Skycity is planning to build another hotel where TVNZ used to be.
This will be the company’s third hotel in the Auckland CBD area. The first Skycity Casino and Hotel opened in 1996. The second hotel was built on the opposite side of the casino in 2005. The third hotel will be built where TVNZ used to be, on the other side of the Skycity casino on Hobson Street. The third hotel is expected to open in 2017.
The old TVNZ land was owned by taxpayer. Skycity wanted to buy this land for many years. The government agreed to sell the land to Skycity in exchange for a convention centre. The government also allowed Skycity to apply for a special law which increases their gambling business. However 3 months after buying the land, Skycity changed their mind and decided to build a hotel on the land as well.
There is a big problem because the land was only allowed to be used for building a convention centre. Many people feel angry because they think that Skycity had plans to build a hotel on the land from the beginning and that Skycity lied about this.
The new convention centre and hotel will bring many new jobs and opportunities for New Zealanders. But because Skycity will also expand their gambling business, addiction to gambling and the negative influence of gambling on society will increase.
Gambling is a serious problem in New Zealand. The government tried to protect New Zealanders from gambling and gambling businesses by creating a law called the New Zealand’s Gambling Act of 2003. However the government allowed Skycity to break a part of this law which states- “A person must not increase opportunities for casino gambling”.
The legal age for gambling in New Zealand is 20 years old. Recent studies have shown that the Pacific and Asian communities have the highest percentage of gambling problems in New Zealand. There are many community and government organizations that help with gambling addiction and provide gambling support for families.
Here are a few websites you can visit if you, or anyone you know has problems with gambling.
Choice not Chance
Gambling Helpline
Problem Gambling Foundation of NZ
Thanks to Hannah Choi for this contribution.
Imagine your grandmother sitting in the back of a patrol car in handcuffs. I was that woman and the gambling addiction destroyed my heart and soul. The day of my arrest was the most humiliating moment of my life and some people asked the question, “Why didn’t you just stop.” Compulsive gambling is cunning, baffling, and powerful and it’s difficult to understand the addiction because no chemicals or substances are ingested into the body.
Almost every day the newspaper, TV, radio and magazines carry stories about the compulsive gambler who is sent to prison for a crime to support their habit, committed suicide because of the shame, or they are being locked up in a psyche ward.
Drugs and alcohol are not the only two addictions that destroy lives. While you are reading this paragraph, someone you know may be embezzling money to support their gambling problem. High school students and senior citizens are becoming addicted and seniors are spending their life savings. At their age there is no chance of returning to the work place to supplement their income.
The number of problem gamblers increases daily and this hidden addiction tears at the fabric of society. Addictions are the most untreated treatable mental illnesses and there is help.
I have an on-line Newsletter to help the female gamblers and the link is: http://www.femalegamblers.info I have also written three books which detail my becoming addicted to gambling and alcohol, the devastation, and my recovery. The titles are, Gripped by Gambling, Switching Addictions, and Detour.
Sincerely,
Marilyn Lancelot
Dear Hannah,
I read your article with interest, and I just wanted to point out a couple of small issues with what you have said.
Firstly, SKYCITY has never been interested in buying the TVNZ land before the redevelopment of the site for a convention centre was mooted. Secondly, the Government did not agree to sell the land “in exchange for a convention centre”. SKYCITY purchased the land directly from TVNZ for $15 million, which was above its market valuation.
Thirdly, SKYCITY did not change its mind about building a hotel on the site. A hotel was always factored in – the only thing that changed was the position of it. SKYCITY changed the position from the southern end of the site to the northern end, on the advice of architects who said it would provide a better and more visually appealing building for Auckland.
Fourthly, it is completely untrue to suggest that gambling addiction will increase because of the construction of a new convention centre. The truth is that not a single new gaming machine will be created in Auckland as a result of the convention centre. All that is happening is that some gaming machines that were previously operated by other companies, bars, and clubs, will come under SKYCITY instead.
As SKYCITY is far better at monitoring and helping those who exhibit signs of problem gambling than any other gaming operation in Auckland, the reality is that there will almost certainly be a fall in problem gambling, rather than a rise as you state.
Lastly, while SKYCITY takes problem gambling extremely seriously and has a huge number of systems and procedures in place to prevent it, problem gambling is not a major issue in New Zealand. In fact, studies show that approximately 0.4 per cent of the population are problem gamblers.
Thank you for allowing me the opportunity to comment.
Sincerely
Colin Espiner
General Manager, Communications
SKYCITY Entertainment Group
I think, this company already had a plan before they negotiated to buy this land for convention center as government expects.
Such actions should not exist in New Zealand
Hi Colin
Thank you for your comment. It’s great to hear Skycity’s side of the story and I think your comment has added more depth and balance to the conversation. I do apologize if some of the points I made in the article were false. As I gather information from professionally written articles published in reputable sources, there is a degree of assumption on my part that what I read and use to write is true. Your comment has highlighted the need for accuracy, accountability and impartiality needed for this genre of writing, and I really appreciate this opportunity to experience it first hand.
As someone who has been personally affected by problem gambling, I do stand by my point that it is a major issue in New Zealand. As you’ve suggested, I truly hope that SKYCITY exercises responsible business practices in regards to gambling, and continues to maintain it’s strict code of operations to help prevent problem gambling.
All the best with the new convention centre.
Hannah Choi