The Star Brisbane first-look reveals luxury hotel, sports bar, ballroom and celebrity chef
In April 2025, Bally’s will make its UK debut by opening its first-ever casino at The Gate, one of Newcastle’s premier entertainment hubs, according to their website. Of the 19 casinos in the US, 17 have been revived. Bally’s, which operate’s 19 casinos across the US, will get a 56.7 per cent stake in Star. The embattled casino operator has signed a $300 million rescue package with Bally’s Corporation to save the business from administration. The Queensland LNP government released a sensitive report into Star’s Brisbane casino business partner.
The transaction, approved by Star’s board and lenders over the weekend under Chair Anne Ward’s leadership, is pending final procedural steps. As of late Monday, April 7th, documentation remained under review, with formal approvals by the lender committee still required. Almost a decade ago, executives at Star Entertainment described the planned construction of the Queen’s Wharf casino in Brisbane as a “gamechanger” for the city and the gambling company. Queensland Premier David Crisafulli backed the casino’s workers, saying his main worry was to make sure employees kept their jobs while the company’s future remained unclear. He stressed that staff should not lose out because of management’s mistakes, adding that keeping people employed had to come first. In response to the walkout, a Star spokesperson expressed sadness over the disruption and said the company had worked hard during long talks to find a fair solution that addressed wage growth while keeping in mind its shaky financial state.
“We are excited about our future in the Gold Coast. “The QWB Project is a world-class entertainment and leisure precinct in the heart of Brisbane’s central business district, one of Australia’s fastest growing cities and the host of the 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games,” Far East said on Friday. The deal to sell its new Brisbane casino will mean its two partners pay a total of $53 million for Star’s share of the venue and it will also receive $5 million a month to run the casino, rising to $6 million a month as of next year. The deal will end its exposure to further financial demands at Queens Wharf and raise its exposure to the properties surrounding its Gold Coast resort. “This transaction is an important milestone for the company and contributes to providing a potential pathway towards financial viability,” chief executive Steve McCann said. It also faces a looming financial penalty from the financial crimes regulator Austrac, in addition to a $15m fine issued by the NSW government casino regulator late last year.No clear date for the launch of gaming operations was provided in the release. Casino operator The Star Entertainment Group Ltd said in a Sunday press release that The Star Brisbane (pictured in an artist’s rendering), a long-anticipated new casino resort, will open its facilities starting from August 29. With the opening of the new complex, Star casino Brisbane significantly expands its gaming options.
Ensuring Brisbane's casino doesn't become an "eyesore without tenancies" should be a priority as further doubt is cast over the future of Star Entertainment, a business expert VIP casino club benefits says. Australia’s financial crimes regulator, AUSTRAC, has launched civil proceedings seeking an AU$400 million (US$260 million) fine against Star for alleged AML breaches. The company has warned that even a fine of AU$100 million (US$66 million) could threaten its ability to continue operating. However, that transaction is now reportedly in question. The original terms of the deal had set a 30 April deadline for certain long-form documentation, which was not met. This fact was not announced independently, but was tucked in the company’s general meeting notice from late May. Analyst Angus Hewitt from investment research firm Morningstar told clients in a note that without a lifeline 'the company would be lucky to make it to February 28'. Star Entertainment Group could be broke in a matter of weeks with the future of its casinos in Sydney, Brisbane and the Gold Coast - along with the thousands of jobs they provide - in doubt. One post from @marknormand and people are already refreshing the ticket site. Doesn’t matter if it’s a big tour stop or just some last-minute gig. He’s doing the full tour, yeah, but he’s also out here hitting every stage he can physically get to. One night it’s a packed theater with 2,000 people scream-laughing, the next it’s a sweaty basement in Jersey where he drops in just to test new bits about sex, panic, and sandwiches.