Hospitality operator Andrew Baturo pulls plug on planned Stanley restaurant at Howard Smith Wharves

A Brisbane hospitality identity has received an offer too good to refuse to pull the plug on his planned Hong Kong-inspired restaurant at Howard Smith Wharves.

PULLING THE PLUG

Top-tier Brisbane hospitality operator Andrew Baturo has quietly pulled the plug on plans to open his newest venue there.

He had a well-publicised partnership with interior designer Anna Spiro to transform the historic Water Police building into a 180-seat Hong Kong-inspired eatery dubbed Stanley.

But Baturo told us yesterday that he was offered a big pile of dough to hand over the lease late last year and settled on the deal about a month ago.

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He refused to provide specifics on how much money changed hands or who is taking over but he said building hurdles with the Heritage-listed space were not a factor.

“It was just a good offer at the time,’’ Baturo said. “It was a tough decision. It’s a great location.’’

Andrew Baturo poses at Howard Smith Wharves. Picture: AAP Image/Claudia Baxter

The project would have been his seventh in the city in the past nine years. It still leaves him with the likes of Walter’s Steakhouse, Libertine, Popolo, Heya and The Gresham bar.

Meanwhile, the development hiccup has left a prominent empty space along the boardwalk months after the wharves started trading.

Also unclear is the fate of the adjoining site set originally aside for Matt Yazbek’s Japanese restaurant Toko Brisbane.

A deafening silence from HSW management has made us none the wiser.

LAUNCH PARTY

Expect plenty of bigshots to rock up on Thursday night when Brisbane’s newest hotel, the $100 million The Fantauzzo, throws its official opening party.

Look for the likes of award-winning artist Vincent Fantauzzo (of course), along with plenty of pollies, celebrity chef Matt Moran, TV host Lisa Wilkinson and a load of actors, including Asher Keddie, Richard Roxburgh, Natalie Bassingthwaite, Dan Wylie, Richard Davies and Ditch Davey.

The parents of the late great Hollywood A-lister Heath Ledger, Kim Ledger and Sally Bell, will also be among the 250-strong invite-only crowd set to converge on the 166-suite Accor Art Series hotel, located at the booming Howard Smith Wharves.

Their presence is not entirely surprising, as a painting of their son by Fantauzzo is one of more than 200 of his works which graces the walls of the hotel.

Artist Vincent Fantauzzo is the artist for Brisbanes new Art Hotel at the Howard Smith Wharves. Photo Lachie Millard

His take on other well-known identities, including Bob Hawke, Julie Gillard, Li Cunxin and his missus, Asher Keddie, also dominate plenty of spaces.

The six-storey hotel, which hugs the cliff beneath the Story Bridge and features a rooftop pool and bar, opened for business in March and is the eighth in the Art Series of venues.

Also on the guest list are Brisbane Marketing CEO Brett Fraser, QPAC chief John Kotzas, Deloitte boss John Greig, Rowland supremo Geoff Rodgers and Hutchinson Builders top gun Scott Hutchinson.

CALLING IT QUITS

The Brisbane-based head of Australia’s largest credit union has called it quits unexpectedly.

Award-winning CUA boss Rob Goudswaard announced on Tuesday that he would not renew his five-year contract when it runs out in February.

“I am incredibly proud and humbled to have led CUA through a transformative period of member growth, digital innovation and industry change,’’ he said.

Goudswaard told us that he expects to stay in town for the rest of the calendar year to assist the transition for his yet-to-be-named successor.

Then it will be back home to Melbourne, where family and a farm have beckoned him for years.

No new jobs are nailed down but he hopes to take up a few non-executive directorships.

STEERS & BEERS

How do our friends in America really see us?

Brisbane legal eagle John Kettle tells them Queensland is sort of like a mix of Florida, Texas and Southern California.

“Rocks, crops, steers and beers,’’ is how the native Irishman, a former bookmaker-turned-partner at McCullough Robertson, described it yesterday at an American Chamber of Commerce lunch at the Westin Hotel.