The 1980s-era complex will be demolished this year for a Marriott hotel among three neighbouring hotel and residential projects transforming The Spit’s waterfront retail and dining hub.

Traders began moving out in the past year after Gold Coast City Council approval for redevelopment for hotels and retail spaces.

It’s a significant change since the centre’s heyday, when it commanded some of the city’s highest commercial rents and was among the most desired locations for haute couture retailers.

Retailers say ongoing uncertainty now over the redevelopment is taking a financial and emotional toll, leaving them unable to plan and impacting current trade.

‘WE NEED CERTAINTY’

Designer Jay Pask, with a boutique at the centre for nearly a decade, said while redevelopment is necessary, no clear timeline has made it impossible to operate with confidence.

“(It) has to be knocked down otherwise it’s going to collapse like a Bangladesh Shopping Centre,” he claimed. “It does need to be fixed.

“But it’s unfair to those of us in businesses here who up until the announcement 18 months ago, all had incredibly successful businesses.

“Some of us still have quite viable businesses but the problem is we spend our days answering questions about what’s happening, without any real answers.”

Despite being told not to plan more than six months ahead, Pask said relocating isn’t simple.

“It’s not just packing up a few racks and moving clothes. Omeros Bros and La Luna have major operations, Calleija has vaults to move like a bank.

“It’s a big operation to move, and it’s unfair to keep so many businesses in limbo like this. It’s impacted our trade and our income because we can’t plan.

“In the fashion industry, we have to buy fabric, produce stock – there’s six months leading to actually putting stock on a shop floor.

“We trade on percentages … and if you can’t maintain your stock level because you don’t know what your ordering capacity is, then immediately your business is impacted financially.”

Mr Pask said he is also struggling to find a place that “replicates the quality of customer” that he gets currently.

“I don’t see an immediate place for me to go – I could look at Sanctuary Cove, other places – 50 to 60 per cent of my clientele comes from Melbourne. They stay at the (nearby) Sheraton, so this is the perfect place.

“My heart doesn’t want to leave but my head says we have to.”

HiGold and MJ Elegant Interiors owner Margaret Jurca, moving to another location in the centre in the hope to gain more foot traffic, said trade dropped 75 per cent since the revamp announcement.

“We don’t know when this is going to happen – we haven’t got a date,” she said.

“People haven’t really been coming to the store because everywhere else is kind of closed. Most locals don’t know we’re still open and a lot of people who come into the restaurants say ‘oh, we thought you were closed already’.”

“A lot of businesses are suffering because, look at it, it’s empty.”

Coast Decor owner Marilyn Moore, at Marina Mirage for a decade, said restaurants were the only thing “keeping them alive”.

“They’re known for being the best restaurants, so we wait until after lunch and we get the crowd coming out. If those restaurants said they were going, I would leave immediately,” she said.

Despite agreeing the re-development “looks great,” she said it would be nice to get clearer timelines.

“I love this shopping centre – we don’t want the shopping centre to go anywhere but have to face reality.”

She pitched a temporary pop-up village to the State Government and local council, suggesting small retail options on public land before repurposing for public housing when they can return to the centre

“I’m just trying to look for a solution.”

MARINA MIRAGE OVERHAUL ‘ADVANCING’

Makris Group boss Jason Makris said “advanced design work” was underway.

“The Marina Mirage project is advancing well,” he said. “We are currently focusing on detailed design work with Marriott to ensure our design aligns with their world-class ‘The Luxury Collection’ hotel standards.

“We anticipate releasing our first collection of Marina Mirage Residences by invitation in the forthcoming months.”

Marriott International’s Australia hotel development vice president Richard Crawford said work was “going well”.

“From the Marriott’s point of view we are really excited about having a luxury project on the Gold Coast and Makris is poised to do something special, so the business case is only getting stronger,” he said.

“It is an exciting time for the industry and 2025 will see a lot of those macro (economic) pressures ease in favour of development which will be exciting for the people of the Gold Coast.”

The revamped Marina Mirage complex will retain the famous rooftop sails and feature a new “first-class” hotel with 122 rooms plus residential units.

The Makris Group redevelopment of the Christopher Skase-built complex was initially greenlit by the council in 2023 with a signature restaurant, functions and events space, rooftop bar and beauty centre.

It is expected to create up to 500 jobs during construction.

More than $1bn worth of development has already been approved on The Spit, with more to come.

RITZ CARLTON CONSTRUCTION SOON

Giannarelli and Pelligra groups, developers of the neighbouring $480m Ritz Carlton project, say their development is on track to break ground this year.

It was approved in mid-2023. Like Marina Mirage, Mariner’s Cove also a ghost town while awaiting demolition.

Giannarelli Group director Dion Giannarelli said construction would begin in the second half of the year with an opening date earmarked for 2028.

“We are in the process of finalising our construction documentation and interior design,” he said.

“Additionally, we have received numerous inquiries about the leasing opportunities we have, and collaborating with our leasing agents to secure some of the finest food, beverage, and retail experiences the Gold Coast has ever seen.

“Just like the retail inquiries, we are experiencing significant interest in our marina berths, and we currently have 65 per cent of the marina berths pre-leased.

“We are fortunate our Partners Pelligra have their own construction company dedicated to our project, which allows us to seamlessly manage trades and equipment.

“With numerous projects underway across Australia, relocating teams and equipment is not a challenge for us.”

GORDON CORP’S 2026 DATE

Construction is underway on Gordon Corp’s $300m Mantaray Residences project on a site next to Mariner’s Cove.

The developer, headed by Tim Gordon, and partner Bruce Mathieson, vows to complete construction of the three-storey residential project by 2026.

The three-storey, 24-unit complex will have a 67-berth superyacht marina.

CARTER’S BASIN PROGRESS

To rehome many of the businesses which were located at the Mariner’s Cove waterfront, the state government announced last week it was moving ahead on a “world-class” revamp of the Carter’s Basin area.

It has picked three bidders to proceed to the detailed design phase of the precinct.

They will have just three months to complete their proposal.

Deputy Premier Jarrod Bleijie has also directed the Gold Coast Waterways Authority to find a new location for the fishing fleet to unload, with the old tuna wharf to close.

The former Golden Door Gym site is among the future redevelopment locations and is expected to become a major new resort under Spit Masterplan where it is designated the “Village East Resort”.

“The master plan reimagines this site as a resort-style complex with a public plaza flowing from SeaWorld Drive to the ocean and the public carpark moving south into Hollingdale Park,” then-Deputy Premier Steven Miles said in late 2021.