1986: Donald Trump and Sydney's proposed casino

Darling Park could have been home to Donald Trump's Hotel and Casino Resort. Photo was taken by the Author.

Donald Trump has been elected in the past week as the President of the United States, succeeding Barack Obama.

And it just happened in this past week, I came across a 1990 clipping from The Daily Telegraph where the man himself revealed plans to build one of his famous casino resorts here in Sydney, and that led me to finding out a little more his plans.

His unsuccessful quest to build a casino in Sydney dates back to 1986 when Barrie Unsworth was the Premier of NSW.

The proposed location was not where The Star casino is located. It was planned for Darling Harbour on the current site of the Darling Park office complex and Cockle Bay Wharf.

On November 10, 1986, Trump's intentions to seek a casino licence were reported in The Sydney Morning Herald. 

The hotel and casino complex would be designed by architect Harry Seidler, who would be flown to view his casino's in Atlantic City, New Jersey to guide him in creating the design.

Trump's position was:

Sydney's a wonderful city. and if properly done, this could be a tremendous success for Sydney and everyone involved.  It's a great concept, if it's well executed.

He did face competition with up to a fifteen tenders involved and was shortlisted as one of five tenders in December 1986. In May 1987, Trump had been eliminated with Genting and Civil & Civic the only contractor remaining. They also would eventually be dropped.

Like the scrutiny with James Packer & Crown Resorts in terms of police and government checks with his project at Barangaroo, Trump appeared to try to advert these checks as reported by The Sydney Morning Herald in May 1987. Think about his reluctance to give details as part of his presidential campaign relating to his business dealings.

Source: McLean, P. 1990. "Trump bid on cards for casino". The Daily Telegraph, January 10, 7. 

Trump continued his campaign for several years and it bubbled back to the surface in 1990. He told The Sun Herald on April 22, he said Sydney would have one of the world's greatest casino's. Another interesting comparison with James Packer who wants Sydney to have the world's greatest casino. He did feel that the State Government wasn't interested.

We probably lost an opportunity from the same ineptness from our politicians that Trump seems to believe is plaguing politicians in his home country. If you look at the history of his "empire" of three casinos, they were doomed to fail. His third casino Trump Taj Mahal opened in 1990 in  Atlantic City. Upon opening it was the world's biggest casino. Struggling to pay debts, the casinos were floated on the American Stock Market as Trump Hotels and Casino Resorts in June 1995.

Financial problems continued to plague the Casino's with Trump in charge and the company declared bankruptcy in 2004. It is believed that Trump moved away from the company in 2006 and still battled with threats of bankruptcy for the next decade. It was not helped by the Global Financial Crisis of 2008-09

Two of his Atlantic City casino's no longer exist Trump Plaza closed in 2014, Trump Taj Mahal closed this year. However, his third casino in Atlantic City - Trump Marina was sold and is now a second incarnation of the Golden Nugget Atlantic City Brand.

So if Sydney did have a Trump Hotel & Casino, it would still be around.

It's obvious that the State Government would not want a casino to close. It might have meant a change in management at worst to keep it going.

Sydney is a major international city and a popular tourist destination for international tourists. Atlantic City has had competition from Las Vegas and closer to home in the United States, the rise of gambling in New York, Pennsylvania and Maryland and preference for air travel.

As for location, it would have been located as mentioned on the current site of the Darling Park complex and Cockle Bay Wharf.

But even if Trump Sydney was turning over a profit, it may have had to subsidise the operations in Atlantic City and service the debt. It may have not even been enough to save them.

Had Trump been put in a position to sell, it would probably have been too late for Crown to buy the casino with preparations for his Barangaroo Casino Resort well advanced in 2014.

Then again its only predictions.

Property Advert of the Week: Wattle Grove Exhibition Centre (1992)

Some time back, I shared a 1995 advertisement for homes on sale at Wattle Grove. This time, I share a 1992 advertisement for its Exhibition Village which had display homes on offer.

 

Source: Wattle Grove. 1992. "Total Lifestyle On Display Now" (Advertisement). The Daily Telegraph Mirror, January 18:50.

1975: F6 Southern Tollway opens

NSW Premier Tom Lewis cuts the ribbon to open the Southern Tollway on July 24, 1975.

Source: Anonymous. 1975. "Lewis Opens Super Road". The Illawarra Mercury, July 25, 3. 

I am currently on a teaching appointment to a school in the Illawarra region and I am dependent on the F6 Southern Freeway (Renamed Princes Motorway) to get me there in just one hour.

I am one of thousands of commuters that are dependent on the freeway to get us from Sydney to Wollongong or vice versa each day, whether it is for work, education (University of Wollongong), to visit family or escape Sydney to visit the Illawarra or South Coast. It acts as a lifeline between the two cities. 

In past years, a trip by car to Wollongong entailed one to navigate the old Princes Highway and then snake their way down Bulli Pass to get into Wollongong. It was not a safe trip either.

Planning for the freeway did begin in the 1930s but World War II halted planning. This was revisited in the 1950s with the vision to build a freeway from Sydney through to Wollongong. A corridor was designated from Waterfall to St Peters and remains untouched, though a number of parks run into the corridor like Scarborough Park at Kogarah. The only section built was Captain Cook Bridge at Taren Point which opened in 1965. Meanwhile, a freeway corridor was reserved in Wollongong, which incorporated Mt Ousley Road which had been built in World War II to improve transport movements from Sydney to the Illawarra.

Source: Anon. 1970. "Toll Road Job to Start Soon". The St George and Sutherland Shire Leader, June 10: 11.

The corridor from Waterfall to Bulli Tops was gazetted in 1952. Approval to construct a km tollway was given in 1970. Construction commenced in June 1970. After delays in construction (original completion was late 1974), the $18 million tollroad was officially opened to traffic on July 24 1975 by NSW Premier Tom Lewis. The premier hailed it as a "masterpiece of design and workmanship". Motorists were charged a toll of 40 cents to drive between Waterfall and Bulli Tops. With a speed limit of 110km/h, a person can cover the entire 22 kilometre freeway in just 12 minutes.

Source: Anon. 1975. "Cars Queue to Try Tollway: Premier Opens Super Shortcut". The Illawarra Mercury, July 25: 3. 

With the route prone to fog, electronic signage was provided to alert drivers to changes in road conditions including variable speed limits. This is shown in the WIN News Illawarra archives which was shown in 2015 to mark its 40th anniversary.

Source: Win News Illawarra. (2015)."Construction of the F6 Freeway. [Online Video]. 21 July 2015. Available from: https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=riqehUWuHdQ. [Accessed: 3 November 2016].

 Tolls were abolished in 1995 to encourage heavy vehicles to use the freeway instead of the Princes Highway which "had a poor accident record", and reduce business costs. 

 

Source: de Vine, B. 1995. "State Government abolishes F6 charge". The Daily Telegraph Mirror, May 17:5.

Source: Zeller, F. 1995. "F6 a free way ...but Knight shies from M4, M5 pledge". The Daily Telegraph Mirror, July 1: 9. 

In 2000, an interchange was opened at Helensburgh to improve access to the suburb along with Stanwell Park.

As for linking the (now) Princes Motorway into Sydney's network of motorways, the planning continues more than six decades later. The NSW Government has now referred to the southern freeway as "SouthConnex" and is planned to be a priority once the NorthConnex and West Connex projects are completed. Below is a recent report from Seven News relating to the F6 Motorway.

Property Advert of the Week: Astoria Tower (1995)

This week, we head to Sussex Street in the city where I share with you a 1995 advertisement for the Astoria Tower.

Source: Li & Fung Properties. 1995. "Astoria Tower" (Advertisement). The Sydney Morning Herald, June 24:86.

1970: Plans for Sydney's "Landmark" MSB Ports Tower is unveiled

As you may have noticed as of late the MSB Port Tower is being pulled down after four decades of service in controlling port traffic on Sydney Harbour.

Demolition Works in October 2016. The photo was taken by the Author.

But how did it come about? Changes to communication with ships in the harbour facilitated the need but also a tower would give greater visibility when compared to Circular Quay where they were based at the time of its announcement in July 1970. It was hoped to be completed in 1971 but did not open until 1974. 

  

Source: Anon. 1970. "Landmark: 200ft. port tower for Millers Pt." The Daily Telegraph, July 17:7. 

When completed the structure raised 87 metres above sea level.

The MSB Port Tower just prior to its demolition (2015). The photo was taken by the Author. 

Last year, the NSW State Government announced its demolition as it did not fit in with the reconstructed headland at Barangaroo but the relocation of port activity from Sydney Harbour to Port Botany along with the relocation of vessel operations to Port Botany in 2011 made the structure redundant. 

The National Trust opposed its demolition as it was a reminder of the harbour's past as a trading port and had listed the structure on its register in 2010. 

And where do I stand on its demolition? For starters, it was not worthy of heritage listing as it as not in an architectural sense worth retaining. Does it fit in with the surroundings? No. It towers over the terraces of Millers Point and the park.

But there was an opportunity lost to redevelop it. I suggested at a Barangaroo Community Consultation Forum in Caringbah in 2010 to turn it into an observation tower. Peter Holmes-A-Court who was (quietly) seated at my table liked the idea and suggested a staircase be built on its exterior. If no use could be found, then pull it down. 

Property Advert of the Week: Liberty Grove (1999)

Our property advertisement of the Week takes us to Liberty Grove, which was one of Sydney's newest suburbs back in 1999.

 

Source: Liberty Grove. Untitled (Advertisement). The Sydney Morning Herald, June 5, (Real Estate Liftout). 

1998: How Sydney Tower got its signage

Above: Signage atop Sydney Tower. Photo was taken by the Author (2012). 

AMP was one of the official sponsors of the Sydney 2000 Olympic Games. As part of the Olympic Games, AMP wanted to erect its logo along with an Olympic Sign.

 

Source: Skelsey, M. 1996. "The people say no to a giant sign in the sky". The Daily Telegraph, November 20:15.

This was not popular with some Sydneysiders given the iconic nature of the building. In 1998, the AMP signage went up. However, AMP went for Olympic Artworks designed by Dominique Sutton. I remember this well from the TV news reports at the time. I recall swimmer Ian Thorpe and Seven Nightly News Sports Presenter (and former Olympian) Neil Brooks standing at the top of the tower alongside the sculptures.

 

Source: Anon. 1998. "Games art reaches new heights". The Daily Telegraph, July 27:9.

The sculptures remained atop the tower until 2002 when they were relocated to Sydney Olympic Park. In the early 2000's Westfield purchased Centrepoint from AMP and this included Sydney Tower itself. In 2011, Westfield was given the approval to erect its logo in place of AMP atop the tower.

 

Property Advert of the Week: Forest Ridge, Hurstville (2001)

I actually remember when Forest Ridge at Hurstville went up in 2001. From memory, the site was once part of Dominelli Ford, which was directly across from the main dealership, before being demolished several years ago. Here is an advertisement promoting sales of apartments in the building from 2001. Sadly its now lost in the concrete jungle which has grown in spurts over the past two decades near to King Georges Road.

  

Source: Colliers Jardine. 2001. "Forest Ridge Apartments"(Advertisement). The St George and Sutherland Shire Leader, March 20:107.

1967: Kareela is gazetted

To our followers from Kareela, find out below how your suburb was gazetted and even why its streets got their names. The suburb was developed by Stocks and Holdings.

  

Source: Anon. 1967. "Multi-million dollar estate to be called Kareela". The St George and Sutherland Shire Leader, November 8:27. 

Property Advert of the Week: Newington (1999)

Yes, I have posted one advertisement promoting apartments for sale at Newington, but this one from 1999 is nice to post as well.





Source: Mirvac Group & Lend Lease. 1999. "Blue chip" (Advertisement). The Sydney Morning Herald, June 5:22 (Real Estate Liftout).