WHEN it comes to attractions in Hobart, one venture stands out above the rest literally.
It was a tall order for Tasmania when the Federal Group proposed Australia's first casino be built on our shores, but luckily the vote in favour of Wrest Point narrowly won out .
Hospitality Association general manager Steve Old remarks that it's "scary" to imagine what Hobart would be like had the vote swung the other way.
The MONA of its day, Australia's first legal casino put Tasmania on the international map.
Since it opened in 1973, big entertainers, high-rolling gamblers, conferences and visitors from all walks of life have been drawn to Tasmania.
"Many years ago we didn't have Princes Wharf No. 1 or the Derwent Entertainment Centre," Mr Old said. "Wrest Point was the place to be."
Australia's first legal casino allowed owners the Farrell family to build a tourism empire taking in Cradle Mountain, Launceston, Strahan and Freycinet and to become the state's major private employer.
Federal's push to gain Australia's first casino licence began in the 1960s. A motivation for seeking the licence was a problem that still plagues many Tasmania's tourism operators the long, quiet "off-season".
Federal Hotels, now the Federal Group, reasoned that a casino would be the catalyst to attract more visitors and invigorate infrastructure Tasmania lacked.
On February 10, 1973, Australia's first legal casino opened its doors.
Staff had trained for a month ahead of the grand opening, a process that culminated in a full staff dress rehearsal staged in the brand-new tower that had changed the city's skyline.
It was one of biggest nights in Hobart's modern social history.
The evening featured one of the largest fireworks displays the city had seen, a bevy of bigwigs and celebrities including opening act Jerry Lewis. All the excitement was televised nationally.
But it was almost the night that never happened.
In 1969, Premier Eric Reece announced a statewide referendum to establish whether Tasmanians wanted a casino.
The results came back narrowly in favour of Federal Hotels' proposal.
Federal Group general manager Greg D. Farrell said the company was thrilled to be celebrating Wrest Point's 40th birthday in 2013.
"When Wrest Point opened in 1973, it provided a central point for tourism and entertainment in Hobart and was a highlight experience for many people visiting the state," he said.
"Forty years later we believe Wrest Point still holds its own as a premium provider of accommodation, entertainment, hospitality and conference experiences, as well as the boutique casino for which the property was initially so well-known."
Mr Old said the Farrells were great supporters of Tasmania.
"They could have left Tasmania and sold up, but they haven't. They're very loyal to the state," he said.
The first building on the Sandy Bay site was a home built in 1808 by Norfolk Island settler Thomas Chaffey. Chaffey's son William built an inn there in 1839, the beginning of the site's long association with hospitality.
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