Gold Coast Tourism Hub: City leaders debate option of development on private land

Mayor Tom Tate and a developer of a second casino resort are bullish that a global tourism hub can be built on a private site after State Government ruled out using public land for one.

MAYOR Tom Tate and a developer of a second casino resort are bullish that a global tourism hub can be built on a private site after State Government ruled out using public land for one.

Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk ended months of debate by announcing in State Parliament yesterday that public land was now off limits for casino consortiums.

The decision extinguishes any redevelopment of Southport’s Carey Park.

A report released last week by an advisory group, led by businessman John Witheriff, listed 15 possible sites for a resort but found residents were adamant the GTH should not be built on public land.

Protesters gather in Carey Park. Picture: Tertius Pickard.

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“There was an overwhelming response from locals that they do not want a global tourism hub on public land,” the Premier told Parliament yesterday. “And my government respects their wishes and have ruled this out.”

Cr Tate, who had supported the Southport site, believes the Government had done the right thing by testing the market and retained confidence in the process.

“I welcome the position by the State Government and I’m looking forward to the next stage of where they will land on the global tourism hub,” he said.

Asked if he believed the GTH could be built on a private site, he replied: “Yes I do.”

When questioned further on the location of those sites, he replied: “I don’t want to prejudice someone’s entrepreneurial spirit.”

An interested proponent in the GTH process told the Bulletin last night the Premier ruling out public land didn’t impact their ability to develop a GTH on private land: “When the GTH process was announced there was opportunity for proponents to come forward with their own sites.

“The Gold Coast is one of the best places in the world for it - there are beautiful private sites everywhere,” the anonymous proponent said.

Last month, top brass from Hard Rock visited the Gold Coast and were seen looking at alternative private sites.

The Witheriff report suggests there are private sites in Surfers Paradise and Southport but they will need to be amalgamated and older buildings demolished.

Southport councillor Dawn Crichlow and anti-Carey Park resident group leader Eddy Sarroff both suggested the Government should develop the GTH at Star Gold Coast’s Broadbeach island.

“I think they will do a deal with The Star, get that convention centre extended. They’ve got the light rail, everything is happening for them down there,” Cr Crichlow said.

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Carey Park was ruled out. Picture: Glenn Hampson.

CAREY PARK RULED OUT AS SITE BY PREMIER ANNASTACIA PALASZCZUK

Mr Sarroff said: “Thank God The Star is about to step up to the mark and offer the equivalent of a GTH. Hallelujah. Isn’t that what we’ve been saying all along, about staying off public land?”

But the Premier declined to speak about other sites as negotiations were continuing with The Star about its master plan.

“We are currently in negotiations on the Gold Coast and because that process is underway I and other members of CBRC (Cabinet Budget Review Committee) are actually bound by probity about actually not commenting about that process. I’d ask the House to respect that.”

Outside the Parliament, Southport MP Rob Molhoek said: “I’m delighted I have the Premier on the public record in the Parliament ruling out once and for all Carey Park and public land. I actually rang the residents’ committee straight away to let them know.

Eddy Sarroff speaks at a protest rally. Picture: Tertius Pickard.

“They have been fighting hard saving Carey Park and the tennis courts and that area. We will claim that as a win.”

Mr Molhoek said he was not opposed to a GTH, just losing another park and car parking area in Southport.

The Government last week told The Star that to negotiate a deal it must “put $500,000 on the table” and work out a multi-billion-dollar masterplan or face exclusion from the casino race.

Star Entertainment Group last month offered to pay up to $100 million for the much-needed expansion of the Gold Coast Convention and Exhibition Centre, upgrade its Sheraton Mirage property at The Spit, and contractually commit to the rest of its $2 billion Star Gold Coast masterplan. The masterplan already has a State Government green light for five more towers on top of the existing Star Grand casino hotel and Darling suite hotel.