Tony Fung, the brains behind the proposed Aquis Casino Resort, has expressed confidence that he will be granted a regional license for the property. He has ensured that his plans comply with local gaming and planning laws, and he hopes that he will be able to bring his vision to life at the Great Barrier Reef. In Queensland, there are three new casino licenses up for grabs.
One has been promised to a new casino in Brisbane, and the other two licenses have not yet been claimed by particular cities. As such, Fung hopes that he will be able to receive a casino license to operate Aquis as a gambling venue at Yorkeys Knob.
"The $4.2 billion Aquis project has been conceived and planned as a world-class integrated resort and we are confident of delivering a high-quality project that meets all of the Government's requirements," he says. The Queensland government has explicitly stated that it will only grant licenses to integrated casino resorts.
This means that a casino cannot simply be attached to a hotel. It must be a comprehensive resort with a wide range of facilities to attract visitors from around the world, rather than solely being a gambling venue. As such, it seems that Aquis really fits the bill. The plans for the property include a world-class casino, a boutique hotel, villas, a shopping centre, an aquarium, a theatre, a golf course and a water park.
Mr Fung has announced that he will submit his application for a casino license in the new year. It is expected to take up to six months for the state government to decide which operators will receive licenses, so the casino developer hopes that the best case scenario will see construction begin in July 2014.
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