Twin City Hotel opens Star Group’s largest liquor warehouse and gaming room

A new gaming room and a liquor warehouse with NQ’s largest cold room, are the latest parts to open at Townsville’s Twin City Hotel – a contender for Australia’s largest pub.

For those looking to stock up the liquor cabinet after a big New Years, or are keen for a flutter, the Twin City Hotel’s latest section to open has something for you.

A contender for Australia’s largest pub, the $50m Twin City Hotel at the former-Sunland Plaza site launched its first stage in November, a pop-up burger shop at 12 Hervey Range Rd called The Garage.

Just four days before Christmas, the Star Hotels Group unveiled the hotel’s next phase – Star Liquor’s largest warehouse, and next door, a gaming room with a bar, lounge, 45 brand new poker machines, Keno, and TAB.

Twin City Hotel manager Chris McNeill said the new gaming room featured the newest technologies and the latest games, with a video wall for the TAB, and a cafe, which was expected to open before Australia Day.

He said they had received a good response from locals who were excited to be stepping back inside the former-Sunland Plaza after being closed for seven years.

Twin City Hotel general manager Chris McNeill at the Twin City Hotel's new gaming room. Picture: Leighton Smith.

“It feels good (to open). It was a long time coming just to get this little part open … and its just going to start rolling on from here,” Mr McNeill said.

“Everything’s here, ready to go for the local punters.”

Twin City Hotel staff members Chloe-Rose Carter, Daniel Coleman, and Fiona Stroud celebrate next stage in the hotel's opening with a gaming room and liquor warehouse. Picture: Supplied.

A bar opened in the Twin City Hotel's new gaming room, with a cafe planned for the other side. Picture: Leighton Smith.

It was the refrigeration tradespeople who built the warehouse’s massive cold room who told him that it was the largest that they had built in North Queensland.

A new Star Liquor warehouse opened in the next stage of the Twin City Hotel. Picture: Leighton Smith.

“The next couple of stages (to open are) the real exciting ones, which we can’t talk too much about now but over the next few months, it’ll really start to unravel and there’ll be some cool things to talk about.”

Star Liquor warehouse retail manager Guy Gibson said they were offering a “vast range” of “unique and different” alcoholic products including a variety of wines and high end spirits.

Star Liquor warehouse retail manager Guy Gibson with Twin City Hotel general manager Chris McNeill at the newly open Star Liquor warehouse at the Twin City Hotel. Picture: Leighton Smith.

The new Star Liquor warehouse has some high-end whiskies in stock. Picture: Leighton Smith.

One of the centrepieces was a highly-prized $15,000 bottle of 25-year-old Hakushu Japanese single malt whisky, which has a Mackay resident journeying north to Townsville to procure.

Expected to be completed in five to eight months, the Twin City Hotel will employ 250 staff to operate multiple bars, a coffee shop, lounge bar, gaming room, three kitchens, and 1200 sqm large-format function and event space.

Originally published as Twin City Hotel opens Star Group’s largest liquor warehouse and gaming room