Casino operator SkyCity
is calling an audible on its planned convention center in downtown Auckland after the government ruled out public funding to help pay for the project’s costs.
The casino operator is revising its design for the convention center to keep its cost around the initial budget of $400 million. That could mean developing a smaller scale project, something Economic Development Minister Steven Joyce said the government was amenable to as long as the new designs wouldn’t be more than 10% smaller.
“We have indicated today that we are prepared to accept a slightly smaller NZICC if that’s required to meet the agreed total construction cost, but again that’s at the Crown’s option, we have to decide whether we’ll accept that,” Joyce said, as quoted by Radio New Zealand.
Joyce also said that it’s up to SkyCity to come up with “suitable” design changes and submit them to the government. Likewise, SkyCity is free to ramp up its own budget if it saw the need to take that route.
“The Government has made it clear it will be absolutely our cost,” SkyCity Chief Executive Nigel Morrison said.
CASINO CANBERRA EXTENDS OPENING HOURS
Casino Canberra announced that it would extend its opening hours from Saturday as part of the new owners’ plan to help revitalize the area. The casino would now open every day at noon and close at 4am, with an option of staying open until 6am if it’s busy.
A casino spokesman indicated that the casino’s gambling and dining services would be available during “all opening hours.”
The decision was met with opposition from St Vincent de Paul Society Canberra and Goulburn President Frank Brassil, who told the Canberra Times that the casino already operates enough gambling hours for its patrons and visitors. “Given that this extends the casino into the early afternoon, this puts more difficulties in the way of people for whom gambling is already a problem,” Brassil added.
That said, the casino’s new owner Tony Fung has made it clear that the extended hours are part of the company’s efforts to infuse the area with new life in anticipation of a complete redevelopment of the property in the future.
