Cairns Global Tourism Hub’s failure leaves development potential

A city tired of empty promises is looking for more realistic opportunities after the Global Tourism Hub casino development’s failure.

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IT WAS billed as a billion-dollar project but history soon proved the Global Tourism Hub to be another case of big swing and no ding.

The long-dead casino, hotel and retail development took on a zombie quality due to the State Government’s reluctance to declare its demise until last week.

Now a city tired of empty promises is looking for more realistic development opportunities for the waterfront site.

Enterprise North president Kevin Byrne said the project never stood a chance, and voters would recognise any further idle electoral bluster for what it was.

“It was floated during the election campaign to bolster the Labor Party candidate in Cairns,” he said.

“It would only happen subject to another casino licence on the Gold Coast, and that was never going to happen.

The proposed site of the Global Tourism Hub in Cairns. PICTURE: BRENDAN RADKE

“The Star Casino on the Gold Coast was going to fight back robustly, and of course it did.

“Shortly after the election, it was pretty obvious that it was just a bridge too far, but that didn’t stop the tourism minister and the State Government keeping the promise alive.

“It was basically deception, and the city was deceived.”

Mr Byrne said Cairns had a malignant case of grandiose promise-itis, and suggested calls to replace the centre with a national indigenous cultural centre were similarly flawed.

“For the amount of money involved, it would quite obviously go to Canberra or a large city where it can be supported,” he said.

“I’m sure people are jaded because they know how much of what is said and promised is just rubbish.”

The State Government was acutely aware from the outset of the Global Tourism Hub process that it must not recreate the farcical second-casino debacle that played out with the failed Aquis integrated resort proposal at Yorkeys Knob.

It wound up falling into the same trap.

The waterfront site of the proposed Global Tourism Hub. PICTURE: PORTS NORTH

“We don’t learn, do we?” Mr Byrne said.

“We just bounce from one bright idea to the next without doing any real assessment of the city’s capacity to absorb any of this, and to deliver projects.

“The only thing delivered of any consequence in the past four or five years is the Cairns Performing Arts Centre.”

Reef Casino Trust director Keith De Lacy believed the State Government should look beyond casinos and hotels.

“I think they need to go back to square one in that wharf area, as well as what would be the best kind of development,” he said.

“I’m actually keen about a major theme park.

“All of those theme parks on the Gold Coast, it would be wonderful to put half a dozen of them together and make it a major attraction.”

Member for Mulgrave Curtis Pitt, Member for Cairns Michael Healy and Ports North chairman Russell Beer with plans for a Global Tourism Hub at the Cairns Cruise Liner Terminal and foreshore area.

Mr De Lacy knew such a project was a long shot in the current economic climate, especially amid Australia’s relationship breakdown with China.

However, he said it should not be ruled out entirely.

“Sometimes you need these big wealthy ‘trophy’ investors … where it’s not based on a rigid business plan, it’s based on having something that is world class,” he said.

“Why has it got to be a casino and hotel?

“I wouldn’t give up on it, but sometimes you’ve got to sit down and think outside the square.”

Mr De Lacy said the casino had a strong balance sheet despite the effects of the COVID-19 crisis.

“We are very pleased with the patronage since we reopened it, bearing in mind that it is just the locals who are left,” he said.

A spokesman for Star Entertainment said the company was officially still engaged in the process.

“We have received no notification from government,” he said.

“Therefore we remain in the process and are not in a position to comment further.”

Originally published as Cairns Global Tourism Hub’s failure leaves development potential