Rivalry is key, says Witheriff
STRONG competition between tourism and gaming giants to build the Gold Coast’s second casino will be the key to securing billions of dollars in investment for the city.
That’s the belief of experienced businessman John Witheriff, who has been appointed head of the State Government’s Gold Coast Tourism Advisory Panel, which will help oversee the expressions-of-interest process.
Mr Witheriff, who played a key role in securing the Gold Coast Suns football club and the light rail, will lead the fivemember panel, which will play a chief role in securing the best bid for a global tourism hub.
Mr Witheriff, a self-described passionate Gold Coaster, said the group would provide advice through the expressions-of-interest process, which began yesterday.
“Our role is to encourage the greatest level of competition possible for this opportunity and we will give feedback through our collective experience,” he said.
“At the moment we have one casino and Star has indicated it will do further development but we have nothing more than this general indication.
“It is my hope that through this regulatory opportunity we will end up with commitments to spend large amounts of private capital and generate future jobs for our increasingly diversified tourism economy. What I hope the panel will do is assist the government in ensuring these opportunities will provide an economic and social benefit for the Gold Coast.”
Mr Witheriff said he was approached by Tourism Minister Kate Jones, on behalf of State Cabinet, and asked to accept the voluntary position.
The panel is set to meet in coming weeks while expressions of interest are open.
As well as Mr Witheriff, it includes Suns chairman Tony Cochrane, Destination Gold Coast chief executive Annaliese Battista, Gold Coast Airport chief executive Chris Mills and a representative of the Gold Coast City Council who has yet to be appointed.
Ms Jones announced the panel yesterday and said it was created to ensure the Gold Coast community would have a say on the design, scope and location of the global tourism hub.
“We are not going to say yes to anything that does not have the strong support of the Gold Coast tourism industry and broader community,” she said.
Mr Cochrane last night said a global tourism hub could be a “game changer’’ for the city, but insisted he had no preconceived ideas of what he wanted to see.
“What is really mission critical here is that we have the widest possible brief so we can see every possible option,” he said.
“I have no preconceived ideas. I couldn’t care less – I want what will be the most exciting and innovative thing, something that is a 25-year game changer for the Gold Coast. We have a growing population and we have to make sure we have matching growth in opportunities for the kids so they have jobs.”