In 1985, Perth was at an inflection point. It was the ‘heady’ days of the 1980s, and our city was coming of age. The economy was booming, the West Coast Eagles had just arrived on the scene, the America’s Cup was generating global interest, and a new international airport terminal was on its way.
On the 30th of December that year, Burswood Island Resort opened its doors. Lines spilled down the street as people queued to experience the buzz of Perth’s first (and only) Casino, then the largest in Australia, and the third largest in the world. When it opened, it helped announce Perth’s arrival as a global city. In the years since, the integrated resort, now Crown Perth, has grown in scale and impact, and continues to drive opportunity and visitation to Western Australia.
Investment in our property over the decades has come in many forms – new bars, new hotels and new dining concepts. Our performance venues – the Burswood Dome and Crown Theatre have contributed countless memories and tens of millions of dollars to the local economy.
From the first concert in October 1988 which saw Mick Jagger strut the Dome stage before 30,000 adoring fans, to the recent season of WICKED at Crown Theatre, more than 17 million guests have attended our shows since 1985.
Fast forward to today, and Crown’s newest offering – an Urban Food District with more than a dozen new premium-casual eateries and bars – will open this month. In a fitting piece of symmetry, Gladstones, our new wine bar named after Dr John Gladstones AO which spotlights WA wine and produce opened on our 40th birthday, 30 December 2025.
With more than 5,000 team members, Crown is the state’s largest single site employer and a major supporter of tourism and the events industry.
Our partnerships support the venues and the brands that bring entertainment and sport to our city – from our local AFL teams to AC Milan and the UFC, to Optus Stadium, the RAC Arena and most recently the WA Museum Foundation, Crown plays a critical role ensuring the pipeline of tourism and entertainment in our state is strong.
Our largest and most important investment over the last 40 years is our people. From those who worked in a bar or restaurant during their ‘Uni’ days to the nine ‘Day One’ employees who are still part of our team, our people make Crown a great place to be every day.
We’re also investing in making gaming safer for our guests. In December Crown Perth completed the transition all of its Electronic Gaming Machines to carded-only play. This means players must set their weekly time and loss limits, empowering guests to track their play and monitor their activity through monthly player activity statements. With every gaming machine in the state under the one roof, this transformation has made Western Australia the safest jurisdiction in the world to play.
These changes, coupled with investment throughout our venue and new experiences for our guests herald the start of a new era for Crown Perth.
Our city is also at another inflection point. With a growing population of 2.5 million, more direct international flights soon to take off, and a city University campus, the future is bright.
At Crown Perth, we know we play a role in matching this exciting growth with even more new and exciting entertainment experiences.
Forty years on and we’re just getting started.
