Star collapse: Queen’s Wharf ‘critical’ to Qld tourism

Queensland tourism leaders are among those on tenterhooks as new details of Star Entertainment’s slide emerge.

Queen’s Wharf continues to operate with parent company Star Entertainment in crisis. Picture: Steve Pohlner

Queensland tourism leaders say the new Queen’s Wharf entertainment precinct in Brisbane is critical to the industry, as doubts swell over the future of gaming giant Star.

The casino behemoth has been dogged by a series of setbacks in recent times, with speculation rife that the company could be placed in the hands of administrators by next month.

That would be dire not only for the Star Entertainment Group, but also for the tourism industry in Queensland, where the company employs about 6000 staff across the group’s Brisbane and Gold Coast resorts.

Bombshell reports that Star is on its knees come just months after the long-awaited opening of the $3.6 billion Queen’s Wharf entertainment precinct, which has already hosted more than 100 events, many of them in the tourism and hospitality space.

The Star Grand Brisbane hotel – the first of several resorts slated for the precinct had been lauded as a welcome addition to a city centre in desperate need of new accommodation ahead of the 2032 Olympics.

Two more hotels on the site, the Rosewood and Dorsett, are still at least two years away from opening, and face uncertainty if Star cannot recover from what some economic analysts are already calling critical wounds.

Queensland Tourism Industry Council CEO Natassia Wheeler said the success of Queen’s Wharf was hugely significant to tourism in the Sunshine State, particularly in the lead-up to the Brisbane 2032 Olympics.

“Tourism is Queensland’s greatest export, and the development of new infrastructure like Queen’s Wharf is vital to future growth,” she said.

“In the lead-up to the 2032 Games, Brisbane and Queensland will need to further invest in major infrastructure projects like Queen’s Wharf to maximise this once-in-a-generation opportunity and sustain its ongoing contribution to the economy.

“Queen’s Wharf has been a redevelopment almost a decade in the making (and) it is critical that the precinct succeeds.

“Not only is it an important location for tourism, but the development employs thousands and has become a major Brisbane landmark.”

Brisbane Economic Development Agency CEO Anthony Ryan said Star and Queen’s Wharf were vital contributors to the Queensland and Brisbane tourism sectors.

“Queen’s Wharf is a landmark destination in Brisbane which has transformed the skyline and brought new world-class restaurants, accommodation, and entertainment to the heart of the city,” he said.

“It’s a stunning riverside precinct that has further propelled Brisbane’s standing on the global stage, instantly becoming a major attraction for tourists and locals.

“We hope it will continue to grow and succeed, while contributing to our $11 billion visitor economy in the years to come.”

Originally published as Star collapse: Queen’s Wharf ‘critical’ to Qld tourism