Plans for Adelaide Casino to vacate railway station
Adelaide casino owner Skycity Entertainment Group has revealed its hand on a move from the heritage-listed railway station site.
The company shelved a $30 million underground carpark development last year – a plan which would have cost the company $75,000 per parking space.
Adelaide general manager David Christian said relocation talks were yet to start with the site’s owner, the State Government, but plans would take 18 months to two years to realise.
“That’s something we may look at but it’s nothing more than conceptual at this stage . . . to move we would need to have government approval and have to work very closely with them,” Mr Christian said.
“As our chief executive (Nigel Morrison) has said, Adelaide should deserve a bigger casino.”
He said Adelaide was the only capital city casino without a hotel as part of the complex, another reason to relocate.
“Of course we’ve got the Hyatt next door which is fantastic,” he said.
Mr Christian gave no hints on any potential new home for the casino because the talks were only at the conceptual stage.
Plans for 400 car parks off Station Place cleared their final hurdle with Adelaide City Council in April, 2008, but the project was canned soon after – one of Mr Morrison’s first major decisions after his March, 2008 appointment.
The company already had decided to turn around Adelaide’s poor performing operations when it took down the “for sale” sign in late 2007 – despite three offers.
The casino was a star performer of the Skycity group in the December half, lifting group earnings by 18.3 per cent to $14.2 million.
Property Council executive director Nathan Paine said the iconic building would have “no problem” attracting another tenant if the casino relocated.
Skycity owns Skycity Darwin and three casino/hotels in NZ.
