STAKES HIGH, GET IT RIGHT
THE Gold Coast is about to enter a new chapter in its quest to expand its standing as Australia’s tourism mecca.
Last week, Village Roadshow announced it would pump $50 million into a new precinct at Sea World and the State Government unveiled its final masterplan for The Spit, where $95 million will be spent on a blueprint inspired by New York’s Central Park.
Today, the Star unveils details of its $500m fast-tracked fourth tower development.
The projects, coupled with developments elsewhere, will evolve the city’s business, entertainment and tourism offerings to bring continued investment, jobs, confidence, exposure and, ultimately, visitors.
A global tourism hub has the potential to showcase the city at a new level and lure an audience yearning for world-class entertainment. But before, and if, we embark on that journey, key stakeholders and the community need to answer a number of telling questions.
The State Government must clarify where the poker machines for a global tourism hub will be sourced. Are they absorbed within the Gold Coast local government catchment, or gleaned from Southeast Queensland or beyond? If it is the latter, Labor must seriously consider the social cost. Pumping another 1600 slot machines into an already saturated market could have dire consequences.
Last year, the Bulletin reported nearly $1 million a day was being fed into Gold Coast poker machines, sparking a rise in problem gambling. Anti-gambling advocates said that was just the tip of the iceberg, with the statistics covering the 5667 gaming machines in community clubs and pubs but excluding The Star casino. The Star, which has 1660 poker machines, is not required to provide data to the Government. The Gold Coast now has about 7700 slots, including those at The Star.
Clubs Queensland claims about 30 Gold Coast RSLs, surf clubs and pubs would go under if a second gaming resort was built unless they could “diversify” income to protect community grants. It said on average each venue with pokies pumped $770,000 back into schools, and community and sports groups. That said, some clubs have recently applied to increase their pokie holdings by up to 30 per cent to meet demand.
And here is the crux. Who is driving that demand? Is it tourists lapping up the fun of the Gold Coast, or down-on-their-luck mums and dads who cannot put shoes on the feet of their children?
Clubs Queensland does not want machines allocated for a global tourism hub but is happy to snaffle extra slots for itself.
The Gold Coast Tourism Advisory Panel, led by some of the smartest business minds in the city, has been tasked by the Government to “encourage the greatest level of competition possible” for a hub and provide feedback on the “issues and impacts”. The State Government must harness that feedback.
The Gold Coast is a party town and the hub presents another opportunity to set up the city as a worldwide entertainment magnet for generations to come. Brisbane, with its Queen’s Wharf project and Cairns, with its global tourism hub, are embracing new projects to attract the international dollar.
But we need to ask the right questions. The Gold Coast must be convinced it will be delivered a world-class precinct where a consistent number of pokies are played by a wealthy Asian middle class and not desperate Gold Coasters.