Crown takes a pass
Australian casino operator Echo Entertainment reportedly is interested in developing a casino on Great Keppel Island off the coast of Queensland, Australia.
According to the Sunshine Coast Daily, the Queensland parliament received letters from Echo and also from its chief rival, Crown Entertainment, looking to bring gaming to the planned development. Keppel MP Brittany Lauga said she was also in contact with resort developer Tower Holdings. “Tower Holdings representatives said that if they did not get a casino license they would start work on a scaled-back version of stage one of their planned development. I argue that they need to start that now,” Lauga told parliament. She confirmed that Echo Entertainment Group has spoken with Tower Holdings but has yet to form a partnership.
A letter from Crown indicated that James Packer’s company is not looking to develop a Great Keppel Island casino. “Such an opportunity does not currently fit within our business plans and strategy,” the letter said.
Opposition Leader Lawrence Springborg says an offshore casino could benefit Great Keppel Island and the other islands. “This will be nowhere near the same magnitude as Crown Casino in Melbourne or our other onshore casinos in Queensland,” he said. “We are talking about a boutique casino licensing opportunity that may not necessarily only benefit the likes of Great Keppel Island but also potentially other places up and down the Queensland coast as well.”
