Columnist on the money to reveal casino possibilities

WHY is Gold Coast Bulletin writer Keith Woods the only one prepared to call out the truth?

His column (13/3) has revealed exactly what is going on between the Gold Coast Council and State Government in relation to the debate over a second casino.

Woods has implied tourism development and family areas proposed at The Spit will provide a replacement green space once Broadwater Parklands are wiped out by a new casino development.

It’s just too cute for words. As Keith Woods has called it, it’s a very “neat potential response”.

Here we have one park being improved via a government process, while another park may be removed via another government process.

People, we all need to get angry about this. Public land is owned by us the public. Once it’s gone it’s gone forever. We need to retain all public parkland areas, and create more green space wherever possible.

Don’t believe that The Spit, or another casino, is about tourism. This is about a casino development to pay down government debts by encouraging problem gambling, for which officials are prepared to bulldoze vital community green space.

We all have lots to fear here. One week after calling for expressions

of interest in another casino on the Gold Coast, and the government is saying it’s excited by the response.

They say the response has seen several Asian consortiums interested in operating and managing the entertainment and resort facilities, but not funding or building the development (“Big response to casino call”, GCB, 13/3).

The government has a long list of public infrastructure that it requires a global tourism hub to deliver. We should add to that list the hub developer’s own commitment to the deal, and preparedness to take on the risk for the reward.

All care and no responsibility is the formula that sees so many shattered dreams for Gold Coast developments, where people over-promise and either underdeliver, or don’t deliver at all.

Any new casino developer must put the money up for community infrastructure. There is no free ride.