Gold Coast dribble casino dropped.

A multibillion-dollar integrated resort and casino in southeast Queensland has been rejected by the State Government, saying the area where it was proposed must be protected.
Chinese-backed company ASF had planned a five-tower integrated resort, including a casino, on Crown land on the Spit at Southport, on the Gold Coast.
ASF had been named as the preferred proponent for the resort and a second Coast casino.
An image of ASF consortium's proposed Gold Coast integrated resort with casino.
Announcing the shock decision, Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk today said The Spit needed to be protected.
“This part of the GC is unique to qlders and unique to the world,” she said.
She said Cabinet made the “very important decision” yesterday.
“The first decision we made was to terminate the ASF proposal for the spit.”

What the development would’ve looked like.
Ms Palaszczuk said another decision made by Cabinet was to have a masterplan for The Spit.“I used to come here as a young girl, I still come here,” she said.“This area is probably equivalent to what Central Park is to New York.”
Ms Palaszczuk said a three-storey height limit for development would apply on The Spit.She said the casino licence would remain on the Gold Coast but no integrated resort would be allowed on The Spit.
ASF Consortium director Louis Chien had been in talks with global casino resort giant Caesars Entertainment in relation to the proposed $3 billion resort development on the Spit. Picture Glenn Hampson
She said the traffic congestion from the ASF proposal would result in locals paying more in rates and an “eyesore” in terms of new road development.
The project would have been a major job creator but was unpopular with many locals. Opposers, led by former Beattie government minister Judy Spence, had railed against the ASF proposal.

Ms Palaszczuk said The Spit would be able to be enjoyed by families for generations.
“I want that to be a significant legacy of my Government,” she said.
Planning Minister Jackie Trad said the future of The Spit needed to be determined by the people of the Gold Coast.
“The master planning process will involve extensive community consultation … to make sure we get the balance right between development that’s appropriate on the southern end of The Spit but also making sure we preserve what is special about the parklands,” she said.
Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk with Jackie Trad and Anthony Lynham on The Spit at the Gold Coast today. Picture: Mike Batterham
“We want to make sure that Queenslanders continue to come here for decades and decades to come because we know how precious and beautiful this part of the world is.”
Ms Palaszczuk said she did not agree the decision would cost jobs on the Gold Coast.
“It’s not killing a job-creating project because there will be opportunities for other investment here on the Coast,” she said.

“We will need people to be employed once the master plan is completed.”
Ms Palaszczuk could not say how much compensation would be paid to ASF as a result of the decision.
Mayor Tom Tate’s plans for a cruise ship terminal on the Spit are not expected to be impacted by the Government’s decision.
PROPOSED GOLD COAST CRUISE SHIP TERMINALIt comes a month after ASF Consortium director Louis Chien confirmed he was in talks with Caesars Entertainment regarding the proposal. The global giant is behind famed Caesars Palace in Las Vegas.
“ASF Consortium has been in ongoing discussions with a number of world-class operators,” he said in July.
Opposition Leader Tim Nicholls said the Government’s decision would “send shock waves through the business community”.
“It sends yet another message from Annastacia Palaszczuk that her Labor Government is closed for business,” he said.
“A message that you can consult for years in good faith with this Government and then at the 11th hour, with an election around the corner, Annastacia Palaszczuk and Labor can pull up stumps.
“What does that do for investors on the Gold Coast and Queensland?”
He said Ms Palaszczuk had gifted The Spit site to ASF two years ago without a competitive process and now unilaterally taken the site away.
Mr Nicholls said Labor’s decision came after two years of delays and would potentially cost thousands of jobs.