The building's construction was controversial, since it brought about the demolition in 1971-2 of the famous 19th century Australia Hotel, the Theatre Royal, and the splendid Commercial Travellers Club building on the corner of Martin Place, all of which formerly stood on the site, as well as much of the historic Rowe Street precinct.
Despite this, Morton and his State Planning Authority were continuously criticised for not being totally accountable to the public, particularly as the pro-business Sydney Commissioners worked side-by-side with the Planning authority to increase developments in the Sydney CBD to their highest levels ever, embodied by the construction of the MLC Centre, the demolition of the Theatre Royal, Sydney and the Australia Hotel.
centre | Centre Georges Pompidou | Rogers Centre | Barbican Centre | city centre | Sydney Entertainment Centre | Southbank Centre | National Exhibition Centre | Union of Christian and Centre Democrats | Crystal Palace National Sports Centre | Queensland Tennis Centre | Capital Centre | Bhabha Atomic Research Centre | Air Canada Centre | Adelaide city centre | National Arts Centre | Centre (ice hockey) | Centre College | Battersea Arts Centre | International Development Research Centre | Centre national de la recherche scientifique | Centre for Fine Arts, Brussels | Centre | Lakeside Shopping Centre | Banff Centre | Baltic Centre for Contemporary Art | Wales Millennium Centre | Trafford Centre | The Core Shopping Centre | National Arts Centre Orchestra |