The government offers three casino licenses in Queensland

The plan to build more casinos in Queensland supported by the former premier Campbell Newman, is likely to be backed by Labor.

Australia.- The government of the former Queensland Premier, Campbell Newman offered three additional casino licences  to the private sector, in an effort to turn the region into a gambling hub which could compete with those in the Middle East and Asia.

Now Labor is not only backing the initiative but it also announced that if either of the pre-existing two regional integrated resort development proposals fall over, it reserves the right to look elsewhere.

The awarding of the Brisbane license went to Star Casino Group, which will build the Queen’s Wharf development in the Brisbane CBD. This means the state will have two additional facilities, with the existing Treasury to become a boutique hotel.

Under a proposal from Aquis Cairns is also likely to have a multi-billion dollar resort, as is the Gold Coast, with Chinese developer ASF Consortium putting through a proposal for a five-hectare block next to the established Sea World resort at The Spit.

In the event of either of these deals falling over, the State Development Minister Anthony Lynham announced the Palaszczuk government “may” go back to the market.

“However, should that happen, there will be strict criteria,” Lynham said. “The project must include significant capital investment and must commence construction within 18 months of contractual close. The project must be in, or within close proximity to, a major population centre with a catchment of no fewer than 150,000 people within a 70-kilometre radius from the city centre. The project must have an operational international airport or an airport that is capable of being readily upgraded to international standard with capacity to process high tourist volumes so the target market is international rather than domestic. Secondly, it must have well-established transport networks and have significant existing tourism infrastructure with identified growth potential.”