Gold Coast a $7.5 billion resort and cruise ship terminal
ASF Consortium will accelerate its plans for a $7.5 billion resort, casino and cruise ship terminal on the Broadwater, following news it has pre-approval for a casino licence.
Project director Allan Fife said the group still had a lot of work to do in satisfying environmental, planning and gaming requirements — and now that work could begin in earnest.
DOES THE GOLD COAST NEED ANOTHER CASINO?
“We haven’t seen anything formal from the Government yet,” he said.
“But the next steps for us will be to address the environmental impact work, and we’ve got to resolve some of the engineering questions regarding the cruise ship terminal.
“No doubt there will be a fairly detailed set of questions from the Government regarding all aspects of the integrated resort development.”
Mr Fife said more detailed plans, incorporating the cruise ship terminal’s new Wavebreak Island location, could now be developed.
He said no development would take place at Doug Jennings Park on the Spit, apart from landscaping and public facility upgrades and that a rigorous Environmental Impact Statement would be conducted to gauge the project’s environmental, social, cultural and economic impacts.
That process is expected to take 12-18 months.
“The community will be given the opportunity to comment on the Terms of Reference prior to any EIS starting and ongoing community consultation and periods of public comment will be required, enabling us to refine and present a more detailed master plan,” he said.
“From the initial consultation, no major issues have arisen that we feel can’t be addressed.
“We’re confident that our proposal is viable from an environmental perspective but more detailed studies are required to confirm this.”
He downplayed the significance of an audit that last year expressed “material uncertainty” over the ability of the ASX-listed ASF Group to continue as a going concern.
“We are unable to talk about the funding,” Mr Fife said, adding the consortium had provided enough information to the Queensland Government to prove that it was able to fund the project.
A Chinese consortium’s multi-million dollar concept proposal for a Gold Coast cruise ship terminal has been chosen as the preferred Broadwater Marine Project design by the State Government.
However, the project itself needs to satisfy a raft of environmental and infrastructure planning requirements, as well as extensive community consultation, before the Newman Government considers giving it the go ahead.
Deputy Premier Jeff Seeney announced on Thursday the government had approved one of the two design plans submitted for the project, which occupies the site near the Sea World theme park.
An artists’ impression of a proposed cruise ship terminal development on the Gold Coast. Photo: Supplied
ASF Consortium has been announced as the successful bidder, following a global expression of interest campaign.
Gold Coast mayor Tom Tate hailed the announcement as a historic day for the city but said the project would only go ahead if the community supported the proposal.
“Now is the time when the community’s voice will decide if our city embraces opportunity and wants a better future for our kids – or walks away,” he said.
ASF Consortium will accelerate its plans for a $7.5 billion resort, casino and cruise ship terminal on the Broadwater, following news it has pre-approval for a casino licence.
Project director Allan Fife said the group still had a lot of work to do in satisfying environmental, planning and gaming requirements — and now that work could begin in earnest.
DOES THE GOLD COAST NEED ANOTHER CASINO?
“We haven’t seen anything formal from the Government yet,” he said.
“But the next steps for us will be to address the environmental impact work, and we’ve got to resolve some of the engineering questions regarding the cruise ship terminal.
“No doubt there will be a fairly detailed set of questions from the Government regarding all aspects of the integrated resort development.”
Mr Fife said more detailed plans, incorporating the cruise ship terminal’s new Wavebreak Island location, could now be developed.
ASF Consortium project director Allan Fife. Pic by David Clark
ASF Consortium project director Allan Fife. Pic by David Clark
He said no development would take place at Doug Jennings Park on the Spit, apart from landscaping and public facility upgrades and that a rigorous Environmental Impact Statement would be conducted to gauge the project’s environmental, social, cultural and economic impacts.
That process is expected to take 12-18 months.
“The community will be given the opportunity to comment on the Terms of Reference prior to any EIS starting and ongoing community consultation and periods of public comment will be required, enabling us to refine and present a more detailed master plan,” he said.
“From the initial consultation, no major issues have arisen that we feel can’t be addressed.
“We’re confident that our proposal is viable from an environmental perspective but more detailed studies are required to confirm this.”
He downplayed the significance of an audit that last year expressed “material uncertainty” over the ability of the ASX-listed ASF Group to continue as a going concern.
“We are unable to talk about the funding,” Mr Fife said, adding the consortium had provided enough information to the Queensland Government to prove that it was able to fund the project.
A Chinese consortium’s multi-million dollar concept proposal for a Gold Coast cruise ship terminal has been chosen as the preferred Broadwater Marine Project design by the State Government.
However, the project itself needs to satisfy a raft of environmental and infrastructure planning requirements, as well as extensive community consultation, before the Newman Government considers giving it the go ahead.
Deputy Premier Jeff Seeney announced on Thursday the government had approved one of the two design plans submitted for the project, which occupies the site near the Sea World theme park.
An artists’ impression of a proposed cruise ship terminal development on the Gold Coast.
An artists’ impression of a proposed cruise ship terminal development on the Gold Coast. Photo: Supplied
ASF Consortium has been announced as the successful bidder, following a global expression of interest campaign.
Gold Coast mayor Tom Tate hailed the announcement as a historic day for the city but said the project would only go ahead if the community supported the proposal.
“Now is the time when the community’s voice will decide if our city embraces opportunity and wants a better future for our kids – or walks away,” he said.
Chinese developer ASF Consortium has been announced as the successful bidder to build an integrated resort at The Spit.
Chinese developer ASF Consortium has been announced as the successful bidder to build an integrated resort at The Spit. Photo: Supplied
“The decision rests with the community.
The council will conduct independent community consultation to ensure everyone has a say, not just a vocal minority.
“I applaud the state’s announcement and the faith they have shown in our city,” he said.
This announcement shows that despite some public debate over issues from time to time, the state does have the city’s economic interests at heart.”
Mr Seeney said the government investigated the viability of two designs, announcing ASF Consortium as the successful proponent.
“The state government understands the potential economic benefits a cruise ship terminal could deliver to the Gold Coast and we will continue to make state land available, should the issues identified by this assessment be adequately addressed by Council and the possible proponent,” Mr Seeney said.
Emphatic opposition to the plan has come from some sections of the Gold Coast community, most notably the Save Our Spit action group, which scuttled a similar Beattie government plan last decade.
”We fought ferociously to leave it as public open space and waterways for the benefit of residents visitors and tourists,” SOS spokesman Steve Gration told Fairfax Media last year.
“There are few major sites on the northern Gold Coast with open space. With the loss of public open space and parkland, comes the loss of high value marine habitat and birdlife, plus the social value of having open green space.”
High profile opposition to the proposal has also come from surfer Mick Fanning.
However, Cr Tate said he remained confident the Gold Coast community would approve what will be an economic powerhouse for the city.
“Gold Coast locals have a proposal in front of them, they can say yes to 36,000 jobs or decide to walk away,” he said.
“I’m quietly confident that locals will get behind the project because they know too many friends and family making the lonely drive to Brisbane to find work.”
