As Crown Perth gears up to celebrate its 40th birthday next month, the remarkable story of this iconic resort and casino reflects the bold, ambitious spirit of Western Australia itself. Born in the roaring 1980s, its journey from a polluted rubbish tip to a glittering entertainment hub is a tale of transformation, controversy, and glamour.
From Toxic Tip to Tourism Titan
The history of the Burswood peninsula is as varied as it is surprising. Historian Richard Offen notes the land originally served as a Nyoongar hunting ground, followed by a 50-year period as farmland and later as a sewerage infiltration system. By the 1980s, however, the site had become a largely forgotten dumping ground.
Former Premier Brian Burke recalled the state of the site ahead of its transformation. "It was an awful rubbish tip before, very smelly and toxic, with a lot of medical waste dumped there," Mr Burke said on Friday. With Perth preparing to host the America's Cup in 1987, the State Government was eager to build new facilities. Expressions of interest were called for Perth's first casino licence, and the cabinet settled on the Burswood site after two submissions nominated the rubbish tip.
Mr Burke revealed the cabinet saw a golden opportunity: to clean up the eyesore on someone else's coin, generate a steady income stream for taxpayers, and beautify the city in one fell swoop.
A Monumental Build and Global Debut
Building on the unstable, contaminated site was a monumental challenge, requiring highly sophisticated engineering solutions that remain in use today. Tileska Pty Ltd, a joint venture between businessman Dallas Dempster and Malaysian operator Genting, won the right to develop the Burswood Island Casino. While rival bidders alleged misconduct, the 1992 WA Inc royal commission found no impropriety related to the Burswood deal.
Multiplex managed to construct the casino within a punishing one-year timeframe, despite regular work stoppages due to bomb threats from a disgruntled subcontractor. It finally opened its doors on December 30, 1985, as Australia's largest casino and the third-biggest in the world. Public interest was unprecedented, reportedly fuelling a gross profit of $1 million per day for months. The Burswood Island Hotel and convention centre opened in late 1987, with Crown Towers added much later in 2016.
Looking Forward: A New Era of Investment
The resort's history has not been without its challenges. In early 2022, the Perth Casino Royal Commission found Burswood Nominees Limited unsuitable to hold its licence due to failures in reducing gambling harm and preventing criminal activity. However, Racing and Gaming Minister Paul Papalia declared this year that the operator had been appropriately overhauled.
Now, Crown Perth stands at another turning point. Crown chief executive Brian Pereira announced the resort is preparing to unveil its biggest investment program in almost a decade. "Crown Perth is at a turning point in its history as we prepare to unveil the biggest investment program in almost a decade, with new bars and venues opening in the coming months," Mr Pereira said.
Crown Perth chair Ben Wyatt said the resort's development has always mirrored WA's economic story. He noted Crown is now set for a major reinvestment as the State, through its AUKUS program, once again embarks on a period of economic expansion of international significance.
