The Spit: Full details of $1.5bn mega developments, superyacht marinas and resorts will transform area
More than $1.5bn in developments are in the pipeline for the southern Spit and two more, including a high-end resort on the beachfront, are set to get the green light.
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AT least two more resort-style projects are on the agenda for the southern Spit as the state government moves to ramp up its revival of the precinct.
Tenders are out for the Village Gateway site currently occupied by the Water Police complex and the Village East Resort, home to the former Golden Door gym, with decisions pending on both projects.
The State Development Department says the Village East site was “near completion” and the developer would be required to revamp it as a “resort-style complex with a public plaza flowing from SeaWorld Drive to the ocean and relocation of the public carpark south into Hollingdale Park”.
Deputy Premier and State Development Minister Steven Miles said nearly $1.5bn of investment had already proposed for the area.
“The Spit is one of the pillars of Queensland’s great lifestyle and the Master Plan sets out the Palaszczuk Government’s vision for the perfect balance of tourism, recreation, environment and atmosphere,” he said.
“It’s one of the southeast’s most loved and visited public spaces, which is why we funded the SeaWorld Drive shared pathway, upgrades to Moondarewa
Spit pedestrian path, cycleway and community facilities, an upgraded pathway on the Seaway Promenade, and construction of the Marine Stadium Jetty and Pontoon. Revitalising The Village Centre precinct is another opportunity to expand tourism on the Gold Coast, which we know means economic growth and more good jobs.”
The new sites come as two other projects await approval from the Gold Coast City Council.
Makris Group in February lodged plans for a $500m plan to “reimagine” Marina Mirage, with the 1980s-era shopping centre set to be extended, with a range of new features including restaurants, retail and a wellness hub.
The project will go before the council’s planning committee later this year.
Closer to a decision is the $480m redevelopment of the Mariner’s Cove site.
Dion Giannarelli’s Melbourne-based Giannarelli Group, alongside joint venture partners Pelligra Group, want to build a three-storey precinct that will include a six-star branded Ritz-Carlton hotel, floating beach club, more than 5000sq m of restaurants and bars. and a “white glove” superyacht marina.
The 170-room hotel development is expected to feature berths for up to 67 superyachts, and passengers given access to Rolls Royce golf buggies to travel between vessels and the hotel. Its other features will include a 2000sq m rooftop event space, 900sq m ballroom and restaurants, as well as a 40m infinity pool.
It is expected to be completed by 2025, if approved this year.
Mr Giannarelli told the Bulletin his company would begin construction on the project within 90 days of council approving it.
“The Ritz-Carlton Gold Coast will be an iconic landmark not only for the Gold Coast, but for Australia’s hospitality sector, this will drive tourism back to The Spit as we are setting a new benchmark in luxury and providing a world class lifestyle precinct,” he said.
“There is no doubt in my mind The Spit will be come one of Gold Coast’s if not Australia’s most visited locations, with the vision of the Spit Masterplan and what Gordon Corp and Makris Group have proposed along with our development. The Spit will be the place to be.
“For both Pelligra Group and ourselves, we both realised the potential of the area due to how underdeveloped it currently is, we knew we could bring something very special to this location, which we have done exactly that, and not to mention there are very few properties in Australia like it and they just don’t come up everyday and when they do you have to grab them.”
‘Nowhere else on Earth’: How mega developments will transform Spit
CELEBRITIES and some of Australia’s richest people have already bought units valued at up to $20m in The Spit’s ultra-exclusive first all-residential development.
The long-awaited transformation of the Main Beach peninsular’s southern precinct to create a new wave of hotel and resort projects is just weeks away from beginning, with three developments already in the pipeline and more expected to be announced.
The first to break ground will be Gordon Corp’s $300m Mantaray Marina and Residences on a vacant site next to Mariner’s Cove
Developer Tim Gordon has spent more than $5m to built a full-scale unit replica inside the former Golden Door gym where only serious prospective buyers can view the 800sq m sales suite by appointment.
While the three-storey, 24-unit project is yet to go on the market, Mr Gordon has already been giving private tours of the complex to wealthy would-be buyers since the Magic Millions carnival in January.
Mr Gordon said the $1.4bn of announced projects would reshape the southern Spit.
“Makris and Marina Mirage have both lodged their applications and a new resort facility is part of the tender process on the old Golden Door site that is in work in progress with government,” he said in his first in-depth interview discussing the project and Spit revamp.
“I think they’ve got a preferred tenderer which also includes future resort development of a six-star hotel, which is only encouraging (over the future of the southern site) given what we are about to undertake with our project.”
Mr Gordon said The Spit was about to experience a dramatic facelift.
“You tell me what precinct in the world you’ll see a project like ours that will be surrounded by new opportunities, brand new hotels, redevelopment opportunities, ocean one side and Broadwater on the other, with the amenity we’re about to create.
“It’s been lacking for 20 years because Palazzo Versace was the last one to be built on the Spit but it is really encouraging when you’ve got support of some of the local community groups and with our project being the first to hit the market, it gives belief for others to continue.”
Mr Gordon in December 2022 was awarded a 120-year lease on the site for an undisclosed sum by the state government.
The project, the first to be delivered under the state government’s Spit Masterplan will have a range of high-end features, including an exclusive private club lounge for its residents.
Its 10 four-bedrom penthouses have each have rooftop pools and private lift shafts.
A builder has been appointed and is tipped to be announced within weeks.
Construction works will initially focus on a basement carpark before the building begins to rise from the ground.
The first residents are expected to move in by mid-2025 when construction is completed.
Despite the eye-watering unit prices, Mr Gordon said the response he had received from buyers was strong.
“We have made sales, got expressions of interest and we have been inundated with appointments for inspections, so we’ve been overwhelmed without any marketing or promotional materials,” he said.
It will also feature Australia’s first dedicated private superyacht marina.
The complex will feature 67 berths of up to 60m each for superyachts in its marina.
“This is a one-off opportunity and the vision of the government in their master planning was realising the importance of dredging the Broadwater to get these bigger superyachts in,” Mr Gordon said.
The Gordon Corp project is expected to create more than 300 jobs during construction and 100 jobs once fully operational.
Mr Gordon said he expected the Spit to become ground zero for a resurgence in international tourist numbers and be established as one of Australia’s most exclusive addresses, with only a handful of residential offerings expected to be given the green light.
“There’s nothing like it anywhere in the world,” he said.
“The global superyachting industry has experienced phenomenal growth in recent years and there’s no better maritime playground than Queensland’s coastline.
“We’re delivering the infrastructure and amenity to cater to this tourism sector and the economic benefits will flow into the region for decades to come.”
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