Gold Coast lunch: The Game Plan
The Gold Coast’s property industry assembled at The Star Gold Coast, on 13 October, to hear from the leaders working to maintain and accelerate the Gold Coast’s momentum before, during and after the Games.
With six months to go before the Opening Ceremony, Mayor Tom Tate provided an update on how the City is working to leverage new opportunities and attract the next wave of investment to the Gold Coast.
The Mayor began by addressing the latest issues gaining media attention, making a spirited defence of existing electoral finance laws and describing the Government’s proposals to ban property developer donations as “morally flawed.” Following the Government’s decision to abandon the Gold Coast Integrated Resort Development assessment process on The Spit, the Mayor used the opportunity to call on the State Government to advance their consideration of other IRD opportunities for the city.
Property projects, the Mayor outlined, will be pivotal in driving post-Games economic opportunities for the city. The Mayor described the property industry as central to what the Gold Coast is.
Following the Mayor’s address, he was joined on stage for a panel discussion with Marion Charlton, Chief Operating Officer – Gold Coast Airport, and Cameron Murray, General Manager Commercial – Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games Corporation. The conversation was moderated by Bryce Melville, Partner – MinterEllison.
Bryce drew out the panellists’ perspectives on the progress made towards Games-readiness, investments being made in the city, and the opportunities that the Games will provide for future development.
Marion illustrated the level of traffic that the Gold Coast Airport is expecting to see during the Games period, and the steps being undertaken to meet this peak of demand. Marion also provided an outline of the upgrade projects planned at the Airport post-Games and the level of investment that Queensland Airports are making in the asset.
Cameron explained the scale of the Games and the transport and other challenges that the event will pose for the city. Cameron spoke to the groundwork that GOLDOC have undertaken to prepare the city for this undertaking and the strong corporate support that they have received to the deliver the Games.
The Property Council would like to thank Rider Levett Bucknall for their generous sponsorship of the lunch and thank Mayor Tom Tate, Marion Charlton, Cameron Murray and Bryce Melville, for their insightful contributions.
Photos from the event can be found here.