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Cox Architecture is designing a $330 million redevelopment of Casino Canberra that will transform the small casino by adding luxury accommodation, a significant expansion of its convention centre and a high-end shopping mall.

Canberra Casino Dining Table

The last casino designed by the practice is Australia’s second largest, Star Casino in Sydney, which has had a fraught history. Philip Cox, who co-founded the practice in 1962, has since referred to the project as a “disaster” and “my worst building by far.” In the same 2013 interview with indesignlive.com, he expressed a deep dislike of casinos generally. Cox now serves as a director of the Sydney office of Cox Architecture.

The Canberra office of Cox Architecture is working with international developer Aquis Entertainment on the casino redevelopment, which it is hoped will boost tourism for the nation’s capital city.

The project will include a dining and entertainment precinct, a day spa and resort, expanded gaming facilities and a revitalization of City Walk, a nearby outdoor area. The luxury accomodation will feature a 100-suite 5-star hotel and 12 6-star villas, and the National Convention Centre will be expanded by 3,300 square metres.

The design for Casino Canberra includes a walkable green roof, and renders for the casino’s makeover show the neighbouring Glebe Park being used for temporary market stalls.

Developer Aquis Entertainment bought the casino in 2014, and has signalled its intention to begin construction on the site in 2016. However, Casino Canberra is the only casino in Australia that is not licensed to host poker machines, and Aquis Entertainment’s executive director Justin Fung has indicated that the project may not go ahead if the regulation remains in place. The ACT’s chief minister Andrew Barr has publicly indicated that the government may be willing to make changes to the poker machine laws in order to accomodate the redevelopment.

The project borders the City to the Lake urban renewal precinct, a 70 hectare area south of the CBD that will house an additional 15,000 over the next 20 years.

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“Our Canberra-based architects, Cox [Architecture], have designed an innovative solution that takes into account the size and characteristics of the site while delivering on our vision for an integrated entertainment precinct and a revitalization of the City South area,” said Fung.

A report carried out by Deloitte Economics predicted that the upgraded casino could attract an additional 726,000 visitors to Canberra each year, and that it could contribute up to $61 million to the territory’s economy per annum through taxes.

The two stage project is yet to be approved by planning authorities, but has passed through the ACT’s unsolicited proposals process.

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It's been just under a year since Natural Nine opened as part of Casino Canberra's swanky makeover. And now the restaurant has been given another makeover of its own - or more accurately, a make-under.

The former fine dining eatery is now a casual, upbeat Chinese restaurant, with a modern Australian twist. The formal table settings have been scaled back, the drapes are now open offering a view out into the park behind the casino, and a smattering of lanterns have been hung.

'Fine dining is not what people wanted here. The market is a lot broader for this style of food and it's the sort of food that's actually really fun and enjoyable food to cook,' said chef David Black.

'I have we have a very Asian-dominated team in the kitchen that are very skilled in what they do. So I thought I'd utilise their strengths and go with the trends in the market, make it a bit less formal, a bit more fun and that's pretty much what food should be all about in my opinion.'

Black re-wrote the menu, which now includes mantou, Chinese steamed buns, with bang bang chicken, kung pao pork or salmon, lobster toast with assam butter, 'ants climbing trees' noodle dish, and fried ice cream with green tea custard.

The drinks menu has also been pared back to keep things simple, and the wine list is half made up of interesting local drops.

Playing on the casino connection, there's also a nine dish 'roulette banquet' for $48 per person, where the chefs will choose dinner for you.

Natural Nine is open seven days midday-10pm, with a smaller menu available until 2am.