COOLUM’S $100M RENOVATION

Clive Palmer pledges a return to glory days.

Billionaire mining magnate Clive Palmer has pledged to invest $100 million to redevelop his rundown Palmer Coolum Resort on Queensland’s Sunshine Coast.

It is understood most of the investment will be on the refurbishment of the resort accommodation, but will also include the building of replicas of the “wonders of the world and famous landmarks, including a full-size Trevi Fountain.”

The 300 apartments on site will be completely renovated, as will the famous village square. Seven restaurants will also open, Palmer wrote in a statement.

Palmer said 100 workers were already onsite as part of the revamp and another 100 would be added before June and the resort would open in the second half of 2022.

“The resort will be returned to beyond its former glory, stimulating jobs and economic growth for the region,” he said.

No word, however, has been mentioned on how much of the $100 million will be spent on the golf course, which slipped out of the Top-100 Course rankings six years ago.

At the height of its popularity, the former five-star Hyatt Regency Coolum resort employed more than 600 staff and was home to the finest resort course in the country.

The course played host to 11 consecutive Australian PGA Championships, but only one after Palmer took over as owner and erected a giant dinosaur replica between the 9th and 10th holes.

The resort’s accommodation and conference facilities have been closed since 2015.