It was founded, owned and run by Lloyd Williams until taken over by Publishing & Broadcasting Limited in 1999. The complex also hosts three hotels, Crown Towers, Crown Promenade, and Crown Metropol. The entire complex has a space of 510,000 m 2-the equivalent to two city blocks-making it the largest casino complex in the Southern Hemisphere and one of the largest in the world. It remains one of the central features of the Southbank precinct of the Melbourne central business district. Initially having opened in 1994 on the north bank of the Yarra River, Crown Melbourne relocated and re–opened on the south bank of the Yarra, in 1997. Crown Casino is a subsidiary of Crown Resorts, and was the first casino of the now-international Crown brand. Aerial view of the complex from the north The Atrium at CrownĬrown Melbourne (also referred to as Crown Casino and Entertainment Complex) is a casino and resort located on the south bank of the Yarra River, in Melbourne, Australia.