NEVER BUILT SYDNEY: Harrah's Sydney Casino Proposal (1986)

Sourced from: Dale, D. & Shanahan, D. 1986. "Sydney Casino: FBI checks US partner". The Sydney Morning Herald, July 2: 1. 

For the first time in two years, Never Built Sydney is back for another series, as I look at more of the "never builts" that were proposed for Sydney.

As part of the redevelopment of Darling Harbour in the 1980s, the Wran and Unsworth Governments sought to develop the eastern side of Cockle Bay into a Casino and Hotel complex. This was also a solution to rid the city of illegal gambling houses.

The site in question is currently the site of the Darling Park complex, comprising three office towers and the Cockle Bay Wharf dining precinct. 

Sourced from: Holland, M. & Ringrose, D. 1986. "Casino deal 'cannot be scrapped'". The Daily Telegraph, August 12: 1 & 2. 

In 1985, the Wran Government put the site up for tender.  American casino operator Harrah's (owned by hotel chain Holiday Inn) in conjunction with Hooker Corporation was awarded the contract on June 24, 1986. Their proposal for the Casino Resort would comprise two buildings: one rising atop the Western Distributor and fronting Cockle Bay to around 11/12 storeys tall, which would feature the casino, while a 45-level hotel tower would be built towards the corner of Druitt and Sussex Street. 

Sourced from: Ringrose, D. 1986. "Hooker vows: We'll fight for casino". The Daily Telegraph, August 13: 1 & 2. 

Details about the towers and facilities were not published at the time and were based on observations in the photos of the model published in the media.

Why did it not proceed?

Source: Dale, D. & Shanahan, D. 1986. "Sydney Casino: FBI checks US partner". The Sydney Morning Herald, July 2: 1. 

The process required tenders (and individuals involved) to pass an "integrity check, " equivalent to a police check on an individual who may be considered for employment within a company. The Sydney Morning Herald in July 1986 revealed that Harrah's was under investigation by the FBI in the United States and the New Jersey Division of Gaming Enforcement over a claim that "it used organised crime figures to arrange deals with a union". This had not been uncovered during the initial integrity checks.

Source: Dale, D. 1986. "Questions Atlantic City wasn't asked". The Sydney Morning Herald, July 2: 1 & 4. 

The New Jersey Division of Gaming Enforcement responded that the NSW Government had not approached them.

Source: Holland, M. & Ringrose, D. 1986. "Casino deal 'cannot be scrapped'". The Daily Telegraph, August 12: 1 & 2. 

The revelation led to the State Government cancelling the contract on August 12 1986. Harrah's and Hooker took the government to the NSW Supreme Court claiming that the government were obligated to comply with the agreement. It would be settled out of court in 1989 with the NSW Government paying the consortium $33 million in compensation plus $5 million in court costs, a fraction of the $700 million initially demanded.

Source: Ringrose, D. 1986. "Hooker vows: We'll fight for casino". The Daily Telegraph, August 13: 1 & 2. 

New tenders were sought later that year and continued into 1987, but integrity checks saw all tenders rejected. Harrah's and Hooker tried again, but were unsuccessful. By the end of 1987, the Unsworth Government attempted a third round of tenders.

In 1988, the Unsworth Government was replaced by a Coalition Government under Nick Greiner. With $500 million still owing on the cost of the Darling Harbour Redevelopment, the NSW Government shifted in 1989 towards a mixed-use development of the site with a hotel, offices, and retail buildings to be built. In 1991, Darling Park was conceived, with towers built in three stages—1992, 1999, and 2005—with Cockle Bay Wharf constructed in 1998. The proposed hotel tower did not proceed. 

Property Advert of the Week: South Windsor Homesites (1982)

Below is a 1982 newspaper advertisement from the Crown Lands Office promoting the sale of homesites at South Windsor. The homesites ranged in price from $16,000 to $24,500.

According to the RBA Inflation Calculator, this was the equivalent of spending approximately $69,000 to $106,000 in today's money.

 

Source: Crown Lands Office. 1982. "Fully serviced homesites South Windsor". The Daily Telegraph, December 3: 25. 

1989: Food and Drink banned on Sydney Buses

Source: State Transit. 1989. "Cleaner, more comfortable bus travel, will require curbing a few appetites" (Advertisement). The Sydney Morning Herald, May 1: 14. 

On public transport in Sydney, it is acceptable for commuters to eat or drink on Trains, Light Rail and ferries, but not on buses. 

How did it come to be? 

In 1989, the State Transit Authority (STA) decided to ban the consumption of food and drink on Government Buses in Sydney and Newcastle. Eating or drinking on a bus carried a fine of $200. The primary reason for the ban was cleanliness, but it was also in response to complaints from commuters.

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Source: Timmins, M. 1989. "Eating Ban on Buses". The Daily Mirror, May 1: 2. 

The Daily Mirror asked commuters for their thoughts on the ban, and had mixed reactions.

Source: Cramsie, D. 1989. "Passengers divided on food bus ban". The Daily Mirror, May 1: 12. 

The following year, the NSW Government passed the Passenger Transport Act (1990), which gave the State Government authority to determine whether commuters were permitted to consume food or drink on any mode of transport and regulate behaviour on public transport. 

It also allowed the Government to set fines for non-compliance. Under current legislation, a person who eats or drinks on a bus can be fined $550, up from $200 in 1989. The directive not to eat or drink must be displayed on a sign inside the buses. However, commuters can consume water, and those who need to eat or drink for medical reasons can. 

As a bus commuter, I have found that it is generally not enforced, particularly where alcohol is consumed, but 99% of commuters exercise common sense and refrain altogether.

Property Advert of the Week: Kings Bay, Five Dock (2000)

Below is a newspaper advertisement promoting the sale of two and three-bedroom apartments in the Kings Bay development at Five Dock. Prices began at $ 375,000. 

Source: Kings Bay Five Dock. 2000. "New 2 & 3 Bedroom Apartments" (Advertisement). The Inner West Courier, August 14: 124. 

Royal Easter Show Flashback: 2000 (Part II)

Last week, I posted the first entry on the 2000 Royal Easter Show and in our second and concluding entry, I will share feature articles and highlights.

Key Statistics

Up to April 28, 2000 (and does not include the final figures from April 29, 2000)

• 1,059,760 attended
• 883,500 travelled to the show by public transport. 623,320 travelled by rail and 260,180 by bus
• More than 620 children were recorded as lost.
• Approximately 10,000 animals were on exhibition
• 950,000 bottles or servings of water and soft drink were sold
• 500,000 coffees were sold
• 275,000 hot dogs and Dagwood dogs were sold

Source: Stevenson, A. 2000. "Salute to land and its people". The Sydney Morning Herald, May 1: 50. 

Main Arena Entertainment

Each night at 7:45 pm, the Main Arena would host a recreation of Banjo Patterson's The Man from Snowy River. 

Source: Buchan, N. 2000. "Back to the bush: Tradition returns to main arena". The Daily Telegraph, April 6: 7. 

Opening Day - April 14 

The Daily Telegraph had this report in its Final Afternoon edition (1:30 pm), reporting "massive crowds" for Day 1, and only half the day had passed. Opening Day coincided with the last day of Term 1, which also happened this year (April 11). 

Source: Gee, S. 2000. "Crowds show up in droves". The Daily Telegraph, April 14: 3. 

A new opening day record was set with 54,873 attending. Yours truly was amongst them. 

Source: Walker, F. 2000. "Big crowd makes show of security". The Sun Herald, April 16: 14-15

With the Olympic Games five months away, NSW Police performed a practice exercise on Saturday, April 15. A security checkpoint was located at one of the entrances used to check bags of showgoers, who were required to pass through a metal detector. 20,000 people were subject to inspection. 

Source: Buchan, N. 2000. "Schools' day sets a record". The Daily Telegraph, April 15: 8. 

Easter Long Weekend

Good Friday saw crowds of over 140,000, and the Easter Long Weekend in 2000 offered something that normally wouldn't happen - sunshine and clear weather. It is a Sydney custom that at least one of the four days of the Easter long weekend is rainy.

At this stage, the Easter long weekend 2025 is forecast to be warm and sunny.

Did you know that in 2000, Anzac Day fell two days after Easter Sunday (April 23), meaning the Easter Long Weekend was a five-day weekend? 

On Anzac Day, the gates opened at 11 am in respect of the day and to enable people to attend Anzac Day events. 

Check out the crowd on Good Friday! Only 80,000 tickets have been allocated for Good Friday this year (as with every other day of the show).

Source: Buchan, N. 2000. "Perfect day for a bumper crowd". The Daily Telegraph, April 22: 11.

Source: Sams. C. 2000. "Sunny side up cheers record crowd". The Sun Herald, April 23:25.

About 100,000 people attend on Easter Saturday.

Source: McCabe, K. 2000. "Crowds hoof it around Show". The Sunday Telegraph, April 23: 9. 

The Prime Minister also had the opportunity to spend some time at the show.

Cameron, D. 2000. "Howard puts the cap among the cockies as he gets in for his chop". The Sydney Morning Herald, April 17: 5. 

In 2000, new restaurants opened at the showgrounds, increasing dining options, especially for those who dread carnival favourites—Pluto pups, dagwood dogs, and hot chips. 

Source: Buchan, N. "A step up from the pluto pups". The Daily Telegraph, April 28: 20.

Show Budgeting

Going to the Royal Easter Show is not cheap, even if on a budget. 

Source: Verghis, S. 2000. "Over budget, but hey, that's Show business".  The Sydney Morning Herald, April 17: 8.

A problem with showbags

The Pokemon bag was a best seller in 2000, but some items were missing due to shipping issues and failed to arrive in time. Ultimately, the price of the bags had to be reduced, and replacement items were provided to appease those eager to buy the bag.

Source: Porter, J. 2000. "Pokemon toys on missing list". The Daily Telegraph, April 17: 10.

  

Source: Buchan, N. 2000. "Missing toys cut price of Pokemon bags". The Daily Telegraph, April 18: 15.  

Some missed out on a particular bag because the day's supply was exhausted by 1 p.m. Pepsi was sold out by April 20, and no additional bags were sold as a result. Some items were substituted. 

Source: Clifton, B. 2000. "The great showbag shortage". The Daily Telegraph, April 21: 3.  

The Sydney Morning Herald (May 1 2000) published a special results supplement which included features on the show itself and a selection of photos.

That concludes our two-part series on the 2000 Royal Easter Show. Just a reminder that the 2025 Royal Easter Show runs until Tuesday, April 22.

It's time for a bonus - a map of the Sydney Showgrounds for the 2000 Royal Easter Show, as published in the preview magazine in The Sun Herald on April 9, 2000.

Related Entry

Royal Easter Show Flashback: 2000 (Part I)

Property Advert of the Week: "Cowper Hall", Randwick (1986)

Below is a 1986 newspaper advertisement promoting apartments for sale in the "Cowper Hall" complex at 55 Cowper Street in Randwick. One-bedroom apartments were on offer for $110, 000 and two-bedroom units were on offer from $136,000. According to the RBA Inflation Calculator, this would equate to around spending $ 356,000 today (One bedroom) and $ 441,000 (two bedrooms) 

Source: L. J. Hooker.  1986. "Cowper Hall" (Advertisement). The Eastern Herald, October 30: 14. 

Royal Easter Show Flashback: 2000 (Part I)

The cover of the preview magazine was published in The Sun Herald on April 9, 2000.

Friday marks the start of the annual Royal Easter Show at Sydney Olympic Park. The year of focus in 1999 and will be presented in two entries.

This week, I will focus on key facts and the showbags.

Date:         April 14-29, 2000

The Easter Show ran for 16 days as in 1997-1999 and it will run for 12 days in 2025. 

Theme: The Great Australian Muster

Admission

Show Only entry ticket prices remained unchanged from 1999

Adults: - $17
Tertiary Students - $13

Children: - $9.50

Showlink tickets were also available and could be pre-purchased at train stations for use on any one day of the show, including show buses. 

Adults: - $22
Tertiary Students - $15.50

Children: - $12

In 2025, ticket options are broader, but the general prices are:

Adults - $ 48.00 (Up $3 from 2024)

Concession - $36 (Up $2  from 2024)

Child - $29.50 (down $1.50 from 2024)

PWD - $29.50 (down $1.50 from 2024)

Early bird tickets are available with discounts. 

Tickets in 2025 include free return travel on public transport on the day of the visit, and the date of the visit must be pre-booked. 

Unfortunately, there is a $5.50 booking fee per ticket as all tickets are sold via Ticketmaster.

Transport

As in 1998 and 1999, the Olympic Roads and Transport Authority (ORTA) oversaw public transport arrangements. The network of special regional bus services was maintained. The maps below were featured in the preview guide published in The Sun Herald on April 9 2000. There was no rail map for 2000.

Showbags

It has been reported that as many as 400 show bags are available in 2025. In 2000, 290 show bags were offered, still a large number. Showbags a quarter of a century ago ranged between $2 and $15, compared with $4 and $36 in 2024.

The images were obtained from the preview guide published in The Sun Herald on April 7, 2000.

Bensons

Note that the Cadbury Showbag was $5 and consistently a best seller. The "mega" bag for Cadbury fans in the day was the Crunchie Showbag, which cost $12. The Crunchie Showbag was a true Cadbury Showbag with various Cadbury Chocolates included.

One show bag I remember buying in 2000 was the Video Ezy Showbag, which included an ex-rental video alongside other goodies. I chose Armageddon as my movie because I am a fan of Disaster Movies. 

The Humungous Showbag, now sold under the Bensons Banner, was the only bag from The Showbag Factory that survived the move. 

Gag Magic

New Concept

They specialised in bags for TV Shows and films, including bags from Warner Bros. and Disney Franchises. In addition, merchandise could be purchased. WWF fans were also looked after, with two bags on offer. 

They also offered a Sydney Olympics Showbag ($12.50) and a  Sydney Swans showbag ($15). In 2025, AFL Fans can buy a bag for any of the 18 teams in the competition.

2DAY FM, Pepsi & Triple M 

All three were bestsellers, and the question has to be raised as to why neither of them brought out an annual bag for 2025. 2DAY FM was, at the time, the most listened-to FM Radio Station in Sydney, but it has slipped in the past decade following the departure of Kyle and Jackie O to KIIS FM ( Formerly MIX 1065/2UW).

You got a bag you could use each day, and whatever was featured was a freebie, making the bags value for money.

2DAYFM and TripleM also provided coffee mugs. 

Nestle

Bertie Beetle Showbags were on offer for $3 or 2 for $5. Only the blue (original bag) was available. Lifesavers was owned by Nestle in 2000 but is currently produced by Darrell Lea, meaning that Lifesavers Showbags are now sold in the Darrell Lea stand. 

Candy World

Mega Showbags

& the others...

The NRL had their showbags on offer, but did not require a visit to the Showbag Pavillion and cost $20. All teams were available

Darrell Lea offered four show bags in 2000 and will offer four in 2025, though the Liquorice Showbag is the one that has survived. A " classics"-themed bag is also on offer this year. One popular bag in 2000 that is no longer offered is the A Little Luxury Sample Bag.

That concludes Part I. Next week, I will share some feature articles and highlights from the 1999 Royal Easter Show in Part II. 

Related Entry 

Royal Easter Show Flashback: 2000 (Part II)

Last Edited April 16 2024


      

Property Advert of the Week: AR Homes Ad (1964)

Below is a 1964 newspaper advertisement by AR Homes. The focus was on the model homes that could be built on a block of land.

Fibro Homes could be built for as little as £2090 ($4180), while Timber Homes could be built from £2215 ($4430). Brick Veneer homes were the most expensive starting from £2980 ($5960)

   Source: Arthur Robinson Pty. Ltd. 1964. "Priced beyond comparison" (Advertisement). The Daily Mirror, January 3: 26.