Minister unhappy about plan
The Chinese-owned ASF Consortia has revealed plans for a proposed $3 billion integrated casino resort complex to be built on the Queensland waterfront.
According to the World Casino Directory, the proposed Gold Coast Integrated Resort Development on the Southport Split would include casino, luxury hotels and other attractions including theaters, restaurants, conference and meeting space, high-end retail stores and elite apartments.
The project on 5 hectares (12 acres) of prime waterfront land near Sea World is expected to create some 10,000 jobs and bring in additional 1.5 million tourists to the state per year. Crown Resorts is reportedly in talks with ASF to run the casino. Crown last year failed to win a license to develop a casino in Brisbane.
But not everyone is thrilled about the development. Shadow Planning Minister Ian Walker is displeased there was no tender process. “A master plan is desperately needed to address issues such as overdevelopment, density and traffic impacts,” he said.
ASF Director Louis Chien responded with a statement saying the company “remains fully committed to achieving the best outcomes for the Gold Coast and Queensland. We’re keen for the state to provide overall planning clarity for the area and understand how the proposed integrated resort fits. The location of the project will be a catalyst to grow the Southport central business district. It will connect the Spit and Southport whilst embracing the Broadwater, and deliver significant business and employment opportunities.”
Chien said the project “will deliver a world-class waterfront destination that provides an immediate and ongoing economic boost and significant jobs for the Gold Coast, with benefits flowing across Queensland.”
According to the Brisbane Times, the plan is likely to reignite debate between conservationists and business groups over the best use of government-owned land.
Though the proposal does not have government approval yet, State Development Minister Anthony Lynham is on record as supporting the plan. He said the government will work to conserve the community’s natural resources. “There are many opportunities for people who are on the Spit already—Versace, Sheraton Mirage, Sea World—who would like to contribute to seeing this place protected,” Lynham said.
The website MyGC.com said the integrated resort could become “the largest tourism project on the Gold Coast in decades.”
