Now we know why it's the "entertainment complex"

10 years into its existance, and finally the media are exposing the dark underbelly of Melbourne's Crown Casino. For too long, the media have been under the commercial daze of Crown and it's high-profile owners and failed to ask the tough questions. The Casino is a massive advertiser, has a big impact on the city, and for the first half of its life was the embodiment of all things Jeff.

Still, much as we liked to deceive ourselves that it was all glitz, glammer, and the occassional suicide in the Yarra, a more shady side has emerged. Kudos to the Herald Sun, for so long the most obedient of PR firms for the Casino, for exposing the prevalance of prostitution in the Casino and the shadiness of the indulgence of those in attendance. Of course, nothing illegal about prostitution, but the Victorian Gaming and Casino Authority are having a good look into it.

The Age took a different tact to mark the milestone, looking at the intimate relationship between Melbourne's underworld gangs and the Casino, primarily for money laundering. While us mere punters have to satisfy ourselves on the plebs tables, Mario Condello et al are being wined, dined and blown in the Mahogony Room.

To expect that our Casino would be somehow different from those in other parts of the world was naice, and thankfully the truth is now slowly being exposed.

Comments

Anonymous said…
If there were no gangsters or whores, it wouldn't be a real casino...

(yobbo, no blogger acct)
5 July 2004 at 09:53
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