Australian mogul James Packer has won approval for a towering six-star hotel and casino complex on Sydney harbour aimed at Asian high-rollers, with work expected to begin shortly.
The New South Wales state government legislated to site the Crown Sydney Hotel Resort on foreshore land previously earmarked as public open space in 2013, Agence France-Presse reported.
The casino, which will sit at Barangaroo on the northwestern edge of Sydney’s central business district, was awarded a 99-year gambling licence.
Crown Resorts has previously said the casino would help attract Asian high net worth travellers to Sydney, in particular from China, and create more than 1,000 jobs.
“For too long Sydney has suffered from a lack of luxury tourism accommodation and Crown Sydney will help turn that around,” chairman Robert Rankin said.
The company plans to build a structure housing a six-star, 350-room hotel, a restricted gaming facility, 66 residential apartments as well as shops and a carpark. Work is scheduled for completion in early 2021.