Stanley Ho, the biggest casino owner in Macau, has also become one of the biggest donors to Australia's Labor Party, starting rumors that a new casino is planned for Sydney.
Ho has so far contributed $109,000 to the Labor Party, which contests the New South Wales state election next month. The casino tycoon has donated $48,000 to enable him to have lunch with New South Wales Premier Morris Iemma.
The increased interest Ho has in Sydney may stem from his collaboration with Sydney-based James Packer, whose company, along with the Ho family, is involved in two casino projects in Macau, one of them being the Crown Macau which will open later this year.
Packer's company owns and operates the only casinos in Melbourne and Perth, and has has been pursuing a Sydney license for a long time. Meanwhile, Star City Casino in Sydney was given an exclusive license in 1995 to run a casino in the city for a period of 12 years. That exclusive license runs out before the end of 2007.
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