MEGA CITY RESORT
A FORMER poultry farm will be transformed into one of the Gold Coast’s largest developments by the creators of the $1 billion Jewel tower.
The Australian wing of Chinese developer Ridong wants to transform a 47.5ha Tallebudgera Valley site into a “wellness and tourism gardens’’ project.
Plans include a six-star hotel, four-storey art gallery, 100-seat theatre, automotive museum, wedding chapel, restaurants and conference centres, and 113 private luxury villas.
A FORMER poultry farm will be transformed into one of the Gold Coast’s largest developments by the creators of the $1 billion Jewel tower.
The Australian wing of Chinese developer Ridong wants to transform the 47.5ha Tallebudgera Valley site into a “wellness and tourism gardens” project which would be worth hundreds of millions of dollars to the Coast’s economy.
According to plans filed yesterday at council, the project would include:
A six-star, 98-room hotel that would include a five-storey building and the property’s existing mansion.
Towers of up to five storeys.
A four-storey 14,885sq m gallery which would house contemporary European art and sculptures, a 100-seat theatre, entertainment lounge and automotive museum similar to Tasmania’s Museum of Old and Modern Art (MONA)
113 private luxury villas, including a six-bedroom, twostory dwelling on a private island.
A 16ha man-made inland lake.
One of Australia’s largest and most luxurious day spas.
Three restaurants and two conference centres
A waterfront chapel for wedding services.
The project would cater to the growth of inbound tourism and the increasing global interest in health and wellbeing, according to Ridong Group Chairman Riyu Li. He also said it was a vitally needed new tourism market for the Gold Coast.
“The aim is to create a unique tourism destination that celebrates nature, wellness and healing,” he said.
“It will be sensitively integrated into a beautifully landscaped setting to attract local wildlife, and offer a unique holiday and visitor experience centred around the principals of the environment and healing.”
The project is earmarked for a site owned by Mr Li front- ing Tallebudgera Connection Road and Tallebudgera Creek Road, near the council’s under construction Coplick’s sports precinct and Coplicks Talleybudgera Golf Course.
It will be targeted at the international audience, including those from China, a tourism market expected to grow annually at a rate of more than 6 per cent.
“To remain a leading Australian leisure tourism destination, the Gold Coast needs to develop new experiential products,” developers of the project have told council.
The development, if approved by the council would be a major economic driver for the city’s south, according to development manager Chris Alston.
“With the construction of new waterways and the rehabilitation of marine plants, the development seeks to enhance the natural environment by promoting connectivity along the Tallebudgera Creek and increasing acquatic plant biomass and fish habitat,” he said.
“The project will also bring key economic benefits through the generation of 300 jobs during construction and then substantial long-term employment benefits for the tourism sector with 380 ongoing operational jobs created by the development.”
Area councillor Gail O’Neill said she did not expect the project to go before the council’s planning committee until late 2019.
“It will be assessed by the major project team and they will do the due diligence,” she said.
“It does seem to be a huge project and we will have to look at it closely but I would say there is at least 12 months of assessment ahead.”
TO REMAIN A LEADING AUSTRALIAN LEISURE TOURISM DESTINATION, THE GOLD COAST NEEDS TO DEVELOP NEW EXPERIENTIAL PRODUCTS DEVELOPERS