Australian casino operator Crown Resorts will open its new Sydney VIP gaming venue ahead of schedule, according to company founder James Packer.

On Wednesday, Crown’s single largest shareholder James Packer toured the site of the in-development Crown Sydney project, which was scheduled to open sometime in H1 2021. However, Packer told local media that the towering structure going up in Sydney’s Barangaroo district will now open its doors before Christmas 2020.

Packer, who intends to spent at least part of his time living on site in the two-story penthouse he purchased for AU$60m, said word of the advanced launch date was “really pleasing” and “a credit to the Crown team, [developers] Lend Lease and our architects Wilkinson Ayre.”

Packer’s tour of the project was marred by thick clouds of smoke generated by Australia’s ongoing wildfire crisis, which Packer called “the worst thing I’ve ever seen .. to happen to Australia.” The Packer family and Crown have collectively donated AU$5m to Australia’s fire relief and recovery efforts, the biggest single public donation to date.