Crowne Plaza Broadbeach to have third tower built in multi-million dollar expansion

THE Crowne Plaza resort is earmarked for a multimillion-dollar expansion, with its Singapore owners planning to add a third tower boasting more than 200 apartments.

Aerial photo shoot of the Crowne Plaza, Broadbeach.

THE twin-tower Crowne Plaza resort in Surfers Paradise is earmarked for a multimillion-dollar expansion, with its Singapore owners planning to add a third tower boasting more than 200 apartments.

The project is proposed by Goodearth Hotels Australia, which acquired the twin-tower resort for $35 million in 1999.

The company has applied to develop a 45-storey tower on the 12,110sq m Crowne Plaza site and an adjoining 666sq m property.

Industry sources say the building is expected to be strata-titled and units sold to investors.

The wave-shape building has been designed by TVS Partnership and will have more than 200 apartments, five levels of parking space, and resident facilities including gymnasium, pool, function rooms, sauna, lounge and games room.

The city council has called for public submissions on the project, news of which comes just weeks after fellow Singaporean developer Ho Bee began work on a 41-storey tower in Surfers Paradise.

In other signs that development in the city is again hitting its stride, the council has just approved a 35-storey, $35-million tower for a site on Philip St, Brisbane interests have lodged plans for a 30-level Beach Hotel on Surf Parade, and site works are in progress for the $35-million Synergy project at Broadbeach.

Crowne Plaza fronts the Gold Coast Highway midway between Surfers Paradise and Broadbeach and is a Gold Coast landmark due to the revolving restaurant that tops its main tower.

The first tower opened in 1991 and began life as the Travelodge and later the Parkroyal.

It was built by Japanese company Sun, part of education group Sundai, which added the second tower in 1997, bringing its investment in the Surfers Paradise property to $120 million.

Two years later it sold the holding to Goodearth, which is associated with Singapore’s Teo family whose portfolio includes hotels in Brisbane, Cairns, Adelaide and London.

Goodearth went on to strata-title the 22-storey second tower, known as Gold, placing its 54 dual-key units on the market in late 2005 and giving buyers the right to use main tower facilities and the option to place units in a guest-accommodation letting pool.

The Gold tower includes conference facilities, a heated pool and spa and on-title car spaces.

Also about 2005, Good-earth had preliminary plans drawn up for a third tower but later shelved the idea.

Present plans call for the third tower to be positioned between the existing towers and to have lobby and reception area at ground level where three lifts will give access to other floors.

There will be parking for 200 cars as well as motorbikes and bikes across two basement floors and a three-level podium, an arrangement requiring changes to existing parking arrangements.

Resident facilities will be located immediately above the three-level podium. The top level will boast two three-bedroom penthouses with studies.