The Queensland state government has announced that two new casino licenses will be granted to local projects in Cairns and the Gold Coast. The Aquis mega resort casino and ASF Consortium Broadwater projects will be able to go ahead so long as the developers obtain environmental, planning and gaming approvals.

The $8.15 billion Aquis project has received a great deal of media attention ever since billionaire Tony Fung announced the development last year. The property will consist of nine hotels, a golf course, a stadium, an aquarium and a convention centre. It follows the growing trend of mega resorts that are now popular in Asian gambling capitals like Macau and Singapore.

As such, Aquis will certainly help to attract wealthy Asian gamblers and boost the local economy. The other project to receive a license is the $7.5 billion Broadwater Marine development in the Gold Coast. It will consist of a cruise ship terminal, conference facilities, nightclubs, shopping centres and theme parks. The development will also boost local culture as it will include tropical rainforest hinterland, a wildlife park and an arts centre.

“The Queensland government has identified that these projects have the greatest capacity to deliver the requirements for an integrated resort development in the regions, particularly the potential to attract interstate and international tourists as both these centres have international airports,” says Deputy Premier Jeff Seeney. The new integrated resorts will also boost the local economy, as each one will create 10 000 long-term jobs.

1300 construction jobs will be created for the Gold Coast property and 3700 construction jobs will be created in Cairns. This is an exciting time for the tourism market in Queensland. The state is really upping the ante with regards to integrated resorts, and it could start a trend among the rest of the country.

About the Author

George Anderson
Author George, has over 25+ years’ experience in the Pokies and Casinos industry throughout Australia and New Zealand. Loves to research new Pokies games on the block and follows announcements from top industry providers about their upcoming releases. As soon as a new interesting pokie game appears on his radar, George is there to check it out and give you the scoop before anyone else and tell you about all casino sites where can play the latest game. Before this gig, George worked as Pokie game tester, making him an ideal candidate for this genre of work. He is also an animal lover and a proud owner of three dogs.