CROWDS QUEUE FOR OPENING
THOUSANDS came and the registers were ringing at Westfield Coomera yesterday as the Gold Coast’s newest shopping centre opened its doors for the first time.
Long lines of shoppers snaked from every entrance with some waiting for more than an hour for the grand opening.
Construction workers and staff could be seen frantically adding the final touches to stores before the first customers burst in soon after 9am.
Mulch and plants were reportedly still being planted in the gardens of the $470 million development well into Wednesday night.
Turf was still being laid on the oval as the ribbon cutting ceremony began.
Sentre Group CEO Peter Allen, who helped cut the ribbon, said the Gold Coast’s north was the place to be for large retailers.
“The growth in the Gold Coast community is certainly an opportunity for us,” Mr Allen said.
“As a greenfield site this was a blank canvas for us. We have turned the area into a living centre for families to eat, dine and shop.”
Mr Allen said there were plans to expand the centre in the future but would not detail when. “I’d like to let the opening settle down at the moment but we do have a substantial amount of land for things like offices and medical facilities,” he said.
About 100 of the 140 retail stores, including Coles, Woolworths, Kmart, Target, JB Hi-Fi, Rebel and Event Cinemas were open yesterday.
Friends Miriana Hazelton and Dayana Duitsch from Coomera said they had lost plenty of sleep in the lead-up to the opening of their first business together, The Shed cafe. “We have been friends since our kids were in prep together,” Ms Duitsch said. “Now we are opening up our first business together so it’s very exciting.”