Clive Palmer vows to spend $100m redeveloping his Queensland resort
Mining billionaire Clive Palmer has vowed to spend $100m redeveloping his Coolum Resort on Queensland’s Sunshine Coast after it fell into disrepair soon after he bought it a decade ago.
The Palmer Coolum Resort redevelopment will include replicas of the Wonders of the World and famous landmarks including a full-size Trevi Fountain.
Around 300 premium studio, two and three bedroom apartments will be refurbished in the luxury upgrade which will also feature seven restaurants and the total renovation of the Village Square at the heart of the resort which was once one of Australia’s premium luxury enterprises.
In a statement this morning Mr Palmer said 100 tradespeople and construction staff were already on site at the resort near Noosa, with a further 100 expected to be employed on the project by mid-year, ahead of an anticipated opening of stage one in the second half of 2022.
Clive Palmer’s Coolum resort has fallen into disrepair in recent years. Picture: Patrick Woods.
A centrepiece of the revitalised Palmer Coolum Resort will be the Robert Trent Jones Jnr-designed golf course, the former home of 11 Australian PGA Championships.
“The resort will be returned to beyond its former glory, stimulating jobs and economic growth for the region,’’ Mr Palmer claimed.
Mr Palmer said the Sunshine Coast has suffered due to the massive downturn in tourism over the past 12 months and will face further economic hardships once the JobKeeper program finishes.
Rundown villas at the Palmer Coolum Resort, which was once the jewel of the Sunshine Coast. Picture: Lachie Millard.
“This project will provide much needed economic stimulus during construction and into the future as a major visitor drawcard for the region,” said Mr Palmer, the former Federal Member for Fairfax.
He challenged Queensland Premier Annastacia Palaszczuk to step up her investment in Queensland’s beleaguered tourism industry.
“I am also calling on others who have been fortunate in business to do what they can to get Queensland moving again,’’ Mr Palmer said.
This article originally appeared on www.theaustralian.com.au/property
