James Packer lands in Sydney after years away from Australia amid claims his Crown Casino staff worked tirelessly to ensure his sprawling Barangaroo apartment was ready for his arrival
- James Packer has landed in Sydney after a three year absence from Australia
- He is on vacation with ex-wife Erica and their two daughters
- The family will reside in Packer’s One Barangaroo penthouse he bought for $72 million
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James Packer has flown to Sydney after leaving Australia three years ago in a tumultuous time for the billionaire.
The 55-year-old, along with his ex-wife Erica Packer and their two daughters Indigo, 14, and Emmanuelle, 10, stepped out on Sunday along with his ex-wife Erica Packer and their two daughters Indigo, 14, and Emmanuelle, 10, from a private jet for a sensational 10-day vacation Down Under.
It is clear that the ‘rent-a-jet’ flight has departed from Saudi Arabia and the Packers will be on their way to the luxurious One Barangaroo penthouse apartment in Crown’s recently completed casino and resort in Sydney.
It will be the first time Mr Packer, who was instrumental in getting the project off the ground, will see the development in person, having last visited Australia in January 2020 when the project was a leveled development site used to be.
He appeared via video conference in October of that same year to testify at an investigation into Crown’s NSW gaming license – where he admitted to taking drugs to treat bipolar disorder.
One of Australia’s most high-profile billionaires, James Packer (pictured), landed in Sydney for a vacation on Sunday
Indigo (left) exits the rented jet with her sister Emmanuelle and mother Erica (right)
Room with a View – the incredible ‘sky home’ Mr Packer bought in 2017, though the reclusive billionaire has never set foot there
Mr Packer revealed last year that he planned to return to Australia in 2023, but that he no longer needed the drugs, wanted to get fitter and lose some weight so he could enjoy the journey to Australia with his family his old hometown of Sydney.
He left the country in dramatic fashion after resigning from his 22 directorships of Australian companies in 2018, citing that he wanted to focus on his mental health.
Leading up to that time, he had been involved in a very public relationship and then split with star singer Mariah Carey, and was embroiled in commercial scandals in China and Israel.
It was reported that he was being treated for anxiety and depression in the United States.
James Packer bought the $72 million Sydney residence atop Sydney’s One Barangaroo Building in 2021, with his ex-wife Erica taking on the interior design
The Crown penthouse apartment was designed inside by Erica and a friend from LA and ‘reconfigured’ to allow for easier access between floors
One Barangaroo is a 71-story skyscraper consisting of 82 palatial apartments as part of the Crown Resort and Casino development
The regal Crown apartment offers 360-degree views and is set over two floors
Not long after, Crown imploded in spectacular fashion after media reports in 2019 linking the casino group to money laundering and dodgy Chinese junket operators emerged.
Mr. Packer sold his share of Crown for $3.3 billion and has been living abroad among his various homes for the past several years.
He usually spends his time between an $80 million mansion in Los Angeles, which he bought to be closer to Erica and their children, his $20 million home in Aspen, Colorado, and his recently completed $50 million compound in Cabo San Lucas, Mexico.
He also owns an Ellerstina polo farm on the outskirts of Buenos Aires and a superyacht that he often stays on board.
James spent $50 million on this LA mansion to be close to Erica Packer, who lives nearby in Malibu
An exterior view of Mr. Packer’s Colorado estate, part of his extensive real estate portfolio
Inside the cozy Colorado mansion, upstairs, with crackling fireplace
But while in Sydney, he will be staying in his Crown Barangaroo penthouse that he bought for $72 million in 2021.
Erica is said to have handled the project’s interior design with her LA-based designer Nathan Turner, as workers scrambled to get the decor done in time for their vacation.
The dark color palette of blackened stainless steel, Greek marble and bronze has been replaced with a light and airy feel.
A few minor jobs will reportedly have to wait until after the Packers leave, such as installing a private elevator between two of the floors and moving a kitchen, which would require complex plumbing in the floor.