NO SITE IN SIGHT FOR CASINO BID
But hub site up in air
A PANEL undertaking community consultation on a second Gold Coast casino says there is no preferred site, even while an MP is vowing to stop the bulldozers if Southport’s Carey Park gets the nod.
Tourism Advisory Panel chair John Witheriff, speaking for the first time about the panel’s work, made it clear there was no preference for a location for an integrated resort and casino.
A PANEL undertaking community consultation on a second Gold Coast casino says there is no preferred site, even as an MP vows to stop the bulldozers if Southport’s Carey Park gets the nod.
Tourism Advisory Panel chair John Witheriff, speaking for the first time about the panel’s work, made it clear there was no preference for a location for an integrated resort and casino.
Southport residents have called on the State Government to release details of the 11 “secret” sites being studied, fearing Carey Park is the only one being considered for a $2 billion global tourism hub.
But Mr Witheriff told the Bulletin: “I want to make it very clear, the panel is completely agnostic to site. However, I am sure the community will have perceptions and preferences about the location of a global tourism hub, or even whether one is desirable, and we are open to hearing all views.”
Southport MP Rob Molhoek yesterday ramped up his concerns about the hub overtaking not only Carey Park but surrounding community facilities.
“If it gets to the point where they are bringing in the bulldozers for Carey Park, I might have to tie myself to a tree,” he said. “I’m pretty passionate about Carey Park – I ran my first cross country through there as a kid.”
Mr Witheriff has welcomed public submissions, which remain open until June 10. The panel must complete a report to the Government by June 30.
He confirmed the panel was open to comments not just about sites but about whether the Coast, with more than 6000 poker machines, needed another casino.
“Our objective in the short term is to engage with stakeholders and the community to better understand Gold Coast sentiment regarding a proposed global tourism hub, key issues and potential mitigation measures,” he said.
“The Government is clearly committed to this project because of the benefit they believe it can bring to our tourism industry, the economy, employment and the development of additional public space.
“However, they have made clear there is no preferred site and that The Spit, Wave Break Island and the Broadwater Tourist Park have been ruled out as potential sites.”
The gaming footprint would be limited to 5 per cent of the gross floor area, Mr Witheriff said.
Clubs Queensland has supported a tourism hub but does not believe poker machines should be included.
“We have been advocating for a moratorium on any additional casinos in Queensland until all stakeholders can evaluate what the real – not projected – impact of the $4 billion Queens Wharf (in Brisbane) is on hospitality, gambling and tourism when it opens in early 2023,” a CQ spokesperson said.
Former councillor Eddy Sarroff, speaking on behalf of a resident group, said Carey Park was the only site to be revealed and no clarity had been given on whether the Queens Park Tennis centre and the Southport Bowls Club would remain within the hub footprint.
The Government had announced 14ha as a state development area for the proposed Cairns global tourism hub, he said.
“Then what on Earth is the Government hiding ... when the only site that the Government and council are talking about is Carey Park, which is less than 5ha?” he said.
CLUBS Queensland is fighting to stop poker machines at a second casino on the Gold Coast.
But it is in contrast to what is happening in its own backyard, where major clubs want to increase their quotas.
Nerang RSL president Terry McDonald wrote in the club’s newsletter about the planned $2 billion global tourism hub (GTH). His views carry weight as he is the new Clubs Queensland president.
His message to members about the GTH, read: THIS VENTURE DOES NOT STACK UP. There is not just enough ‘old’ money available to support this new venture and the existing club industry. CLUBS WILL FOLD.”
The Bulletin was sent a Notice of Application that was lodged with the Office of Liquor and Gaming Regulation, asking for an increase in gaming machines.
In not-so-bold type it shows the applicant is the Nerang RSL and Memorial Club.
The club has 188 approved gaming machines. Another 112 gaming machines have been requested, “giving a total of 300”. Residents could make submissions, the notice said.
Since August last year, Gold Coast pokie numbers have surged by 99 to 6070 machines, not including The Star. Queensland has four casinos, NSW is about to open its “table-only” second.
Ever visited the Nerang RSL? The staff are consistently courteous, the pokies packed with players. It was standing room only in the sports bar for Winx’s last race.
So the club does not want the GTH to have more pokies, but wants more itself. A source close to the regulator describes this as “complete and utter hypocrisy”.
“This just goes to show the fat cats running these clubs pretend to care when all they care about is themselves,” the source said.
Tourism Minister
Kate Jones is much more diplomatic, saying: “This just shows clearly there are clubs on the Gold Coast that believe they have a bright future regardless of whether a global tourism hub goes ahead.”
Sources suggest the Tourism Minister was not shy at a recent meeting of the GTH advisory committee, asking Mr McDonald whether Nerang was “stockpiling its pokies” to sell off to a future casino operator.
Ms Jones says pokies for the GTH must be sourced from the existing pool.
She knows LNP’s David Crisafulli will be attacking her in Parliament, asking about “stockpiling”, so she had to ask.
The answer from Nerang was an emphatic “no” to stockpiling and that the RSL was going great guns and needed more pokies.
In a lengthy response, Clubs Queensland said its position was strong support for a GTH but “poker machines should not be part of this tourism offer”.
“It is a well-known fact that casinos use poker machines to target the local market with up to 80 per cent of their poker machine revenue being derived from the local market,” a spokesperson said.
Nerang RSL had applied for an extra 112 poker machines “some time ago”, before the GTH and that number did not compare to what a second casino needed, Clubs Queensland said.
What about just caring for themselves?
“The short answer to this argument is this: you are absolutely correct, community clubs do only care about community clubs, the communities that we serve and our members,” the spokesperson replied.
So we have Clubs Queensland interested in the welfare of its clubs, The Star interested in protecting its $2 billion expanding Broadbeach casino, and the residents at Southport led by Eddy Sarroff interested in protecting their parkland and views. It makes for the highest stakes billion-dollar gambling game ever in this city as consultation begins.
It’s time for casino proponents to join the gambler’s table and finally show their hands.