Terminal may cost as much as $450m

THE proposed Gold Coast cruise ship terminal could cost up to $450 million, according to a feasibility report into the tourism project.

Just last week estimates for the facility were at a comparatively low $100 million.

Prior figures for the terminal saw the cost of low as $70 million.

The higher potential cost was yesterday revealed by Mayor Tom Tate, who said the the final bill would be between $170 and $450 million.

The feasibility study was discussed for almost two hours behind closed doors in the council’s Economic Development and Major Projects committee before a recommendation was voted in unanimously.

Cr Tate said ratepayers would not pay a cent for the terminal.

“The main thing Gold Coasters should look at is that ... funding is not going to come out of ratepayers’ pockets,” he said.

“The funding will come out of private enterprise.”

Mudgeeraba’s Glenn Tozer was the sole councillor to vote against the terminal when it was last before a full council meeting.

“If a commercially funded cruise ship terminal of this scale is proposed, the question is what are they going to get for their money,” he said.

It was also revealed the terminal could still be a home port, despite Cr Tate’s previous assertion the facility would only be used as a port of call.

“The Council notes the business case for the Oceanside Cruise Ship Terminal feasibility study and acknowledges the cost ratio range of 3 to 3.9 associated with a home port,” the resolution said.

No mention was made of a port-of-call, which would see ships staying for only a few hours instead of overnight.

A home port would include the provision of fuelling and passenger disembarkment facilities.

The council will now compile an initial advice statement to send to the state government in the next month.

The statement officially notifies the state government of the project and is a precursor to conducting an environmental impact study.

It is understood the environmental impact study will take about 18 months to complete before the state government can consider whether to approve the project.

The cruise ship feasibility study will be voted on in a full council meeting on Tuesday.

FUNDING IS NOT GOING TO COME OUT OF RATEPAYERS’ POCKETS. MAYOR TOM TATE