Sydney Entertainment Centre may be demolished; Profit before people and history, by Greg Tingle

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Let's get one thing clear from the get go... knocking down the historic Sydney Entertainment Centre to make way for a new development is not the same as knocking down or revamping its neighbour across the water - Star City Casino (which become the much nicer 'The Star').

Can you imagine the outrage in the United States if they were to announce a proposal to demolish New York's Madison Square Garden aka MSG.

I bet that is a survey of Sydney-siders, or even say Australians across the board were taken, that close to 100 percent of they would not want the Sydney Entertainment Centre demolished, due to its historical importance to the arts and entertainment industry down under.

"Sin City" Sydney media, especially the arts and entertainment niche, are expected to get all over this topic and the Media Man agency is not going to see this iconic hub of Aussie entertainment die without a hell of a fight.

I don't know about you but the NSW Premier Barry O'Farrell might meet with a tidal wave of opposition against its proposed destruction.

Some of the blub coming out of the NSW Government, no doubt with some cleaver spin added by the proposed developer, goes like this...

The Sydney Entertainment Centre will be demolished and the convention and exhibition centres at Darling Harbour closed for up to three years as the precinct undergoes a $1 billion makeover.

NSW Premier Barry O'Farrell today announced the development of an integrated exhibition and entertainment precinct in the city's CBD.

The fully integrated convention centre will increase the size of the existing precinct by two thirds to 20 hectares and will include the largest exhibition space in Australia at 40,000 square metres.

"The project will mean a complete face lift for Darling Harbour - as well as the world-class facilities," Mr O'Farrell said today.

Up to 3500 jobs are expected to be created during the construction (but what about the job losses at the Sydney Entertainment Centre)?

The 30-year-old Sydney Entertainment Centre is to be demolished while the exhibition and convention facilities will be closed from late 2013 to late 2016.

The project is aimed at boosting the competitiveness of the major events industry in the state, particularly in terms of the Asia-Pacific.

"They will bring NSW an economic benefit of more than $1 billion over five years," Mr O'Farrell said.

"NSW has already lost $150 million in economic benefit over the four years to 2010-11 because the current facilities have not been able to accommodate 169 conventions and 12 exhibitions," Mr O'Farrell said.

The new facilities will include the biggest meeting room space in Australia at 6000sq m and the biggest Australian convention hall capacity.

There will be a red-carpet premium entertainment facility with a capacity of at least 8000 people, suitable for international entertainment events and 'mega' conferences.

"The NSW government is creating a vibrant world-class convention, exhibition and entertainment precinct at Darling Harbour that will keep Sydney centre stage as Australia's global city," Mr O'Farrell said.

Infrastructure NSW (INSW) will lead the delivery of the new facilities as part of a Public Private Partnership (PPP) tailored for the project.

During the three-year construction period, Sydney's major events industry will remain open for business, Mr O'Farrell said.

Sydney Olympic Park, Moore Park, the Australian Technology Park at Eveleigh and various Sydney hotels will play an expanded role in hosting events during the construction period.

A Media Man agency entertainment commentar was overheard "Just how much money had been dangled in front of the NSW Government to get green light to demolish one of Australia's greatest landmarks. You have the Sydney Harbour Bridge, the Sydney Opera House, Crown Casino, Ayres Rock, and then you have the Entertainment Centre in Sydney. I think its likely that a good chuck of Australia's entertainment industry will be vocal in telling the NSW government to save the iconic entertainment venue. We think another proposal for development of Darling Harbour needs to be executed - one that does not include the destruction of the SEC."

Many folks in the Australian entertainment industry are already telling media that they are not "anti development" full stop - they are just against the part of the development proposal that includes the destruction of one Australia's greatest entertainment and arts landmarks.

Those opposing the development of the Sydney Entertainment Centre are encouraged to be vocal and contact media, their local MPs, Minster of the Arts, and another other Australian government department who will listen to reason.

That's it entertainment lovers. Stay tuned to Media Man and Street Corner for more entertainment news and scoops daily.

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PR heavyweight sues pollster over tweet - 10th April 2012

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Two of the nation's public relations heavyweights will square off in court today after PR guru and government adviser John Connolly filed a statement of claim for defamation against pollster Mark Textor over a tweet concerning The Star casino.

Mr Connolly, of John Connolly & Partners, is suing Mr Textor, a chief partner of Crosby Textor, alleging Mr Textor published a tweet suggesting Mr Connolly should be brought before the Independent Commission Against Corruption over emails leaked about The Star. (Credit: The Australian)

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Virgin worker quits over supplying celebrity tip-offs - 7th April 2012

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A Virgin Atlantic employee has resigned following allegations she routinely fed information about the company's celebrity clientele to a paparazzi agency, the airline says.

Virgin said that the employee, a junior member of the team tasked with looking after high-profile clients, quit on Thursday ahead of reports published in the Guardian and the Press Gazette alleging that she'd passed more than 60 celebrities' booking information on to the Big Pictures photo agency.

Among those allegedly targeted: Britain's Princess Beatrice; singers Madonna and Rihanna; actors Charlize Theron, Kate Winslet, Daniel Radcliffe and Sienna Miller; comedians Sacha Baron Cohen and Russell Brand; and a slew of UK celebrities and sports figures.

Both the Guardian and the Press Gazette cited messages allegedly sent by the employee to someone at Big Pictures Ltd as the basis for their stories.

The Associated Press had no immediate way of verifying the authenticity of the messages, but the Guardian said it had carried out checks confirming that at least some of the celebrities had travelled to the destinations mentioned in the emails.

Calls and emails to representatives of around a dozen of the celebrities mentioned went unreturned on Friday, a public holiday in the United States and Britain. A representative for Princess Beatrice declined comment, while Kate Winslet's publicist, Heidi Slan, said the star wasn't reachable.

In a statement, Virgin Atlantic Airways Ltd called the allegations "extremely serious" and said it had launched an investigation. The airline, which is majority-owned by billionaire adventurer Richard Branson, confirmed that high-profile clients were involved but declined to comment on the British newspapers' figures.

A man who answered the phone at London-based Big Pictures hung up when an Associated Press reporter identified himself as a member of the media. Emails sent to company founder Darren Lyons' personal assistant weren't immediately returned. The Press Gazette said Big Pictures was first approached for comment more than 48 hours ago but has yet to respond.

Neither Virgin nor the newspapers identified the employee in question. The Guardian said it had contacted her on Wednesday and that she had declined comment.

It was not clear on Friday if authorities had become involved. Virgin refused to say whether it had called in the police and a Scotland Yard spokesman said he wasn't aware of the leak.

A spokeswoman for the Information Commissioner's office - which investigates data breaches in Britain - said the agency was closed over the holiday period.

The past year has seen the sometimes underhanded methods of Britain's media thrust into the spotlight by a scandal over phone hacking at the now-defunct News of the World.

Paparazzi have come under particular scrutiny, with public figures including Miller alleging aggressive, intimidating or illegal behaviour on the part of celebrity-obsessed snappers.

Miller, who testified before a judge-led inquiry into media ethics set up in the wake of the scandal, said she had been terrorised by photographers stalking her every move.

"I would often find myself - I was 21 - at midnight running down a dark street on my own with ten big men chasing me and the fact that they had cameras in their hands meant that that was legal," she told the inquiry.

"But if you take away the cameras, what have you got? You've got a pack of men chasing a woman and obviously that's a very intimidating situation to be in."

Lyons, the founder of Big Pictures, told the same inquiry he had "no reason" to believe his photographers broke rules in pursuit of pictures, batting away suggestions that paparazzi victimise their targets.

"The fact of the matter is that celebrities court publicity when they want to court publicity and then all of a sudden they want to switch it off very, very soon after," he told the inquiry.

"If you are in the public eye, you are looked up to," he added. "We live in a world of voyeurism." (AP)

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