STAR Gold Coast will forge ahead with its multi-billion dollar mega-investment at its Broadbeach casino despite the proposed ASF development at the Spit.
Star Entertainment Group CEO Matt Bekier said he wants to turn the former Jupiters into “one of the best performing resorts in Australia” and is aiming for four new proposed towers to be built on the site by 2022.
The Star is already spending $850 million to revamp its existing hotel rooms and build a new six-star, 17-storey luxury tower and $500 million, 200-metre hotel and apartment tower on the site.
Mr Bekier sat down with the Gold Coast Bulletin and explained how an ASF casino would impact their Broadbeach master plan, the vision for The Star and how he plans to capture the Chinese market.
VISION FOR STAR:
“In the olden days, when Jupiters was built originally, it was the biggest and best performing hotel and resort in Australia,” said Mr Bekier.
“I think with all the investment we are putting in, with the location to Pacific Fair, the convention centre, being so close to the beach and all the quality product we are building, we can become the best, highest performing, most important destination for tourists in Australia.”
TIME FRAMES FOR NEXT FOUR TOWERS:
Mr Bekier says it’ll take about three years to get the towers built and he’d love to see them completed by 2022.
“I think it would be an unbelievable transformation and with the extra towers we will be building a link over to Pacific Fair so we have integrated floor plans,” he said.
“Asian tourists and retail work extremely well.”
THE IMPACT OF ASF CASINO:
Star is proceeding based on the current competitor landscape and will reassess their plans if ASF is approved.
“The ASF proposal is one that would affect us quite significantly and make us look at our investment plans depending on what happens,” said Mr Bekier.
“Right now, part of the challenge is – we’ve all seen a few glossy photos – there hasn’t really been discussion about how many slot machines they’re getting, are they getting any slot machines, how many tables and what public grounds they are creating.”
THE CHINESE TOURIST FACTOR:
The Star offers exactly what a Chinese tourist wants: luxury accommodation, safety, a diverse range of high-quality food, proximity to one of Australia’s best shopping centres and closeness to the beach, said Mr Bekier.
“Ultimately they are looking to find out more about the authentic Australian experience,” he said.
“The Gold Coast can bring to life – being so close to the surf – how Australians live.
“If you look at what happens when a tour bus doors open, the Chinese tourists come out, they take photos of the pristine beautiful beach, the locals swimming between the flags, real lifesavers … it’s what they see on TV on Bondi Rescue and they realise it is all real.
“What is interesting is a lot of Chinese visitors are already becoming repeat visitors.
“The first time they just want to look, the second time they are probably not going to come in a tour bus, they are going to come on their own.
“Then they want to rent a surfboard and have their own experience. So it’s an evolution.
“What is encouraging is we are really just at the beginning of a very, very large pool of potential tourists.”
Source: Gold Coast Bulletin 30 March 2017
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