Brisbane opens casino talks
Jeff Seeney said the government had made no decisions "at all" about the redevelopment of the city's government precinct, or whether Brisbane would be a one or two-casino town, despite both the James Packer-backed Crown and Echo stepping up their campaigns through the media.
"The casino operators have no need to be taking shots at each other in the public, in the media as we have seen," he said. He said meeting with executives from the rival groups - on the back of their bitter battle for Sydney and without having appointed a probity adviser or even having decided whether or not the inner-city redevelopment would have room for their business - was "appropriate".
Mr Seeney has written to Crown and Echo to ask for meetings, to discuss a potential second casino licence in Brisbane.
The first of those meetings was with Echo representatives earlier this week.
"It was a preliminary meeting about what sort of development would be possible, what would be appropriate for the government precinct," Mr Seeney said.
Frequently Asked Questions about this Article…
Queensland’s deputy premier Jeff Seeney is exploring whether Brisbane’s inner-city government precinct redevelopment should include a casino — potentially creating room for a second casino licence. For investors, this matters because decisions on the redevelopment and licensing could affect property use, commercial opportunities and which casino operators might expand into Brisbane.
The article names two rival casino operators: James Packer‑backed Crown and Echo. Both groups have stepped up public campaigns and have been invited to meet with the deputy premier to discuss possibilities for Brisbane.
No. According to the article, the government has made no decisions at all about the redevelopment or whether Brisbane will be a one‑ or two‑casino city. Meetings with operators so far are preliminary.
Jeff Seeney has written to both Crown and Echo asking for meetings. The first meeting was a preliminary discussion with Echo about what kind of development could be possible and what would be appropriate for the government precinct.
No. The article notes the discussions have proceeded without the government having appointed a probity adviser.
Seeney said the casino operators have ‘no need to be taking shots at each other in the public, in the media,’ referring to the heightened public campaigning between Crown and Echo. He indicated private meetings with executives were an appropriate forum to discuss the matter.
The preliminary meeting with Echo focused on what sort of development would be possible and what would be appropriate for the government precinct, according to Jeff Seeney.
Investors should watch for any formal government decisions about the redevelopment or a second casino licence, announcements on the appointment of a probity adviser, and further meetings or proposals from Crown and Echo. These developments will clarify the scope of the project and which operators may be involved.
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