SouthBank- Torrens

[fabricator]

Festival Centre while I'm sure is perfect inside, from outside everything besides the roof is really ugly. I find it bizarre that something so devoted to artistic expression and beauty is surrounded by so much brutally angled concrete.

I have my doubts adam73837's idea of building an aquatic centre over the rail yard is such a good idea. For one thing the weight is an issue, standard 50m pool contains 900,000 L of water, which weighs 900 tons. Then add the weight of the thick concrete to hold in that sort of mass. Building closer to the Torrens is one way around that, but then there is the issue of chlorine entering the waterway.

Personally I don't see the urgent need to build even more over train tracks, well not at this location anyway. Its just a sign that more needs to be build in the suburbs.

[adam_stuckey]

Casino plan for Adelaide's Torrens Lake Article
BRAD CROUCH
May 02, 2009 10:30am
A NEW Adelaide casino and hotel - styled on Melbourne's glamorous Crown complex - is proposed for one of two landmark city sites.

The bank of the Torrens Lake, in the city's West End, and the Royal Adelaide Hospital site, in the east, have been identified by two construction consortiums, which have started work on plans to be presented to casino operator SkyCity.

While SkyCity says it has not commissioned plans, it has made no secret of its wish for a new casino and hotel, and has now confirmed that ambitious relocation talks are planned with the State Government. Separate building industry, political and gaming sources also confirmed two new casino options are being drawn up, depending on who wins next year's State election:

A CASINO-HOTEL development on the Torrens Lake, modelled on Melbourne's Southbank precinct, as part of the Liberal Party plan for a sports stadium and entertainment precinct at the Riverside West site.

A SHOWPIECE North Tce casino-hotel on the existing RAH site, as part of the State Government's plan to turn the area into Adelaide's version of Melbourne's Federation Square.

Under both scenarios, a casino/hotel would ease the financial pressure on whoever wins government. Construction sources say the waterfront site would be a "better fit" than the North Tce RAH frontage but both have huge commercial appeal.

The move for a bigger casino comes as a Sunday Mail investigation found:

A SWEETHEART deal between the State Government and the casino prevents release of information showing how much gambling patrons lose;

DESPITE the information blackout, the investigation shows gamblers have lost almost $2 billion at the casino since it opened in 1985;

THE casino now rakes in an average of $100 million in gambling revenue a year – about half each from machines and tables – and revenue is soaring.

Casino operator SkyCity Adelaide has confirmed it wants to move from the heritage-listed Adelaide Railway Station site into bigger, purpose-built premises incorporating a hotel.

Management has embarked on a broad overhaul of its business plan, which is expected to result in a change of name and logo, as well as a shift to new premises built from scratch.

Any plan to move the casino shapes as political dynamite as the Labor and Liberal parties pin their futures on rival entertainment precincts based on retaining or demolishing the RAH.

SkyCity chief executive Nigel Morrison has told investors Adelaide deserves a bigger casino, while casino general manager David Christian confirmed relocation talks were planned with the Government.

However, when questioned about the "Southbank v Federation Square" option, Mr Christian released a short statement: "The casino has not held any discussions with any party about moving the casino and we are busy focusing on improving the business we have."

SkyCity last year dumped a $30 million car park plan at its existing site.

While at least two consortiums are working on proposals, a SkyCity spokeswoman said the casino had not engaged anyone to draw up plans.

"We are looking at a greenfields site for a move in the future but nothing has officially been discussed with any party at this stage," she said. "I am not aware whether other people are drawing up such plans to put to us."

In 2001, Adelaide developers revealed detailed plans for a $200 million, 22-story hotel with casino and 240 apartments on the railyards site and revived it again in 2006, but failed to win government support.

A new casino/hotel adds a new dimension to battlelines drawn by the political parties in the run-up to the March 2010 election. Labor is committed to building a $1.7 billion hospital on the city's western railyards site and turning the existing RAH campus into an entertainment area. The Liberals are committed to upgrading the existing RAH and instead building a sports stadium on the railyards site as part of a new entertainment complex.

Under either scenario, a new casino/hotel complex would help cover costs and guarantee a critical mass of patrons flock to the area regularly.




Looks like a great idea and honestly this is the only way anything moves forward in Adelaide, when a privately owned company has and a reason to build something. I think if companies sell the fact that if the public gets behind them they'll improve our city with buildings and business

[SRW]

Typical. The 'tiser is falling over itself and the truth to create a narrative.

[adam_stuckey]

Still would be good though!