In Australia, Destination Brisbane Consortium reportedly broke ground on its Queen’s Wharf Brisbane development yesterday and now hopes to open the first part of the $2.3 billion project by the end of 2022.

A joint enterprise of local casino operator The Star Entertainment Group Limited and Hong Kong-based property development firms Far East Consortium International Limited and Chow Tai Fook Enterprises Limited, Destination Brisbane Consortium earlier revealed that Queen’s Wharf Brisbane is to feature a casino alongside five six-star hotels and some 50 restaurants, cafes and bars.

According to a report from the Australian Associated Press published by the Daily Mail newspaper, Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk attended Thursday’s ground-breaking ceremony on the north bank of the Brisbane River in the company of Kate Jones, the northern state’s Tourism and Major Events Minister.

Jones reportedly told architecture and engineering news domain Sourceable that the Queen’s Wharf Brisbane development, which is to additionally feature approximately twelve acres of public space, will create some 2,000 construction jobs as well as 8,000 more permanent positions.

“This project will cement Brisbane’s reputation as a global tourism hub for generations,” Jones reportedly earlier told the Parliament of Queensland before explaining that The Star Entertainment Group Limited had already partnered with Technical and Further Education Queensland in establishing the Queensland Hotel and Hospitality School to train hospitality workers for the coming project.

Sourceable reported that Destination Brisbane Consortium began clearing the site for the Queen’s Wharf Brisbane project just over a year ago after receiving official permission to bring a casino to the development and detailed that the exercise had involved the demolition of several buildings including the state’s former Executive Building.