Gold Coast Mayor Tom Tate says we’re gonna party like its 2018 all year

HANGOVER? There might be a few today but forget about a post-Commonwealth Games one with $13 billion of investment coming into the city. Here’s what is in store.

THE Gold Coast’s “most sensational year” yet begins today as the city cheers on the Commonwealth Games, $13 billion of investment and development and a raft of new events.

Some residents and visitors will no doubt be nursing sore heads today after tens of thousands descended for New Years but city leaders are adamant there will be no hangover post-Games.

Gold Coast Mayor Tom Tate and Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk are all smiles for 2018. Picture: NIGEL HALLETT

The city will be broadcast to an audience of more than 1 billion across the world for 11 days and Mayor Tom Tate says a long-feared Games hangover won’t eventuate on the back of the profile plus largest investment injection in the city’s history.

On the agenda for 2018 is:

*Ground broken in May on stage 2 of the cultural precinct, including a $60 million art gallery and new bridge between Evandale and Chevron Island.

The art gallery will be part of the cultural precinct’s second stage.

* The approval of a series of major developments including Sunland’s $200 million The Lanes Shopping Centre at Clear Island Water, and $200 million Hedges Ave 44-storey tower, the $1.2 billion Breakwater residential complex at Robina and $600 million Songcheng theme park at Carrara.

* The completion of the $420 million first stage of Coomera Town Centre by Christmas and the first of the four towers of the Ruby high-rise complex in Surfers Paradise.

* Completion of the business case study for the light rail’s third stage from Broadbeach to Burleigh Heads.

Sunland’s The Lanes will go before council this year for approval.

* Completion of the feasibility report into the council’s proposed cruise ship terminal.

Cr Tate said confidential talks were also underway for a number of other projects he expected would be announced in the second half of 2018.

“There are more projects coming down the pipeline. I cannot discuss them publicly yet but my confidence is high,” he said.

“My other prediction would be that you will see a significant amount of investment in the city from the Asian market following Chinese New Year in mid-February.”

GOLDOC chairman Peter Beattie declared 2018 to be “the Gold Coast’s most sensational year” with the Games to bring prosperity and notice to the city.

Goldoc chairman Peter Beattie. Pic Peter Wallis

“Nothing like the Games has ever happened before and given all the hype sometimes people get a bit blasé but this will be the biggest event in the Gold Coast’s history and that of the state,” he said.

“This will be the most exciting time on the Coast’s history and the legacy of what happens this year will go on for generations.”

Cr Tate: “People have been saying to me after the Games there is going to be a hangover.

“But here on the Gold Coast we party hard and will do so during the Games but I can tell you now the party will continue on afterwards for business because we will have $13 billion in investment on its way from February onward.

“For a city of our size to have $13 billion of investment coming in over the coming two year period is huge and means the job market is going to continue expanding, including in construction, which is what we want.”

Among the major plans and events of the year are:

State Tourism and Games Minister Kate Jones said momentum had been building for the Gold Coast as Game host.

Kate Jones MP Minister for Tourism, Major Events and the Commonwealth Games Pics Adam Head

“Everyone is talking about the city coming of age but this is going to deliver real money, real jobs and change to the Gold Coast for a long time to come.

“There is going to be a new competitiveness on the Gold Coast it didn’t have in 2017.

“For the first time, the Gold Coast is going to put itself on a stage as a global city.”

Gold Coast Tourism chairman Paul Donovan said 2018 was “our time to shine”.

“The stars have aligned for the Gold Coast and we have to take advantage while it’s here.

“We will show the world what an unbelievably great place the Gold Coast — so come on over.

Paul Donovan Photo by Richard Gosling

“It’s the best place, the best address.”

Mr Donovan said infrastructure coming on stream including doubling of capacity for Gold Coast Airport and tourism attraction boosts such as the looming new $30 million investment by Village Roadshow in Australia’s first TopGolf site at Oxenford.

Dreamworld was also bringing new attractions next year.

The $35 million Topgolf facility at Movie World is starting to take shape next to MovieWorld. Picture Mike Batterham

“There is not going to be a hangover — there only hangover from the Commonwealth Games is going to be a positive one,” Mr Donovan said.

“We’re marketing to 1.5 billion and whoever is talking it down needs to look in the mirror — I’m looking at a glass full, not a glass half full.”