Sunshine Coast wave pool proposals: Developer says only one can be economically viable

The developer behind one of three surf parks proposed for the Sunshine Coast says there is only demand for one major project. Find out where each of the proposals is at:

One of three developers in the line up to build surf parks on the Sunshine Coast is making a splash with claims there is only room for one of them in the region.

Developer Sanad Capital made a submission against a rival project stating it would not be economically viable for the Sunshine Coast to have more than one wave pool.

Three separate surf park proposals are on the hop including the approved Sanad Capital’s Endless Surf at Glenview, Surf Park Australia at the Glass House Mountains and World Surf League’s at Coolum Beach.

Brisbane-based economic consulting firm Urban Economics made a submission on behalf of Sanad Capital on the Glass House Mountains project which cast doubt over the need for more than one surf park.

Renders of what Sanad Capital's Endless Surf wave pool could look like once developed at Glenview.

It said the Glass House Mountains project would impact on the delivery of the approved tourism attraction at Glenview, located at a “superior” Tourism Focus Area.

“It is considered that the market for more than one surf park facility on the Sunshine Coast is unsustainable at this stage,” the report says.

It said a surf park should attract at least 250,000 visitors per year to be economically sustainable.

World Surf League Australia general manager Andrew Stark said the proposed surf parks were extremely different.

Renders of what Sanad Capital's Endless Surf wave pool could look like once developed at Glenview.

“It’s ultimately up to the public to choose which wave they’ll want to surf,” Mr Stark said.

“Our Kelly Slater Wave Co technology is the biggest wave height wise and by far the longest man made wave in the world and will stage WSL events.

“(The wave pools) could coexist on the Sunshine Coast as the product offering is very different.”

Craig Morrison who is one of the developers behind the Glass House Mountains project declined to comment.

The project is being considered by the council.

Sanad Capital’s submission was among more than 980 made on the project with most of them being in support of it.

Sanad Capital’s integrated resort, water park and surf park project would be the largest investment into a themed attraction in the area since Aussie World in 1979.

The company said in a statement that it expected to start construction next year, depending on the availability of supplies.

They said they wanted to get all of the elements within the 25ha master planned area right to create a “legacy” project for the Sunshine Coast in the lead up to the 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games.

Mr Stark said the state government was yet to decide on its application for the 510ha site to be declared as a Priority Development Area.

He said the company was still keen to deliver the project if it receives the necessary approvals.

World Surf League Asia Pacific boss Andrew Stark said the company was still committed to the Coolum Beach surf park.

“The Sunshine Coast deserves a world class tourism drawcard like this,” Mr Stark said.

A state development department spokesman said the government was in a due diligence process to better understand the impacts and potential benefits of the development.

Several environmental concerns have been raised about the project, including that it would lead to the development of a flood plain and part of the site also falls in the Blue Heart designation area within the Coast’s Maroochy River Catchment.

Originally published as Sunshine Coast wave pool proposals: Developer says only one can be economically viable