the Aussie government
may have entrapped itself and will not be able to
follow up on its promises to the "casino haters"
and "bible bashing" sector.
Wilkie
said it was unclear how pre-commitment technology
would affect WA's machines, but he planned to visit
the State to consider the different specifications.
"If
there are any aspects of the WA EGMs that need to
be reined in, then they will be," he sprouted
off.
Burswood
Casino is the only venue in WA allowed to have gaming
machines, and recently applied to add another 250.
The
machines are the casino's biggest money-spinner, raking
in about $210 million in 2008-09.
A
Productivity Commission inquiry into gambling earlier
this year found Australians lost $19 billion per year
on the great Aussie tradition of having a punt.
Online
slot games and online sports betting are a couple
of the main growth areas, and switched on land based
casinos such as those ran by Packer continue to ramp
up the entertainment and tourism tie ins, spreading
risk, adding value, and creating a more widespread
appeal. Packer has a 50% holding in Betfair. PartyGaming
are understood to be keen to lock down an online b2b
deal with Crown, with talk being a Shane Warne, Underbelly
and Kerry Packer themed slot game would being in record
business. A Shane Warne poker room deal is on the
cards for Crown Casino, however that's not related
to any dealings with PartyGaming or any other igaming
firm. The Packer - Warne friendship and business mentorship
situation has been in place for many years. Both gents
are understood to be part of the 'Aussie Gumleaf Mafia',
a phrase coined by Media Man International last year,
and the rumour mill says the group is currently recruiting
new and highly qualified individuals. A certain Bondi
Beach beach based world acclaimed photo journalist
is on the want and to do list, as is an actor who
played a significant role in recent episodes of Underbelly,
and another legend of the Australian entertainment
industry who also owns a pub and is known for his
fund raising for Indigenous Australia and other worthy
causes. Hint, that bloke recently celebrated a birthday
party where the said Bondi Beach photographer and
Media Man was spotted at! No bluff here.
A
Media Man spokesperson said "Smart operators
such as Crown adapt to the ever changing landscape.
It's not just about pokies and casino games anymore.
World class acts, be it Crusty Demons, Hulkamania,
Puppetry of the Penis, Englebert Humperdinck and Metallica.
In Macau Packer concern City Of Dreams has the famed
'House Of Dancing Water', so that may be a sign of
things for his Australian casino establishments also.
A casino themed reality tv show is also being chatted
about by Network Nine and Crown folks who are in the
know. Rest assured casino and gambling lifestyle is
as solid as ever in Australian culture, despite a
small but vocal group of casino haters. Punters are
lapping up the casino and entertainment offerings
at Crown, and the strong patronage, reviews and revenues
are a solid indicator of this."
World
Class Gigs At Burswood...
16th
October
Crusty
Demons
Thirst
4 Destruction Tour
Headlining with Australia's own Evel Knievel - Robbie
Maddison!!
Get
ready for the most exhilarating, electrifying and
action packed Crusty Demons tour to date, featuring
a three hour, full choreographed, extreme spectacular.
See
the world's greatest freestyle motocross riders performing
the most death-defying stunts, including insane black
flip combination tricks, minibike chaos, ridiculous
stunts, the stunning Crusty Babes and more!
22nd
and 23rd October
Metallica
World
Magentic Tour 2010
The
long wait is finally over! Hard rock gods Metallica
are coming to Australia; their last stop on their
epic world tour. Get ready for over two hours of mayhem
as Metallica perform material spanning their entire
career on a custom built round stage. During the last
decade alone, Metallica have played to a collective
audience of more than 3.5 million fans and have become
one of the most influential bands in the world. Your
show ticket entitles you to FREE public transport
on the night. Find out more closer to the date.
3rd
November
Englebert
Humperdinck
Four
decades since his debut on the world's stage, Engelbert
Humperdinck has sold a staggering 150 million albums
worldwide and is now heading to Perth for one show
only. With numerous hits to his name including 'Please
Release Me', 'Last Waltz' and 'Quando Quando Quando',
he reigns as the only artist to keep The Beatles from
the top at the height of their fame.
5th
November
Puppetry
of the Penis
The
boys have been getting it out all over the world from
the West End of London to Broadway in New York, and
now they are heading to Burswood Theatre showcasing
the ancient art of genital origami. Come and see the
new cast of member manipulators perform the famous
Hamburger, the Wristwatch, and the Windsurfer, just
to name a few...a hilarious night out for all to enjoy.
This is an 18+ only event.
6th
November
Brothers
in Arms
Classic
Albums Live presents the acclaimed best-selling Dire
Straits album Brothers in Arms, as performed by ten
of Australia's finest musicians. Featuring some of
the greatest songs ever including 'Money for Nothing',
'So Far Away', 'Walk of Life', 'Sultans of Swing',
'Romeo & Juliet' and many more, make sure you
don't miss this all-star recreation of a truly classic
album. See guitar heroes Phil Emmanuel, Stuart French
and Rex Goh alongside Kevin Bennett, Andy Bickers,
Floyd Vincent, Tony Mitchell, Clare O'Meara, Nik Pringadi
and Chris Whitten.
So
punters, how did you enjoy today's casino news, Western
Australia cowboy style?. What sort of other Aussie
special features would you like to see? Tell us in
the forum.
The
Late News...
Australian
'Gumleaf Mafia', Media Man and Gambling911 crew hear
of yet more employment opportunities at Crown Limited
- namely Burswood Casino and Crown Casino, while at
the same time strike action threatens Tabcorp's Star
City Casino in 'Sin City' Sydney, despite an ambitious
and expensive revamp of Star. What happens in Perth
and Sydney does not stay there, and is surely going
to make its way to Vegas, Atlantic City, Florida and
beyond, with significant influence from the Gambling911
powerhouse. Surfs up kangaroos, koalas, goannas, and
all manner of Aussie and Yankee critters. Media Man
'Online Casino Of The Month': PartyCasino
Oh,
friendly reminder... bet with your head, not over
it, and have fun.
News
Arrest
Made in Burswood Casino Firearms Case, by Greg Tingle
- 22nd May 2010
Loyal
readers, Americans, Australians, Canadians, Asians...
the world over... it didn't take long for Burswood
Casino aka Burswood Entertainment Complex, to make
the news again (for the wrong reasons). It's not the
casinos fault again, a mug punter tried to sell a
gun there. Didn't the ratbag every hear of security?
Media Man and Gambling911 attack the situation with
baton and plastic handcuffs in hand...
A
22-year-old punter was arrested this morning after
he "allegedly" attempted to sell a gun on
the gaming floor no less, at James Packer owned Burswood
Casino. Burswood is in the Crown Limited portfolio.
Burswood
security officers aka "bouncers" called
police to the casino premises around 3.30am. It's
those wee hours of the morning when a lot of serious
crime happens in society, under the darkness of night.
Crims are also known to drink a bit before committing
crimes in an attempt to drum up a bit of "Dutch
Courage".
Events
Following:
Police
searched the punters quarters at Burswood Hotel, where
they are understood to have located a handgun and
a quantity of ecstasy (illegal and popular drug) tablets.
The
mug has been charged with possession of a firearm
and possessing a prohibited drug with intent to sell
or supply.
Cobber,
you've been watching too many episodes of 'Underbelly'
and 'Gangs Of Oz'.
The
apparent smallish time criminal has been refused bail
and is expected to appear in court today or Monday.
No
shots were fired, but as Gambling911 and Media Man
readers would know too well, things can change in
a hurry when it comes to criminal behaviour at casinos,
hotels and resorts. This year there's been dozens
of arrests and gun shots at Australian, European and
American land based casinos and clubs.
We
commend the Burswood casino staff and management,
and WA Police for taking care of this fella before
things further escalated.
Not
sure about visiting your local casino or club? Check
out the casino and online casino profiles at Gambling911
and Media Man International. Last week a comprehensive
report on Australian - Asia Pacific casinos was filed.
Media Man online games of the month: Cleopatra and
Sinatra, neck and neck. MM 'Online Casino Of The Month'
winner: PartyCasino.com
Media
Man Land Based Casino Of The Month winner: Crown Casino,
Melbourne Australia (extra points to Crown and James
Packer for leading the charge with GenerationOne),
helping employ thousands of Indigenous Australians,
as the continue to get trained up. Mr Packer also
gets the "sympathy vote" for copping an
"ear bashing" at the hands of rock legend
and fellow humanitarian, Bob Geldof, who alluded to
numerous "rich bastards" at a recent GenerationOne
conference in Western Australia.
*Greg
Tingle is a special contributor for Gambling911
*Media
Man http://www.mediamanint.com
is primarily a media, publicity and internet portal
development company. Gaming is just one of a dozen
industry sectors they cover.
*The
writer owns shares in Crown Limited (and others)
2009
Sapphire Series Poker Challenge
3
February to 29 March
Get
set for a big season of Poker tournaments!
Burswood's
Sapphire Series Poker Challenge returns this summer
with an estimated $100,000 in prize money up for grabs.
You
can qualify from as little as $60 to gain entry into
our two-day final in March, plus we've also got some
exciting standalone events to get your blood pumping.
Visit
the main cashier in the Casino and register today.
Website
Burswood
Entertainment Complex
Profile
The
Burswood Entertainment Complex is located on the Swan
River some five minutes from the city of Perth, Western
Australia, and is owned by Crown Limited. The complex
includes a 24-hour casino, seven restaurants, eight
bars, a nightclub, two international hotels (a luxury
5-star InterContinental and a 4-star Holiday Inn),
a Convention Centre, Theatre and the Burswood Dome.
Burswood Train Station, near the Burswood Dome, provides
a public transport link to the Perth CBD.
History
1980s
In
1984, the Western Australian Government proposed at
the suggestion of Perth businessman Dallas Dempster
that a casino complex be constructed at Burswood Island
on the Swan River, 3km east of the Perth city centre.
This was the site of a large landfill facility, which
posed difficulties in the proposal, design and construction
phases due to the risk of subsidence resulting from
decomposition and also the risk of release of effluent
into the adjacent river as a result of pile driving
for the construction.
The
winning bidder to build the complex was Tileska Pty
Ltd, a joint venture between Dallas Dempster and Genting
Berhad, a Malaysian casino operator. At the time,
there were allegations by rival bidders of misconduct
between Dempster and his friend, Western Australian
Premier Brian Burke.
This
consortium planned a two-stage construction. The first
stage was initially expected to cost A$200m, and involved
futuristic-looking buildings comprising a 135-table
casino, 400-room hotel, 18-hole golf course, convention
and exhibition centre, tennis courts, amphitheatre
and other amenities, together with a beautification
of the Burswood Island area.The second stage of the
plan involved the A$100m construction of another hotel
on the site, but no time schedule was ever set for
this and the second hotel was not constructed until
two decades later.
The
Tileska joint venture took up 60% of the capital in
the Burswood Property Trust, which was to own the
complex. Genting would run the resort, having experience
operating casinos in Malaysia's Genting Highlands.
Construction
of the resort was approved by the Western Australian
Parliament in March 1985. It was hoped that the hotel-casino
complex would be ready in time for the 1987 America's
Cup race, to be hosted by Perth and construction was
to be to a tight schedule in order to achieve that
deadline.
The
Burswood Property Trust was listed on Australian stock
exchanges on 30 May 1985.
When
it opened on 30 December 1985, Burswood Island Casino
(as it was then known) was the largest in Australia,
and third-largest in the world. It was expected to
receive two to three million visitors per year and
have an annual gross profit of A$100m. The public
interest in the casino proved so much in its early
months of operation that it posted a gross profit
of A$1 million per day for its first two months, far
outstripping expectations. In its early weeks of opening,
people were reportedly forced to queue at the entrance
for hours as the gaming floor was at its full legal
capacity.
The
Burswood Island Casino was opened several months ahead
of schedule, and the other parts of Stage 1 (including
the hotel, conference centre, theatre and indoor stadium)
remained under construction throughout 1986 and much
of 1987.
By
January 1987, the complex recorded its three millionth
visitor. Not sharing in this financial success, the
Burswood Property Trust encountered financial difficulties
and sold the hotel operations in the under-construction
Burswood Island Hotel to Japanese investor Brisney
Pty Ltd, a joint venture between investment company
Yunan Development Co Ltd and hotel operator Kanematsu
Trading Co Ltd.
On
28 August 1987, the Burswood Dome indoor sports stadium
was opened to the public, and was noted as being by
far the largest auditorium in the southern hemisphere.
The
hotel's opening was delayed by 85 days, largely as
a result of inclement weather and industrial disputes.
This delay meant that the hotel and conference centre
was not available during the early stages of the America's
Cup race, necessitating refunds to overseas visitors.
Although
the 417-room Burswood Island Hotel opened its doors
to the public on 4 October 1987, the hotel's management
reportedly allowed one of the casino's highest rollers
to stay there a day early, during which time he won
A$1.4 million,[16] which was believed at the time
to be the highest amount ever won by an individual
in an Australian casino.
The
Burswood Convention Centre was opened on 20 November
1987, and on 8 April 1988, the entire Burswood Island
complex had its official opening.
1990s
The
casino was expanded in 1990, and an improved International
Room (for high-rolling punters) was unveiled in 1995.
1998 saw the corporatisation of the Burswood Property
Trust, and also saw the complete renovation of the
Burswood Theatre.
In
1999, the management of Burswood undertook an extensive
refurbishment program of the hotel rooms, to maintain
Burswood's reputation as Perth's best hotel.
2000s
In
2000, a $96 million resort renovation and improvement
program was undertaken.
2001
and 2002 saw the opening of the Ruby Room nightclub
and Champion's Bar, both within the casino, and also
the opening of the Grand Ballroom.
In
2003, Burswood entered into a deal with land developer
Mirvac Fini for the residential development of vacant
land between the complex and the Graham Farmer Freeway.
Picking
up from the long-neglected Stage 2 of the Burswood
development plan, in the early 2000s the management
of Burswood made various plans to build a second hotel
on the site. Eventually, in 2003 they entered into
a joint venture deal with the InterContinental Hotels
Group to run the existing Burswood Resort Hotel (to
be re-branded as Burswood InterContinental Hotel)
and a new, 291-room Holiday Inn hotel to be constructed
adjacent to the Burswood Theatre.
In
2004, PBL acquired full control of the Burswood International
Resort Casino, and in 2005 re-branded the site as
"Burswood Entertainment Complex".
On
1 August 2005, the Holiday Inn Burswood opened for
business after 29 months of construction.[18] Construction
finished three months early and was A$2 million under
budget.[18] The promoters proclaimed that it was "Perth's
first purpose-built hotel in more than 12 years".
In
2006, Burswood closed its renowned fine-dining Windows
Restaurant in order to make way for a newer, expanded
VIP room for high rollers. This new facility, called
The Pearl Room, opened in late 2006 featuring 180
degree Swan River views. It replaced the old International
Room which closed its doors following the unveiling
of The Pearl Room.
In
2007, Burswood opened The Riviera Room - a new gaming
room featuring higher stakes open to the general public.
The Riviera Room is located at the site of the old
International Room, and has been refurbished to feature
a contemporary design.
MINQ,
an exclusive late night bar, accessible only by a
hosted lift at the entrance of The Riviera Room, opened
in August 2007. Carbon Sports Bar opened in December
2007 and features a giant 12.5 x 4m wide screen and
16 x 52-inch plasmas.
Casino
The
Casino at Burswood Entertainment Complex operates
24 hours, 7 days a week. It is the only casino operator
in Perth, Western Australia. There are 1,500 coin
operated game machines with a variety of games such
as Keno, Video Poker and others involving dice, dominoes
and balls. Jackpots are linked to many of these games.
The reel-slots popular elsewhere in Australia and
the rest of the world, operated with a pull down lever,
are not permitted in Western Australia.
The
table games include Baccarat, Mini Baccarat, Blackjack,
Roulette, Poker (Texas Hold'Em, Omaha), Three Card
Poker, Casino War, Progressive Texas Hold'Em, Ultimate
Texas Hold'Em, Four Card Poker, Pai Gow, Money Wheel,
Sic Bo and Caribbean Stud. The Blackjack tables in
the main casino use Continuous Shuffling Machines,
but in The Pearl Room most of the Blackjack tables
offer hand shuffled 8 deck games dealt from a shoe.
All Australian Blackjack games are played without
a hole card.
The
Casino at Burswood Entertainment Complex is a smoke
free venue with designated semi-outdoor smoking terraces
near most bars. The terraces lead outside but do not
allow patrons to exit the premises. Although Perth
now has a law that bans smoking inside of all pubs
and clubs, the casino implemented this rule long before
they were legally obliged to. The Pearl Room (for
VIP guests), is the only area inside the casino that
allows smoking on and around the gaming floor. To
cater for this exception, a state-of-the-art ventilation
system was installed during its construction.
Burswood
Park
The
area surrounding the Casino is known as Burswood Park
and is managed by the Burswood Park Board. Originally
a rubbish tip from the mid 1940s, the construction
of the casino complex also saw the parklands regenerated
into a public recreational facility. Today the park
contains wildflower displays, a heritage trail with
various statues, and the Burswood Park Public Golf
Course.
Burswood
Dome
The
Burswood Dome is a large enclosed venue for entertainment,
sporting, or special events. The dome is 8,800 square
metres in size, with seating for 13,600 people (or
8,000 during tennis matches). The whole arena is pressurised
so that the fibreglass roof is suspended 35m above
the ground.
It
has played host to a range of international and Australian
performers and shows including Michael Jackson, Iron
Maiden, U2, Coldplay, Mariah Carey, Elton John, The
Boy From Oz, Guns N' Roses, The Wiggles, Justin Timberlake,
Billy Joel, AC/DC, Christina Aguilera, Gwen Stefani
and more.
The
Burswood Dome was originally due to be demolished
after hosting its last contracted Hopman Cup in 2007.
Due to the Burswood Peninsula apartments being opened,
it was announced the Delta Goodrem concert in July
2005 would be the last concert held at the Dome. The
WA government have since come to an agreement to hold
10 concerts a year up till December 2007, and extend
the Hopman Cup contract till 2008. This was later
extended to 2011, until the completion of Perth Arena.
The
Perth Wildcats basketball club have also played occasional
games at the Burswood Dome when their regular venue
was unavailable.
The
A-League football (soccer) team Perth Glory is considering
using the Dome as their home ground during the 2007-08
season, although the club in negotiation with regards
to capacity at the indoor venue, as they are aiming
for an average of 12,500 people at each home game.
(Credit:
Wikipedia).
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