Casino News

New hotel for Melbourne casino

2007-10-01 14:57:54

A leading casino entrepreneur has said he wants to capitalize on Australia's growing gaming and tourism sectors by building the largest hotel in the country.

James Packer said he intends to build a 27-story, 658-room hotel in Melbourne at the existing Crown Melbourne resort

Mr Packer, Australia's richest man, hopes that work on the $267 million building will start this month and will be completed by May 2010, reports Bloomberg.

"The proposed new hotel will target the international leisure market but will also focus heavily on the global conventions and conferences industry," said James Packer Publishing & Broadcasting in a statement.

Mr Packer's company also said it will refurbish the Crown Melbourne casino and build new retail stores as part of a wider redevelopment.

According to newspaper the Age, the firm has asked Justin Madden, the planning minister, to fast-track its application to build the hotel.