Gold Coast City Council crackdown on controversial Casablanca Surfers Paradise
City council has put a new Surfers Paradise venue on notice after it copped a flood of noise complaints before it even opened. But that’s not the only reason residents are fighting to stop it.
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The Gold Coast city council has put a new Surfers Paradise venue on notice it must not operate as a nightclub after a flood of noise complaints before it has even opened.
Area councillor Darren Taylor said the council approved the relocated Casablanca venue at the Surfers Paradise foreshore, in Tiki Village, under strict conditions.
“Development approval has been given for a commercial hotel only and it must not operate as a nightclub entertainment facility under the city plan,” Cr Taylor said.
“If they are operating outside their conditions, then our council officers will take action and investigate.”
Cr Taylor said Surfers Paradise nightclubs should be located in the Orchid Ave precinct for safety and planning reasons.
“If businesses want to look at providing that type of activity, Orchid Ave is the location that Surfers Paradise has,” he said.
“The foreshore has a lot of resident towers and residents living across the river. We need to ensure we protect those areas.”
It comes after disgruntled residents voiced their concerns about the “insane” noise coming from the 58 Cavill Ave venue Casablanca after it conducted sound testing on Tuesday night.
Nearby Panorama Tower building manager Cameron Moir said residents were also concerned it would operate as a nightclub.
On Wednesday, Casablanca director Alex Said said the new Surfers Paradise location would operate as a commercial hotel.
Casablanca previously operated out of a Broadbeach location as a nightclub before its closure in the former Love Nightlife space on Albert St.
A Google search lists the new relocated venue as a “nightclub in Surfers Paradise”.
According to Business Queensland, a commercial hotel licence allows a business to sell alcohol for consumption either on the premises or on and off.
This type of licence is required to run a hotel or tavern.
Alternatively, a nightclub licence is needed when the main function of a business is to provide entertainment, it stated.
An Office of Liquor and Gaming Regulation spokeswoman said XLEA Investments Pty Ltd trading as Casablanca had submitted an application for a commercial hotel liquor licence.
“The OLGR is currently assessing its submission, this includes whether the licence type is correct for the proposed premise,” she said.
“The application for Casablanca was advertised in March for public objections to the application as required under the Liquor Act.”
The spokeswoman said a meeting was held last week after it received a number of public objections.
Due to confidentiality reasons under the Liquor Act, the number of objections can’t be disclosed.
“The OLGR is considering the responses to the objections and a decision will be made once the licence assessment is finalised,” the spokeswoman said.
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