New casino project in Gold Coast

Few weeks after an ASF project was rejected, a new proposal to build a casino at Carey and Queens Park is under the Gold Coast mayor’s consideration.

Australia.- Chinese consortium ASF’s plans to develop a US$2.3 billion casino project on the Southport Spit were rejected by the Queensland Government just a few weeks ago. However, a new proposal for a casino at Carey and Queens Park has been discussed with Gold Coast Mayor Tom Tate during an unofficial meeting last week.

The new venue, according to abc.net.au, would be located just off the Gold Coast Highway, at the site of the city’s oldest bowls club and a tennis centre. ASF, who was previously rejected, owns the land for the proposed site.

According to Southport Chamber of Commerce president Laird Marshall, the business’ thoughts on the idea are not clear. “At first I thought it was a good idea because Southport’s designated high-rise. There are some details that’ve come out from the drawings I’ve seen so far, particularly the fact that a lot of low-rise area and public open space would be taken over with this proposal, and that’s something that’s going to upset a lot of people,” he said.

“I think having a major development actually in Southport like this in theory is a great idea. But perhaps where it’s being located isn’t the best site that could be taken,” he added and proposed the old Gold Coast hospital site as an ideal place to develop the venture.

Dawn Crichlow, area councillor, has advanced that she’ll fight the new proposal and said she “totally opposes it” because it hasn’t gone to council. “When you have land and it is zoned open space recreation — that means open space recreation forever, as far as I am concerned,” she said.