(They are ignoring the fact that the Cairns District is very lowlying and will be subject Climate Change flooding.)
Qld Government gives green light for first stage of $4.2b Cairns casino-resort
The Queensland Government has approved the first stage of plans to build a multi-billion-dollar mega resort and casino at Cairns in the state’s far north.
Last night, the State Government declared the Aquis Great Barrier Reef Resort in Cairns a “coordinated project” because of its foreseeable economic benefits for Queensland.
The $4.2 billion project, funded by Chinese billionaire Tony Fung, includes nine luxury hotels, an 18-hole golf course, 25,000-seat sports stadium, and an international class casino to be built at Yorkey’s Knob.
It is expected to create more than 9,000 jobs during construction and 10,000 full-time jobs when operational.
The project will be overseen by the coordinator-general’s office and will now go through a series of environmental and economic checks before construction can begin.
Barron River MP Michael Trout says the proposed resort and casino would put Cairns on the map internationally.
Mr Trout says he has spoken with the developer and trusts the project will be a success.
“It will truly make us an international destination again,” Mr Trout said.
“[The developer] said to me ‘I will do this if the people of Cairns want it, if the people of Queensland want it, and if the governments want it – I will do this’.”
However, Griffith University lecturer Paul Williams says the public should be sceptical about the timing of the announcement.
“Politicians do of course say all sorts of things around election time. but if this does come off – $4.2 billion – these are eye-glazing figures for a single part of Queensland,” he said.
“North Queenslanders should rightly be excited about this.
“This is obviously going to be huge to the region, for tourism, for jobs in general.
“I think north Queenslanders have the right to be excited about this, but at the same time remain sceptical