The New South Wales Planning Department rejected an ambitious project for a hotel tower adjoining Sydney’s only casino, saying that the building lacked alignment with the local character of the area.
Australian casino operator The Star Entertainment Group, which manages The Star Sydney casino complex in Pyrmont, lodged its plan for a new hotel tower at the existing property with the NSW Planning Department last year.
The proposed 230-meter, 66-story tower was set to house a 220 Ritz-Carlton hotel and 200 high-end residences. The hotel portion would mark the return of the major hotel brand to Sydney after the city’s two Ritz-Carlton hotels closed doors around a decade ago.
The tower would adjoin The Star’s casino building and would also feature a number of attractive amenities, including a rooftop pool area with views of the Sydney Harbour and up to 15 new food and beverage facilities.
The Star’s plan aimed to boost the existing offering of the casino complex as Sydney is preparing to welcome its second casino resort – Crown Resorts’ half-finished A$2-billion-plus luxury tower. The two properties will compete for wealthy Chinese gamblers – a coveted segment of the market Australian casinos are striving to bring back after the 2016 arrests of Crown staff in China scared Chinese high rollers away from local casinos.
The Star’s Tower “Would Not Contribute Positively to the Skyline
In its recent report, the NSW Planning Department said that The Star’s proposed tower and its height, in particular, was inconsistent with the surrounding skyline. The report read further that “while numerous taller buildings are situated within Darling Harbour and Barangaroo (where Crown Sydney is currently being developed), these form part of cohesive clusters of high-density buildings.” However, the same context does not apply to The Star site, planning authorities pointed out.
The department went on to say that The Star’s planned tower would “result in unacceptable visual impacts due to its scale, isolation and visual dominance of the existing Pyrmont character.”
The fate of The Star’s ambitious project now rests with the NSW Independent Planning Commission. Local media outlets report that the commission will reconvene to review the Planning Department’s recommendation in late August.
The Star said today that it was disappointed by the department’s decision, but would still seek final approval for its tower. A spokesperson for the company said that they believe the project will “have a significant benefit for tourism, the city and for the state of NSW.”
According to analysts, the hotel tower was a key component in The Star’s strategy to lure visitors away from Crown Sydney when it opens doors in 2021. As mentioned earlier, the rival property, which will feature a VIP casino, among other amenities, will break The Star Sydney’s years-long monopoly over casino gambling in the city.
Residents of the area submitted mixed reactions to The Star’s proposal with the Planning Department. While some labeled the tower “an eyesore”, others pointed out that it would boost the area by raising property prices.
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