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Australia's first legal casino, Hobart's Wrest Point, has been listed on the Heritage Register by the Tasmanian Heritage Council.
Opened in February 1973, Wrest Point was described by the council as one of Tasmania's most recognisable tourism symbols.
Council chair Brett Torossi said the listing helped highlight the diversity of Tasmania's heritage sites and the importance of some of the state's more recent industries.
"The inclusion of Wrest Point Hotel Casino on the Heritage Register gives important recognition to the significant role this place has played in the development of Tasmania's tourism and hospitality industry," she said.
The complex features a series of buildings of heritage significance, including elements of the 1939 Riviera Hotel and its recognisable tower, designed by architect Sir Roy Grounds.
"Together, the Riviera Hotel and Wrest Point help to tell the story of how tourism and hospitality have evolved in Tasmania," Ms Torossi said.
Revamp of tower underway
The casino's owner, the Federal Group, welcomed the listing.
"It's great to have the Wrest Point complex recognised under the heritage code as something that's iconic to Tasmanian tourism," casino general manager Dominic Baker said.
"From a Tasmanian tourism perspective, it shows the longevity that this operation has had over many years.
"It's something that we can actually tell prospective visitors to Tasmania and to this site that underpins the importance that it plays and has played over many years to the Tasmanian economy."
Mr Baker said the traditional tower was part of the casino's charm.
"It is a very recognisable building, not just in Tasmania but in Australian tourism history," he said.
Mr Baker said the tower was in the process of being renovated.
"We're working through the inside of the property with a plan to have a kind of ... facelift delivered over the next 18 months to two years," he said.
'The building that architecture forgot'
The listing has attracted many comments from the Hobart community on the ABC's Facebook page.
Maree Sims said it was "not bad for an old 'hair roller'".
But Mike Kelly was not impressed with the listing.
"Really? It's like the building architecture forgot," he wrote.
Ketter Voss said there was a good case for the listing, "so let's encourage other high-rise hotels to congregate in that area and not in the very historic docks area and Hobart CBD".
But Jolanda Naarding said: "I guess that means that we need to redefine the meaning of 'heritage' because I certainly don't see it as a heritage building, let alone anything to be proud of!"
Topics: awards-and-prizes, architecture, tas, sandy-bay-7005
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