Australian Crown wants special airport deal for high rollers

Crown says Melbourne is at a disadvantage because its airport did not properly cater for VIP clients, who were increasingly being lured to Singaporean two new casino resorts.

The casino's CEO, Rowen Craigie, said last week that Singapore airport had a special area where high rollers could be taken directly from their first-class airline seats to be processed so they would be on their way quickly to casino hotels.

Customs and Immigration officers came to the area to deal with the high rollers, who did not have to mix with the public during the process. Arrangements were also made to clear their luggage quickly.

Unveiling a 14.9 % rise in Crown's annual net profit to us$ 335 million, Craigie said the company's strategy was to attract more gamblers from mainland China because South-East Asian high rollers increasingly preferred their own regions.

Crown's Burswood casino in Perth lost 32 % of its take from VIP gamblers in the past year, partly because of the lure of the casinos in Singapore, which had fast airport processing.

Melbourne airport and the State Government confirmed that Crown had raised the issue. Airlines have the option of giving priority to passengers who can be processed through an express queue in Customs and Immigration.

Independent senator Nick Xenophon slammed the proposal as "smacking of elitism". "This just shows how out of touch Crown is - we're not talking about diplomats or heads of state, we're talking about people who've just got lots of money," he said. "Just because Singapore does it doesn't mean we should do it. "Does this mean we'll trade passports for casino chips?"

Home Affairs Minister Brendan O'Connor last night said the Federal Government would not change the law to grant Crown's wish.