Queen’s Wharf completed interior sections revealed

A first look inside the highly anticipated Queen’s Wharf project in the heart of Brisbane, as the project boss reveals the site’s revised launch plans.

Star Entertainment will need to hire nearly 2000 new staff to open the Queen’s Wharf Casino precinct in April, with the finished site to take over 10 per cent of Brisbane’s prime CBD real-estate.

Keys to the main gaming floors in the multibillion-dollar precinct were handed over for the first time on Friday, with The Star chief operating officer Kelvin Dodt revealing his next biggest challenge would be staffing the mammoth 12ha site.

The Courier-Mail was given an exclusive first-look tour of the newly finished levels five and six, which are expected to house thousands of keen patrons over the precinct’s grand opening next April.

It was on Monday revealed that the opening of the $3.6b project had been pushed back from the end of 2023 to April 2024 following a construction review.

Staff Jack Simonson and Aliesha Meagher in Queen’s Wharf’s newly completed Cherry Bar. Picture: Lyndon Mechielsen

Mr Dodt on Tuesday confirmed the project had experienced construction delays but had always managed to “find a way” around industry challenges caused by the pandemic like material shortages and international freight delays.

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“Like many projects in Australia, they're going through similar delays and we were no different but the wait will be worthwhile, it's one of a kind, a truly unique build,” he said.

“Delays are inevitable. Something of this size and scale, to have a delay, it’s not uncommon.

“Uniforms are a classic example, we need 18,000 pieces of uniforms for the team and the material arrived from overseas about three weeks ago, brand new uniforms right (to make) from scratch.”

Inside the new Sports Bar. Picture: Lyndon Mechielsen/Courier Mail

Mr Dodt expects builders will hand over the keys to the full Queendom between November and January, before a team of 3000 hospitality staff spend three months preparing the site for its official opening party.

About 30 of the 50 bars and restaurants will be ready for the April 2024 opening, as well as 340 casino accommodation rooms, the events centre, ballroom floor, recreation deck and facilities and highly anticipated Skydeck overlooking the city.

Work continues as the building takes shape. Picture: Lyndon Mechielsen/Courier Mail

Additional signature restaurants retail shops and residential apartments will open throughout the year with the precinct expected to become fully functional by mid 2025.

“We need around about 12 weeks to bump in and get everything ready … and we’ll basically stage out the following 15 months,” Mr Dodt said.

“The residential tower will be one of last buildings to open around end of September next year.”
Mr Dodt said he was proud of his team for pulling off the biggest hospitality project on record in Australia but Star Entertainment was yet to overcome the final hurdle -finding more hospitality staff.

The Cherry Bar is among the first areas to be completed. Picture: Lyndon Mechielsen/Courier Mail

While 1,400 Brisbane treasury staff will migrate over to the brand new building, the precinct will need about 3000 staff to operate its expansive facilities.

“We’ve got a double the workforce, literally overnight and we won’t know how successful we’re going to be until we physically go to start recruitment,” he said.

“And that’s probably our biggest challenge because it’s been fairly constrained, the (hospitality) market.”

Despite the“rollercoaster” process, Mr Dodt said managing the development had been the “opportunity of a lifetime” and he was looking forward to seeing the completion of the Skydeck where one could take “the best selfie in the city.”

The Star Entertainment Group chief operating officer Kelvin Dodt at Queens Wharf. Picture: Lyndon Mechielsen

BY THE NUMBERS

• The Queen’s Wharf site will stretch along the waterfront from Victoria Bridge to the Goodwill Bridge, covering about 12ha
  
• The level four sports bar includes 100sq m of digital screen and seats about 450 people including private booth areas
• The gaming floor accounts for less than 5 per cent of the precinct
  
• The Skydeck can hold 1500 people
  
• Five hundred pallets of knives, forks spoons, cups, plates will need to be washed and polished before the grand opening
  
• Ten thousand people a day are expected to use the new pedestrian bridge
  
• The main gaming floor has been fitted with 2500 cameras
  
• The recreation deck on level seven features multiple swimming pools, a sauna, spas, and a gym over a 12,000sq m open space
  

Inside the Cherry Bar at Queen’s Wharf. Picture: Lyndon Mechielsen