The government for the Australian state of Queensland has reportedly revealed that it will soon launch a ‘worldwide expression of interest’ campaign for the purposes of selecting the developer for a new integrated casino resort being planned for the city of Gold Coast.
According to a report from the Gold Coast Bulletin newspaper, the revelation comes less than three months after state officials shelved a plan that would have seen Chinese firm ASF Consortium develop a multi-billion-dollar integrated casino resort in the city’s coastal Southport neighborhood.
The newspaper reported that Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk cancelled the ASF Consortium proposal, which was designed to provide competition for The Star Gold Coast in the city’s Broadbeach district, in August after a public consultation showed little support. However, the latest plan has purportedly been better received and has already garnered backing from the mayor for Gold Coast, Thomas Tate.
Palaszczuk reportedly told the Gold Coast Bulletin that she too is now in favor of opening a second Gold Coast casino and that her ‘decision to terminate the ASF Consortium proposal’ had not excluded the possibility of a ‘future integrated resort development’ opening in the area.
“As I advised Gold Coast mayor Thomas Tate in my letter, the Palaszczuk government is currently considering the next steps for the integrated resort development process for Gold Coast,” Palaszczuk reportedly told the newspaper.
The plan from ASF Consortium was to have seen the Sydney-listed firm spend around $2.3 billion in order to construct an integrated casino resort on a twelve-acre parcel of land along The Spit peninsula in Southport. The five-tower property would have included a casino along with a 1,200-seat amphitheater, two public beaches, a waterfall and a 77,500 sq ft public piazza complete with restaurants and conference facilities offering panoramic views of the surrounding area.
The Gold Coast Bulletin additionally reported that ASF Consortium is now considering legal action against Queensland’s government amid claims that it lost approximately $9.4 million as a result of August’s cancellation.
“Over the coming months, ASF [Consortium] is undertaking appropriate next steps in seeking a suitable and equitable conclusion to the matter and is in discussion with the Queensland state government,” read a statement from ASF Consortium cited by the newspaper.