Darwin casino buy nears end

By ELLEN READ

SkyCity Entertainment will complete its purchase of the Darwin casino on Thursday after securing regulatory approvals and meeting other conditions.

The casino and hotel complex in Australia's Northern Territory will be renamed SkyCity Darwin after the $215 million deal.

SkyCity is funding the deal with extra senior debt from existing lenders.

The company already owns an Adelaide casino.

Located 3km from the city centre, the Darwin casino and hotel is a mid-sized gaming operation, about 25 per cent larger than SkyCity's newest casino, in Hamilton.

It is the only licensed casino in Darwin and the largest in the Northern Territory, with three gaming rooms, a 107-room hotel, four restaurants and five bars.

SkyCity says further development is possible but major spending will not be soon.