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James Packer Casino King Tribute To Alan Jones Media King, by Greg Tingle - 5th November 2010

In a very special getting together in Sydney, Australia's gambling king, and up and coming media tycoon, James Packer, has paid tribute to Australian radio broadcasting legend Alan Jones, in a powerful and emotional speech. Media Man crosses now to the action...

Australian media and gambling business champion, James Packer, gave a powerful, emotional and heartfelt address overnight in tribute to talkback radio king and racing identity Alan Jones.

For the uninitiated, Jones is every part the living legend of media, racing and people power circles. Jones and the guest were celebrating his 25 years as a broadcaster in a glitz event at Sydney's Darling Harbour. Media Man favorite gambling tycoon, Packer headlined the impressive event.

Let's go through some of the highlights...

Packer's voice got croaky after describing how Jones had assisted thousands of people, many totally anonymously, showing just how giving of heart and spirit the great man was.

"Alan, no one will ever take your place. You are without peer my friend," Packer said, looking to get touch teary eyed.

Earlier in the evening he told the story of how his late father, Kerry Packer, has encouraged and then persuaded Jones to give up politics for life as a media commentator on Network Nine and then onto Radio 2UE, and before then representing competitor 2GB Radio.

"What do you want to be son...the Prime Minister or a millionaire," KP (Kerry Packer) said to Jones.

"Alan took the money, not the box."

The magical night, which was hosted by advertising and media legend John Singleton and attended by the whose who of politics, media, and arts, also featured tributes from people as diverse as Liberal Party powerbroker Michael Kroger and pop icons Human Nature.

Jones's long-time colleague at 2UE and a veteran of more than 6 decades in radio, John Brennan said Jones was the best broadcaster he had ever heard because of his ability to connect with listeners and his efficiency of description.

"I think that Alan Jones is the Roger Federer of radio," he wasn't afraid to share with the audience.

Even former Aussie prime minister John Howard touched on a remark from Packer that Jones would "pick and stick" by his mates and friends, describing the legend as "an Australian who never let his cobbers down".

He said Jones, more than anyone else, understood the power of talkback radio to influence politics.

"Alan has understood the temperament and the nature of the Australian people They don't like being told by self-appointed cultural dietitians that we should be ashamed of our past - Alan understood that", Howard shared.

He said he had appreciated Jones's support while in office and paid tribute to the broadcaster's record of winning a massive 155 radio ratings surveys.

Jones, who went on to speak last, said Howard was in his mind "the best prime minister Australia has had".

He thanked the people who attended - friends, family and other guests, including some of his listeners, as well as generously paying tribute to his support team at Radio 2GB.

Jones advised his main campaign would be against opencut mining which he thinks turns too much rich pastoral land into wastelands for profit. He elaborated and said he was hopeful he would be able to continue to make people feel better as a result of his work, both broadcasting, community and more.

"The aim of power in this world is to lift people, not crush them," he shared.

Jones has also greatly contributed to the Australia gaming and horse racing industry, with speaking on what's best for Australian racing being one of his passions. It was Jones who basically told Australian racing to lift its game or see more competition knocking on the door of Australia. Jones and his team are aware of the PartyGaming - PMU deal inked earlier this year, and Jones has also offered commentary in the past on Packer's Betfair and the like. Jones is understood to be a supported of regulated gaming and racing, and a believer in responsible gaming, as is Gambling911 and Media Man.

Well done to everyone involved, and Alan, thank you for assisting some of my mates over the years also, which in turn assisted me, and James, thank you also for the opportunity to offer commentary on you, your company, initiatives like GenerationOne, and to offer some b2b to some of your companies showcase events like Crown Casino Aussie Millions Poker Championship. It is truly appreciated and never taken for granted. Long live the Jones, Packer and 'Singo' (Singleton) legends. All Aussie champions of business, community and people power.

Wrap Up...

It was wonderful to hear about the good deeds of media tycoons wasn't it We salute both Packer, Jones, and the good folks who helped put together such a fantastic happening. It was also a nice change to read about big time Australian media players without all the agro and such. Stay tuned for more of the best on gambling, media, entertainment and sports right here.

If you have a bet, please bet with your head, not over it, and for God's sake, have fun.

James Packer Bondi Beach Pad No Jackpot, by Greg Tingle - 5th November 2010

The sellers wanted in the region of $8 million-plus, but the buyers stopped their bidding at $7 million. It was the Bondi Beach house that a young James Packer, casino and gambling mogul in the making, established as his first home in the 90s.

A total of 3 registered bidders still say it failed to sell at this weekend's Raine & Horne auction when offered by the New York-based Lochtenberg family. It last sold when Packer's former fiancee, Kate Fischer, pocketed a cool $2,825,000 in 2000. The 210 sq m pad had been transferred fee free from Packer's development company into Fischer's name in October 1998, showing his well known generosity of heart and spirit.

Packer and Fischer had been in a 5-year personal relationship during which the Notts Avenue property was purchased for a seemly bargain priced $425,000 in 1995. Subsequently Packer moved into a 3-level apartment on nearby Campbell Parade, which remains his abode. He and his wife Erica have also spent roughly $30 million on a Vaucluse home known in today's lingo as "residential compound", not be be confused with gaming figure Calvin Ayre's 'Bodog Compound'.

Packer began living on the Bondi Beach "golden mile#2) sharing an $800-a-week rental apartment with mate David Gyngell in the beautiful Pacific Terraces complex elsewhere on Notts Avenue. JP's late father Kerry Packer had helped finance the Pacific Terraces development by Bill Shipton in 1983.

The Notts Avenue house has been rented out by the Lochtenbergs at about $2500 bucks a week since their purchase in circa 2000.

Ok readers, we know you want to know more about Packer's gaming and media deals, so stick with us as there's much more of that coming on the horizon. It is a Sunday here at Bondi Beach, Sydney, Australia. With that said, we might pop into Berg's Gaming at the famous Bondi Iceberg's club later on today to breath in the fresh air and view, that our decade of blood, sweat and tears in news media has afforded us.

Media Man wishes the Packer's well with their professional and personal lives, and hope to report a positive result for them on the home front very shortly. With Media Man world headquarters just a stone's throw from the Packer's, you can expect an update on this Packer goss er news, much sooner than later.

News

Crown's Packer talks with News, Gambling - iGaming Aussie connection - 24th September 2009

Media Man Australia founder and director buys Crown Limited and Virgin Blue shares - 12th October 2009

Virgin king and Crown Casino king talk shop and Media Man makes a play -
2nd April 2009

Crown Macau Officially Opened by James Packer

Crown Casino Plays Restaurant And Hotel Card - 22nd April 2010

Crown Shares Just Keep Rising - April 2010

Crown Shares up to $8 - 2nd March 2010

Crown not looking to sell Macau casinos to Harrah's Entertainment or anyone else for forseeable future - March 2010

Mr James Packer and Mr Andrew "Twiggy" Forrest team up to help create jobs for Indigenous Australians - 20th February 2010

News

Crown's Packer talks with News, Gambling - iGaming Aussie connection - 24th September 2009

Mediaman founder and director buys Crown Limited and Virgin Blue shares - 12th October 2009

Virgin king and Crown Casino king talk shop and Media Man makes a play -
2nd April 2009

Crown Macau Officially Opened by James Packer

Crown Casino, Burswood Casino and City Of Dreams bottom line much better than industry standard - analysts and industry experts agree - October 2009

James Packer defends casinos as doing good for community
(Credit: AAP - News.com.au)

Crown says casinos continue to do well
(Credit: AAP - SMH.com.au)

Crown is not building a casino or gambling den at Double Bay, Sydney

James Packer delivered a keynote address at the Victor Chang Cardiac Research Institute in Sydney - 1st August 2009

Why funding heart research is a sound social investment, by James Packer
(Credit: The Sydney Morning Herald)

AUSSIE MILLIONS POKER CHAMPIONSHIP

News

James Packer (Crown Holdings) and Richard Branson (Virgin Enterprises Limited) talk at the Australian Formula 1 Grand Prix, Melbourne, Australia -
March 2009

James Packer opens the City of Dreams, Macau - 1st June 2009

James Packer and Erica Baxter

James Packer and Lawrence Ho

James Douglas Packer (born September 8, 1967) is an Australian businessman and Australia's third richest man.

Packer is the son of the late billionaire media mogul Kerry Packer and grandson of Frank Packer. James Packer is the Executive Chairman of Publishing and Broadcasting Limited (PBL), which owns some stations of the Australian commercial television network Nine. He also inherited the family private company: Consolidated Press Holdings Pty Ltd, which control investments in PBL and other companies.

Biography
Packer was educated at the Tudor House School in Moss Vale and at Cranbrook School. After obtaining the Higher School Certificate ( HSC ) at Cranbrook, Kerry decided it was time to toughen his son up to prepare him for the world of business. He was sent to his father's massive Newcastle Waters cattle station in the Northern Territory, where he worked as a jackeroo. His father dismissed the idea of sending young James to University by saying "Why would he want to go [to University]. To go learn to smoke marijuana?"]

Besides his father, his toughest mentor has been Albert J. Dunlap. Dunlap is known in American business circles for shedding massive numbers of company workforces to improve the finances of corporations. His tenure at Sunbeam is a specific example.

One.Tel
James Packer was a director of Australian Telecommunications company One.Tel, which was declared insolvent during May 2001. The collapse of One.Tel cost PBL AU$327 million. Packer admitted at a PBL Annual General Meeting that he had learned "painful lessons" from the collapse of One.Tel. Later at the liquidator's inquiry over the collapse he denied that he was apologizing for his own personal conduct. Instead he claimed, "I was making an apology for accepting the bona fides of Mr. Rich and a Mr. Tim Heaney, and the executive directors of One.Tel."

Current interests
Since his father's death, James has moved away from the family's traditional media businesses, and focused on creating a worldwide gambling empire. The purchase of the Burswood Entertainment Complex in Perth Australia adds to PBL's gaming business. James now wishes to add further gaming assets in Macau in partnership with Stanley Ho. He's also teaming up with Damian Aspinall, son of John Aspinall, in creating a group of casino complexes in Great Britain called Aspers. He already has a stake in casinos in London's West End, Swansea and Newcastle. Unfortunately for Packer, his bid for a UK "supercasino" based in Cardiff fell through when only one licence was granted to the northern city of Manchester. PBL also owns 50% of the only gambling company Betfair. Packer also owns Melbourne's Crown Casino, Australia's largest casino.

Packer is part of the Australian consortium looking to purchase Aston Martin from Ford, a venture viewed with much scepticism due to Aston Martin's turbulent loss-making past.

Wealth
James Packer is reportedly worth over $3 billion.

Personal Life
Packer's past girlfriends have included Tania Bryer and Joan Severance. After breaking off a two year engagement to Kate Fischer, in October 1999, he married swimsuit model Jodhi Meares.

In June 2002 Packer and Meares separated. Despite rumours of reuniting with his ex-wife, Packer became engaged to model Erica Baxter whom he has dated on and off for 4 years.

Update: James Packer married Erica Baxter in July 2008

Scientology
In 2002, Packer began attending the Church of Scientology, taking courses on the Church's Dundas campus. It was reported in the Australian media that Tom Cruise had urged Packer to join Scientology and begin auditing sessions. Tom Cruise had a very close male bonding, especially after his separation from Kidman. The Sydney Morning Herald said "the bond between the two men strengthened in the wake of the collapse of telephony company One.Tel last year and his separation from wife Jodhi in June". During this time, Packer traveled extensively to the Scientology Celebrity Centre in Los Angeles.

It has been reported by the Australian Daily Telegraph that Packer was an extra in Cruise's film The Last Samurai. (Credit: Wikipedia)

Other

James Packer owns property and is often seen at Bondi Beach

James Packer officially opened City of Dreams, Macau, in June 2009

Websites

City of Dreams

Melco Crown Entertainment

Profiles