How the dice will roll on a second casino on the Gold Coast

The State Government will determine the site for a second Gold Coast casino as potential players are asked to show “the colour of your money”.

THE State Government will determine the site for a second Gold Coast casino while potential players are asked to show “the colour of your money”.

At least three super consortiums, capable of delivering a world-first tourist attraction for the Coast, are known to be circling before the Palaszczuk Government announces expressions of interest for a global tourism hub (GTH).

Tourism Minister Kate Jones, aware that senior bureaucrats are in talks with major players, yesterday secured strong backing from Mayor Tom Tate for the $2 billion project.

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Gold Coast Mayor Tom Tate backs Tourism Minister Kate Jones on what a GTH can deliver for the Gold Coast. Picture: Jerad Williams.

“The first phase is not site specific,” a casino source said. “It’s a beauty pageant. It’s about the best idea, best group, best probity, best for the community.

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“It will be about show us the colour of your money and your backers. It will be about how are you going to give genuine community support. The Government will handle the site.”

The Palaszczuk Cabinet is expected to discuss either late this month or early next month about going to expressions of interest.

Ms Jones is the strongest voice in favour of going to the market for a GTH but government advisers are unsure of the personal position of the Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk and many in the Cabinet.

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Queensland Tourism Minister Kate Jones in parliament — she has questioned the Opposition on its stand and lack of support for a GTH. (AAP Image/Dave Hunt)

The key to the GTH getting government backing will be to prove that the project is not going to impact on a decade-long plan by its rival, The Star, to upgrade its Broadbeach holding.

“They have to keep The Star happy. We have to show we are creating a brand new market,” the casino source said.

Cr Tate urged the Government to dismiss the protest campaign being staged by his former rival Eddy Sarroff who is opposed to a GTH being built on public land at Carey Park at Southport.

“Our city is built on confidence,” Cr Tate said. “Without confidence, we lose investment and we lose jobs.

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Protesters gather in Carey Park. Eddy Sarroff speaks against the GTH. Picture: Tertius Pickard.

“That’s why it’s important we allow the market to determine if a new global tourism hub is possible for our city. A few noisy placard-wavers should not dictate terms.

“Having the two resorts in Brisbane — Treasury and the new Queen’s Wharf — and possibly two here — Star and the new GTH — will give us the critical mass that many international visitors look for.

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“Each year, millions of people travel across the globe to enjoy built-form tourism so it’s important we have the choice between our city and Brisbane.”

Cr Tate said the GTH would provide entertainment, food culture, six-star retail and luxurious accommodation, but it was also about the thousands of construction jobs, and the ongoing employment it would bring for decades.

“Democracy is a wonderful thing and protesters have every right to wave their placards, but stick to the facts,” he said.

“Here are a few — no site has been allocated. The State Government is expected to go to the world market shortly with 11 preferred sites. Public land is not being sold.

“The normal arrangement for large-scale developments like this is a leasehold agreement, not a sale.

“The current GTH being built in Brisbane is on public land, under a leasehold arrangement. Any resort on the Coast will ensure no loss of public carparking and no new poker machine licences will be issued, meaning the city will not have additional machines.”