Xenophon: Building “mini-Trump tower”
The South Australian government says SkyCity’s Adelaide Casino can relax the rules for premium players to make the property more competitive, reports ABC News.
Premium customers will receive more guest passes to high-roller areas, and also reduce the amount needed to be classified a premium customer from $12,000 to $8,000 a year, the network reports.
“A majority of these initiatives have been designed to attract more interstate and overseas tourists to South Australia and for the Adelaide Casino to better compete with casinos interstate and overseas,” the government stated.
Anti-pokies MP Senator Nick Xenophon said the definition of high roller “seems to be very rubbery at best” and also complained that the casino’s planned $300 million expansion—also approved by the government last week—would cannibalize small and medium-sized businesses in Adelaide.
Moreover, he said, “This expansion is going to be a misery magnet for gambling addicts. Until now we’ve had a fairly low-key casino visually. This will turn it into a mini Trump-like tower.”
The casino will add 123 hotel rooms, new restaurants and bars and other amenities. “We’ve redesigned interiors, revitalized social, entertainment and gaming spaces, and relocated restaurants and bars,” said Adelaide Casino General Manager Luke Walker said. “It’s now locked and loaded, this is a monumental occasion for us.”
SkyCity—which has a monopoly on gaming in the area until 2035—says the expansion will create up to 1,000 temporary jobs and 800 permanent jobs.
