Crown Perth
An integrated casino, hotel, entertainment and convention resort on the Swan River in Perth, Western Australia.
Last updated November 4, 2026
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Overview
Crown Perth is an integrated resort and casino situated in Burswood, on the eastern side of Perth near the Swan River. It is operated as part of Crown Resorts and combines casino gaming, accommodation, restaurants, bars, entertainment, conventions and recreational facilities in one large destination complex. The property is one of Crown Resorts' three major Australian resort casinos, alongside Crown Melbourne and Crown Sydney. The site originated in a Western Australian government proposal during the 1980s to create a major casino and tourism complex on Burswood Island, approximately three kilometres east of Perth's central business district. Perth businessman Dallas Dempster proposed the development, and the successful consortium was Tileska Pty Ltd, a joint venture involving Dempster and Malaysian casino operator Genting Berhad. The project was enabled by the Casino (Burswood Island) Agreement Act 1985. Construction took place on land that had previously been used as a landfill, creating substantial engineering and environmental challenges, including concerns about subsidence and possible effects on the adjacent river. The casino opened on 30 December 1985 as Burswood Island Casino. At opening it was described as the largest casino in Australia and one of the largest in the world. Its early popularity exceeded expectations, with large crowds and strong initial gaming activity. The wider complex was completed progressively: the indoor arena opened in 1987, the hotel and convention facilities followed, and the entire Burswood Island complex received its formal opening in April 1988. Over time, the site expanded beyond its original casino concept to include hotels, a theatre, ballrooms, a convention centre, restaurants, nightlife venues and event facilities. The property changed corporate hands and names over the following decades. Publishing and Broadcasting Limited acquired full control of the Burswood International Resort Casino in 2004, and the site was renamed Burswood Entertainment Complex in 2005. In 2007, the gaming interests of Publishing and Broadcasting were transferred to Crown Limited, controlled by James Packer, bringing the resort into the Crown brand family. On 14 December 2011, Crown announced that the complex would be renamed Crown Perth. The existing hotel businesses were subsequently rebranded as Crown Metropol Perth and Crown Promenade Perth in 2012. A major later development was Crown Towers Perth, a 500-room luxury hotel built by Multiplex and opened in December 2016. Its addition increased the resort's total hotel capacity to approximately 1,200 rooms and strengthened Crown Perth's positioning as a full-scale destination resort rather than solely a gaming venue. The complex also contains Crown Metropol Perth, Crown Promenade Perth, the Crown Theatre, Crown Ballroom, Crown Ballroom-related event facilities, meeting rooms, restaurants, bars, a nightclub and other leisure amenities. Crown Perth's casino operates around the clock and is the principal casino venue in Perth. Western Australian law gives the venue a distinctive position: conventional reel-style poker machines are prohibited in the state, although the casino operates electronic gaming machines under state-specific rules. Its table-game offering has included baccarat, blackjack, roulette, poker variants, craps-related or dice games, casino war, pai gow, sic bo, money wheel and other casino formats. The venue has also operated specialised gaming rooms for premium and high-value customers. The resort is closely connected with Burswood Park, a public parkland area regenerated from former industrial and waste-use land. The broader precinct has hosted concerts, sporting and community events, and has included public landscaping, a heritage trail and seasonal activities. The former Burswood Dome, once a major indoor arena beside the resort, was later demolished to enable expansion of the precinct. Crown Perth has also been subject to scrutiny as…
History
Crown Perth developed from a Western Australian government-backed plan in the 1980s to establish a major casino and tourism complex on Burswood Island, close to Perth's central business district and the Swan River. The proposal was associated with Perth businessman Dallas Dempster and was awarded to Tileska Pty Ltd, a joint venture between Dempster and Genting Berhad. The project required construction on former landfill, with engineering concerns surrounding ground settlement and possible contamination or effluent release during piling and other works. Allegations concerning the project and political figures were later examined by the WA Inc Royal Commission, which found no impropriety in that respect. The Casino (Burswood Island) Agreement Act 1985 authorised the development. Burswood Property Trust, in which the Tileska joint venture held a substantial interest, was listed on the Australian Securities Exchange in May 1985. The casino opened on 30 December 1985, ahead of the originally anticipated schedule. It quickly became one of Australia's most prominent casino venues, attracting exceptionally large crowds during its first months. The rest of the initial resort was completed in stages. The Burswood Dome indoor sports and entertainment arena opened in August 1987, the hotel opened in October 1987 after construction delays, the convention centre opened in November 1987, and the complex's formal opening took place in April 1988. During the 1990s the casino was expanded and its premium-gaming facilities were upgraded. The International Room for high-value customers was improved in 1995, the Burswood Theatre was renovated in 1998, and the hotel rooms underwent a substantial refurbishment in 1999. The resort also became an important concert and entertainment venue. Michael Jackson performed three sold-out shows at the Burswood Dome in late 1996 during the HIStory World Tour. A broad A$96 million renovation and improvement program began in 2000. New venues included the Ruby Room nightclub, Champion's Bar and the Grand Ballroom. In the early 2000s the operator also revisited the long-delayed second stage of the original development concept. A 2003 arrangement with Mirvac Fini addressed residential development on nearby vacant land, while an agreement with InterContinental Hotels Group led to the operation of the existing resort hotel under the Burswood InterContinental name and the construction of a new 291-room Holiday Inn hotel. The Holiday Inn Burswood opened in August 2005. Ownership and branding changed significantly in the same period. Publishing and Broadcasting Limited obtained full control of the Burswood International Resort Casino in 2004. The property was renamed Burswood Entertainment Complex in 2005. In 2007, Publishing and Broadcasting transferred its gaming assets, including Burswood, into Crown Limited, a company associated with James Packer. The resort subsequently added or refreshed several specialist venues, including The Pearl Room, The Meridian Room, MINQ, Carbon Sports Bar and a dedicated poker room. The Burswood Dome continued to host major touring performers and productions, including Britney Spears in 2009 and the musical Cats in 2010. Crown Limited announced the Crown Perth name in December 2011. The resort's hotels adopted Crown branding in 2012, with the InterContinental becoming Crown Metropol Perth and the Holiday Inn becoming Crown Promenade Perth. The same period saw plans for a new 500-room luxury hotel, Crown Towers Perth. Built by Multiplex, Crown Towers opened in December 2016 and raised the resort's total room inventory to about 1,200 rooms. The property is a regulated casino and an integrated hospitality complex. Its casino operates continuously and offers table games, poker variants, premium rooms and electronic gaming machines permitted under Western Australian law. Unlike many Australian jurisdictions, Western Australia prohibits conventional poker machines in most venues; Crown Perth has historically been the state's authorised venue for this form of gaming, subject to state regulation. A proposed expansion of gaming capacity in 2012 was linked to the Crown Towers development and attracted criticism from gambling-harm advocates and political campaigners. Crown Perth's history also includes the transformation of surrounding Burswood Park from former waste and industrial land into public parkland. The complex's former golf-course area was later redeveloped in connection with the wider Burswood and Perth Stadium precinct. The Burswood Dome was eventually demolished to make way for resort expansion. In 2022, the property faced a privacy and security incident after a contractor entered Virat Kohli's room without permission and recorded video. In 2025, the Western Australian regulator reportedly recommended retention of Crown Perth's licence following remedial action and changes to Crown Resorts' governance. In 2026, the Urban Food District opened as a new dining precinct, marking a significant addition to the resort's non-gaming offer.
- 2026
Urban Food District opens
[1]A new food and beverage precinct opened at the resort.
- 2022
Unauthorised hotel-room recording incident
[1]A contractor entered a guest's room without permission and recorded video, prompting an apology and termination.
- 2016
Crown Towers Perth opens
[1]The 500-room luxury hotel opened in December.
- 2012
On-site hotels adopt Crown branding
[1]The resort's hotels were rebranded Crown Metropol Perth and Crown Promenade Perth.
- 2011
Crown Perth name announced
[1]Crown Limited announced the rebranding of Burswood Entertainment Complex as Crown Perth.
- 2007
Gaming interests transferred to Crown Limited
[1]Burswood became part of Crown Limited's Australian gaming portfolio.
- 2005
Property renamed Burswood Entertainment Complex
[1]Following Publishing and Broadcasting's acquisition of control, the resort adopted the Burswood Entertainment Complex name.
- 2000
Major resort refurbishment begins
[1]A major renovation and improvement program was undertaken across the resort.
- 1988
Formal opening of the completed complex
[1]The broader Burswood Island complex received its official opening in April.
- 1987
Burswood Dome opens
[1]The indoor sports and entertainment arena opened to the public in August.
Products and positioning
A large integrated resort positioned at the intersection of casino gaming, destination accommodation, dining, conferences and live entertainment, serving Perth visitors, business events, leisure travellers and premium gaming customers.
Casino gaming · 1985
Crown Perth Casino
The casino is the central gaming component of the resort and operates 24 hours a day. It offers table games including baccarat, blackjack, roulette, poker variants, pai gow, sic bo, casino war, three-card poker and other formats. It also operates electronic gaming machines within the framework of Western Australian law. Specialist areas have included premium and high-stakes rooms, a poker room and other customer-focused gaming spaces.
Luxury hotel · 2016
Crown Towers Perth
Crown Towers Perth is the resort's luxury hotel, comprising 500 rooms and opening in December 2016. Developed by Multiplex, it was intended to strengthen Crown Perth's destination-resort credentials and provide a high-end accommodation option alongside the casino, restaurants, event venues and other hotels.
Hotel · 2012
Crown Metropol Perth
Crown Metropol Perth is the rebranded successor to the InterContinental Burswood hotel. It forms part of the resort's multi-tier accommodation offer and serves leisure guests, event attendees and visitors using the wider casino and entertainment facilities.
Hotel · 2005
Crown Promenade Perth
Crown Promenade Perth is the 291-room hotel formerly known as Holiday Inn Burswood. It provides a more accessible accommodation tier within the integrated resort and is connected to the site's wider dining, gaming, entertainment and convention offer.
Live entertainment venue · 1988
Crown Theatre Perth
The theatre is an indoor performance venue within the resort. It has hosted touring musical productions and other entertainment programming, complementing the former Burswood Dome and the property's broader role as a Perth events destination.
Conventions and events · 1987
Convention and events facilities
Crown Perth includes a convention centre, meeting rooms, ballrooms and event spaces used for conferences, exhibitions, banquets, weddings, corporate functions and entertainment events. These facilities broaden the business beyond casino gaming and support the resort's role in Perth's tourism and business-events economy.
Food and beverage precinct · 2026
Urban Food District
The Urban Food District is a dining and bar precinct opened in 2026. It combines local operators with international food and beverage brands and represents a significant recent expansion of Crown Perth's non-gaming offer.
Controversies
2025
Gaming-licence compliance review
Crown Perth's licence remained subject to regulatory scrutiny associated with Crown Resorts' compliance and governance. In July 2025, the Western Australian Gaming and Wagering Commission reportedly recommended retention of the licence after remedial measures and governance changes.
2022
Unauthorised entry and recording of Virat Kohli
A contractor entered Virat Kohli's hotel room without authorisation during the ICC Men's T20 World Cup and recorded video that was uploaded to social media. Crown Perth apologised and terminated the contractor.
Marketing campaigns
- 2000Resort renovation and improvement program
Australia
Crown Perth's predecessor undertook a major resort-wide renovation and improvement program valued at A$96 million, covering accommodation and visitor facilities.
Outcome. Supported the property's transition toward a broader integrated-resort model.
Brand decisions
2025
Implement remedial compliance and governance measuresStrategyBackground
Crown Perth faced continuing regulatory scrutiny over gaming compliance and the governance of Crown Resorts.
Action taken
Crown Resorts undertook remedial measures and corporate-governance changes intended to restore regulatory standing.
Aftermath
The Western Australian regulator reportedly recommended that Crown Perth retain its gaming licence.
2012
Develop Crown Towers PerthProduct launchBackground
Crown sought to expand the resort's accommodation capacity and premium positioning.
Action taken
Crown announced and subsequently built a 500-room luxury hotel at the Burswood site.
Aftermath
Crown Towers Perth opened in December 2016 and increased total on-site hotel capacity to approximately 1,200 rooms.
Announced construction cost. A$568 million (2012 announcement)
2012
Seek expansion of gaming capacityStrategyBackground
Crown linked additional gaming capacity to the development of the new luxury hotel and broader resort expansion.
Action taken
Crown sought an increase in electronic gaming machines from approximately 2,000 to 2,500 and gaming tables from 220 to 350, subject to regulatory approval.
Aftermath
The proposal received government support but attracted criticism from gambling-harm advocates and political campaigners.
2011
Rebrand the Burswood complex as Crown PerthStrategyBackground
Crown Limited was consolidating its Australian resort portfolio under the Crown brand.
Action taken
The Burswood Entertainment Complex was renamed Crown Perth, followed by the rebranding of its hotels.
Aftermath
The property became more visibly integrated with Crown Resorts' national brand architecture.
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