Village Roadshow CEO Clark Kirby says ease of transport the biggest challenge facing city

Village Roadshow CEO Clark Kirby says the theme park operator is committed to the Gold Coast for years to come. But there’s one big issue he believes will continue to prove a challenge.

THE Gold Coast is Australia’s holiday playground and at Village Roadshow Theme Parks we are committed to providing world-class experiences for the city for years to come through our theme parks and attractions: Warner Bros. Movie World, Sea World, Sea World Resort, Wet’n’Wild, Paradise Country, Topgolf Gold Coast, Australian Outback Spectacular, and Village Roadshow Studios.

We are proud of our position as an industry leader and have a continued focus on investment and growth for the city, with new experiences such as the multimillion-dollar The New Atlantis precinct, which will feature three world-class rides opening at Sea World over the coming 18 months.

It was wonderful to see the State Government announce the Spit Masterplan and we look forward to working with the Government to truly transform the area into a world-class destination.

An artist’s impression of the amazing New Atlantis precinct to be built at Sea World in the next 18 months.

AMAZING OFFER: GET A SAMSUNG GALAXY TAB A 8.0 WITH THIS BULLETIN SUBSCRIPTION (T&Cs apply)

Looking further into the future of our growing city, careful planning and investment into transportation and tourism infrastructure have never been more important. As the Gold Coast cements its position as Australia’s favourite holiday destination, ease of access across the city will be an ever-increasing challenge.

We will continue to bring more tourists to the city, but we need to have an improved transit experience for locals and intrastate visitors and fixing the M1 should be the priority to address this issue.

There are exciting plans already underway for the extension of the very popular light rail and for the implementation of a ferry service, which I believe would be a wonderful asset for the city, utilising our magnificent waterways.

Provided we are comfortable with the environmental sustainability of the project, I also believe a cruise ship terminal would be a great asset for the city. The cruising industry has been wonderful for sparking tourism in cities around the world and as a city, we have the perfect combination of attractions and natural beauty to support and add value to the industry.

I do not believe there is any city in the world that can rival the family-friendly lifestyle we enjoy here on the Gold Coast. We need to continue to focus on what is unique to the Coast, but also expand awareness of the depth and breadth of our offerings from the coast to the country to ensure we maintain our position as Australia’s playground.