An artist's impression for the proposed Crown hotel and high roller casino at Barangaroo. Source: Supplied
Businessman James Packer. Source: News Limited
Gaming king James Packer will give a $60 million gift to Sydney's arts - half of which must be spent in western Sydney - as a special "thank you" for the chance to build his iconic casino resort at Barangaroo.
The surprise gesture was revealed to The Daily Telegraph last night after Premier Barry O'Farrell announced his government had given its final approval to the $1.5 billion project.
"I am most excited about the Western Sydney Art Fund, for too long the vast majority of Sydney's population has missed out on this sort of endeavour and many of these organisations have had to exist on the tightest budgets,'' Mr Packer said.
An artist’s impression of Central Barangaroo / Picture: Supplied Source: Supplied
Mr Packer's $30 million allocation to western Sydney comes after The Daily Telegraph's Fair Go for The West campaign found that only one per cent of the state's arts budget is allocated to western Sydney.
"I know local Western Sydney organisations will make the funds go a long way and touch many people's lives for the better,'' he said.
"Yes I may not be the most committed art and theatre goer, but I know from my own family how much joy the arts can provide; all Sydneysiders should have access to see the very best art and performances."
The Sydney Theatre Company will receive $15 million and the NSW Art Gallery $10 million, while the remaining $5 million will be shared between several groups including, the Bangarra Dance Theatre, MCA, Sydney Symphony Orchestra, Australian Chamber Orchestra and Sydney Dance Company.
The gift was revealed after Mr O'Farrell announced his government had entered a "binding agreement" with Mr Packer's Crown Resorts to develop a VIP casino at Barangaroo on Sydney Harbour.
He said the agreement did not guarantee new legislation, granting Crown a new casino licence to compete with Echo Entertainment's The Star from November 2019 would be approved.
But Opposition gaming and tourism spokesman Steve Whan said he expected Labor MPs to support the legislation as key conditions had been met.
Shooters MP Robert Brown has said he believed his party would pass the laws.
Opposition planning spokesman Luke Foley said on the weekend the overall Barangaroo precinct would become "the greatest gift to Sydney since the Opera House".
The Packer family is gearing up to launch one of Australia's biggest philanthropic efforts through the newly created Crown Resorts Foundation. Mr Packer is planning a series of other major philanthropic contributions next year.
The foundation will be chaired by Crown director and former Howard government minister Helen Coonan. Mr Packer's sister, Gretel Packer, will also play a lead role.
"The people of Sydney have been wonderful to my family and we feel very lucky to live in this community,'' Mr Packer said.
"As a philanthropic contribution, this long term commitment is comparatively modest, but our hope is that the funding will contribute positively to these cultural institutions.''
Independent arts and cultural advisers will be appointed from western Sydney to advise the foundation on how the $30 million should be allocated. Arts organisations will be able to apply for funding.
An artist’s impression of Central Barangaroo / Picture: Supplied Source: Supplied
The foundation intends to provide a mix of funding for scholarships for western Sydney residents, building works and arts programs.
Sydney Business Chamber Western Sydney director David Borger, a former Labor Minister, described the gift as "the biggest shot in the arm for the arts that western Sydney has ever seen".
"Western Sydney's two million residents are just as creative as anyone else - we need to invest in cultural infrastructure to help reverse our talent drain - that is exactly what Mr Packer is doing with his gift," Mr Borger said.
The Packer family will personally donate half of the $60 million, while the other $30 million will come from Crown Resorts over the next 10 years.
The allocations will begin being made next year once final approvals for the Barangaroo project are completed.
The Packer family has a long philanthropic association with the arts in Sydney, with Mr Packer's mother, Ros Packer, being a passionate supporter for decades.
The foundation last month committed $750,000 to the Salvation Army in Melbourne and $2 million to the Seven Network-run Western Australia Telethon. Mr Packer personally donated $500,000.
Crown Resorts chief executive Rowen Craigie said Crown was working "very hard in the charitable and philanthropic area".
"We understand the importance of supporting the communities we work in and are very excited in regard to the future endeavours of the Crown Resorts Foundation,'' he said.
Crown is also establishing a $10 million hospitality college in Penrith to begin from 2016 training about 1200 western Sydney residents to work at the Barangaroo resort. Traineeships will be offered to students from year 10.
"Western Sydney is a critical part of our employment plans,'' Mr Packer said. "If our project is approved, the college at Penrith will provide countless opportunities for job seekers to train locally and gain careers in the tourism and hospitality sectors.''
About 200 indigenous employees will also be trained by Crown through Redfern's National Centre of Indigenous Excellence.
COMMENT BY JOHN LEHMANN
JAMES Packer is a hard-headed businessman. But his mission to build his company's crowning glory in his hometown is driven as much by heart as head.
His $1.5 billion Barangaroo resort is likely to become the most expensive casino ever built without poker machines.
Packer really does want to show the knockers that he is capable of delivering something special to take Sydney to the next level as a global destination.
He's already proven to be a master when it comes to campaigning.
From his courting of Paul Keating to his surprise $60 million arts gift, his effort to win approval for his Barangaroo project must rate as one of the cleverest uses of soft power ever seen in Sydney. If his father Kerry was the belligerent bulldozer, James has become the great persuader.
Look at his networks and you get the sense he believes he can achieve more by making friends rather than enemies.
He counts Rupert Murdoch as his business hero and has become close friends with Lachlan Murdoch. He's repaired bridges with Kerry Stokes. He's become a confidant to some of most influential people in China, the Philippines and Sri Lanka, where he is planning new resorts.
But he admits Crown Sydney is the special one.
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