In Sydney, Row Over Use of Former Sega World Space

A Battle Between the Board, Developer over its Future

Only a handful of fans may remember the ill-fated Sega World entertainment complexes that dotted the international landscape in the 1990s.  The amusement behemoths ultimately went belly up after a few years, being shut down or overtaken by other, more profitable entities.

That included the establishment in Sydney, which closed in 2000 and was demolished in 2008.  Right after its closure, the building lease was turned over to an entity called Jacfun, who wanted to turn it into a combined office space and entertainment establishment.  That never got off the ground, and in 2003, Jacfun had its lease terminated.

Now, Jacfun is taking the site’s owner, the Sydney Harbor Foreshore Authority, to task.  An article from Tuesday’s Sydney Morning Herald claims hearings have been held by the New South Wales Supreme Court on the matter.  Jacfun claims the Authority board were deliberately obstructing the lessee’s plans, and even underpaid company upon the lease termination.

Several examples of funny business were described in the piece, including the following:

Jacfun claims that at the same time it was negotiating, the authority knew the RTA was obliged to give the director-general of planning concept plans incorporating the ventilation shaft from the Cross City Tunnel into existing or new buildings. On October 30, 2002, Jacfun says the authority entered a memorandum of understanding with the RTA which considered Darling Walk the ideal site for the stack, to be incorporated within a multi-storey building. Within six weeks of Jacfun executing the lease surrender, the authority’s board was presented with designs which incorporated the stack and commercial office space, it claimed.

Hearings continue in New South Wales on the matter.  We should note that, because Sega World is long gone, Sega is not involved in the matter.  Thanks to Rob for sending this into us.  If you have news to share, be sure to share it with us by clicking Send News Tips at the top of every page.