The Star Entertainment to close Treasury Brisbane Casino ahead of Queens Wharf opening

The casino company aims to raise much-needed money, while Griffith University plans to turn the landmark into a major place of learning. Amid ongoing investigations, and with The Star promising change, the Queensland and NSW governments have postponed their threatened regulatory crackdown. The company has been given until the end of 2024 to prove it should not have its Queensland licence suspended for impropriety. The Star Entertainment Group – which lost money last month when system issues required its poker machines to be switched off for four days – will announce its financial year results next Friday.
“Three days into the Queen’s Wharf precinct opens, I tell you, I am champing at the bit”, says Jack, “I guess I’ll tide myself over by hitting up the RSL.” As Brisbane prepares to say goodbye to the Treasury Casino, poor gambling addicts have been warned they will have to go three whole days before the casino part of the precinct opens – which to many, is bloody unAustralian. While excitement builds around the new Queen’s Wharf, the closure of the Treasury Casino is bittersweet for many tradies who’ve lost half their paycheck to the black jack tables. As part of the Queen’s Wharf development by the Star Entertainment Group and Chow Tai Fook Enterprises, a new casino opened in 2024.
There, officials have looked into whether the company should keep its casino license. Money problems at The Star have gotten worse due to government investigations in New South Wales. The company’s been pushed to find ways to raise cash, like selling off key assets, as it deals with big market hurdles. This development, which includes a new casino still needs the green light from regulators.
The company recently encountered financial setbacks when system issues required its poker machines to be switched off for four days. “Our main gaming floor will open, as well as our premium gaming rooms, and five restaurants will begin operations on day one,” Finch elaborated. While the casino operations are moving, the Treasury Brisbane casino Hotel will continue to operate as The Star Entertainment Group seeks buyers for the buildings. The city of Brisbane will experience a brief casino hiatus, resuming operations at 2 pm on Thursday when The Star unveils its state-of-the-art facilities. Brisbane’s Treasury Casino, a 24-hour entertainment staple housed in a heritage-listed former government office, will close permanently at midnight on Sunday, marking the end of an era almost three decades after its opening. For three days the city will have no casino until the new Star opens next Thursday as part of Queen’s Wharf stage one.
Daniel Finch, CEO of The Star Entertainment Group’s Brisbane operations, highlighted the significance of the transition, noting that patrons would be “farewelled politely” at 11.59 pm on Sunday, just before the doors shut for the last time. This closure paves the way for The Star to inaugurate the main gambling hub at the $4 billion Queen’s Wharf precinct on Thursday. “We’re progressing well with the sale of the asset and we’ve got some really good negotiations and conversations happening at the moment,” Finch said. While future of the heritage-listed building is still unclear, the hotel will remain open. For 29 years the old government administration building has been home to Brisbane’s casino but this weekend its number is up.
The event centre at Queen’s Wharf is already taking bookings, with future expansions to include the Dorsett and Rosewood hotels. “We have just seen recent data that shows that Brisbane has become Australia’s ‘bleisure’ capital, with business visitors spending more time and money in our city compared to any other state,” Finch noted. The new development is expected to bolster Brisbane’s status as Australia’s “bleisure” capital—a blend of business and leisure—where business visitors have increasingly spent more time and money. Finch shared insights into the development’s phased opening, starting with the casino and The Star Grand Hotel’s 3500-square-meter event center this Thursday.
The event centre is already taking bookings and future openings at Queen’s Wharf will include the Dorsett and Rosewood hotels. “We have just seen recent data that shows that Brisbane has become Australia’s ‘bleisure’ capital, with business visitors spending more time and money in our city compared to any other state,” he said. “We’ll have our main gaming floor open, as well as our premium gaming rooms,” said Finch, adding that five restaurants would also open on day one. The closure will leave Brisbane without a casino until 2pm on Thursday, when The Star will open as the main gambling venue in the $4 billion Queen’s Wharf precinct. DraftKings revenue jumped 17% YoY and EBITDA exploded 599% to $167.9 million as the company presses… These include ongoing inquiries by the New South Wales Independent Casino Commission into the company’s compliance with anti-money laundering and counter-terrorism financing laws. The Star Entertainment Group has been under increased scrutiny in recent years, with various investigations into its operations.
The casino and hotel occupied two heritage-listed buildings, the Treasury Building, and the nearby Lands Administration Building respectively. One percent of the casino’s gross gaming revenue was deposited in the Jupiters Casino Community Benefit Fund. It closed on the 25 August 2024 to make way for a new Star Casino at Queen’s Wharf. “And we’ll work with the government to preserve this beautiful heritage-listed building. “The process from here is, we go through a decamp process,” Star’s boss of Brisbane operations, Daniel Finch, said. The Treasury Casino has closed — and the question as to what will replace the Brisbane icon inside the heritage-protected CBD building has one leading retail expert “stumped”.
‘We’ll work with the government to preserve this beautiful heritage-listed building.’