Remember when: Gold Coast’s 1980s development boom hit Broadbeach with Oasis and Jupiters

PLANS were well-advanced for the Gold Coast to be operating nine international hotels worth $791 million and offering 4246 rooms in time for Expo ’88.

Gold Coast Bulletin, Wednesday April 23, 1986

Gold Coast Bulletin, Wednesday April 23, 1986

PLANS were well-advanced for the Gold Coast to be operating nine international hotels worth $791 million and offering 4246 rooms in time for Expo ’88.

In the latest developments: Brisbane developer F.A. Pidgeon and Son expanded and altered their $100 million plus plan to transform the Broadbeach International Hotel into a $600 million luxury showpiece.

It was to be double the original redevelopment proposal surrounded by a department store, shopping mall and linked to the Jupiters Casino by monorail.

Plans to build a 250m tower on the site were shelved.

Included in the plans were 1000 sq m of department store space, specialty shops, restaurants and a pedestrian plaza straddling Old Burleigh Road.

Melbourne Developer Richom resurrected shelved plans by another developer and wanted to expand them to build a $120 million 544 room five start international hotel directly opposite the Gold Coast International Hotel under construction just north of the Surfers Paradise business district.

Meanwhile, conjecture continued that Sydney property magnate Theo Morris could add to the nine international hotels by redeveloping the Chevron Surfers Paradise Hotel.

He had previously announced in 1984 a proposed $80 million redevelopment but maintaining he had the best of all sites, he said he wanted to “see what I have to beat”.

The other approved international hotels were:

Hyatt Regency with a $70 million 500-room low-rise plan for Sanctuary Cove near Hope Island.

Sheraton’s $70 million 350-room low-rise hotel oceanfront at The Spit, Main Beach on the sire formerly occupied by Andalucia Park.

Both were expected to be open by late 1987.