Gold Coast City Council planning a second casino in central Southport at Bowls club site

EXCLUSIVE IMAGES: SECRET plans for a new casino site on the Gold Coast has been developed but it means a longstanding bowls club and tennis centre will lose their sites. Here’s where they could end up.

Gold Coast councillors are considering a second casino for the city, at Carey and Queens Park in Southport

THE Gold Coast City Council is considering plans to build a casino in central Southport.

The council wants to put the casino on a large site which would include Queen’s Park Tennis Club, the Southport Bowls Club and Carey Park.

It will require both clubs to be relocated or incorporated into existing sports clubs, with Southport Bowls Club set to get a waterfront Broadwater position.

The Southport Bowls Club could be moved to the Broadwater Parklands. Photo: Gold Coast City Council

THE BRIDGE WHICH KILLED ASF’S $3B PLAN

The proposed new integrated resort site borders land which is owned by ASF Consortium, which was the preferred proponent of the State Government to build a casino on The Spit.

HOW ASF DECISION WILL COST US MILLIONS

That $3 billion project was killed by the State Government late last month but it was confirmed at the time the casino and an integrated resort would still be built on the Gold Coast.

ASF’s proposal was rejected by the State Government last month.

The Southport Bowls Club on Marine Parade could be shifted to a waterfront site on reclaimed land at Broadwater Parklands.

Southport councillor Dawn Crichlow is furious about the plan that will mean the Southport Bowls Club must relocate.

The neighbouring Queens Park tennis club, where local stars Sam Stosur and Bernard Tomic honed their games as juniors, could be relocated to existing clubs at Helensvale or Miami’s Pizzey Park, which would be upgraded to accommodate it.

The proposed Helensvale relocation site for the tennis club. Photo: Gold Coast City Council

The Carey Park carpark’s 419 parking bays would be retained in council ownership under the redevelopment proposal.

Southport Bowls Club sits on the site being considered.

Councillors have discussed the new plan in recent days.

Southport councillor Dawn Crichlow has insisted she would not support the proposal.

The proposed area for the Gold Coast's second casino. Photo: Gold Coast City Council

“When you have land and it is zoned open space recreation, that means open space recreation forever as far as I am concerned,” she told ABC radio.

WHERE THE NEW CASINO WILL BE BUILT

ASF already have council approval for a multi-million golden super tower in the heart of Southport on the land bordering the site.

The Au, a two-tower development featuring a 15-storey mid-rise and a 66-story super tower, was approved by the council last year.

Artist impressions of ASF Consortium's Gold Tower, The AU.

The larger tower, would be “enveloped in gold glazing to differentiate it in the context of other existing proposed towers in the vicinity”.

After the State Government canned the ASF Spit project last month, the AU site was discussed as a potential site for the casino, along with land in Surfers Paradise.