Golf legend Greg Norman has thrown his support behind an ambitious plan to develop an integrated resort and casino in tropical north Queensland.
Norman, who is an ambassador for Tower Holdings’ Great Keppel Island development, announced the launch of an international campaign to find a joint venture partner in Brisbane last week.
The campaign is undertaken by Tower Holdings, a company led by Sydney-based developer Terry Agnew.
“We want Great Keppel Island to become the crown jewel of the Great Barrier Reef,” said Tower Holdings chief executive Terry Agnew in a statement.
Headed up by Jones Lang LaSalle (JLL) along with Great White Shark Enterprises, the global campaign starting next month will be an opportunity for investors to buy into the iconic project that JLL are calling it ‘the largest and possibly last of its kind on the world heritage listed Great Barrier Reef’.
Investment bank, Moelis & Company, are head of financial advisory on the project.
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Great Keppel Island Revitalisation Plan which received development approval in March last year, will comprise a casino, a 18-hole gold course designed by Greg Norman, 700 villas, 350 apartments, a beachfront hotel, marina, airstrip and retail village.
Great Keppel has a Casino zoning and Tower Holdings has lodged a submission to the Queensland Government’s current EOI invitation for Integrated Resort Developments seeking a casino licence.
“The magnitude and beauty of Great Keppel Island makes it a magnificent site, and as a Queenslander I am very honoured to be involved with bringing this vision to reality” Mr Norman told JLL.
“Australia has lost a little of its panache in our international tourism market and this project is important for Australia – for our locals and for attracting luxury visitors back to Australia.”
The redevelopment of Great Keppel will generate over $150 million per annum in tourism and will be of ongoing economic value to the region.
The project will also include a 575 hectare environmental protection precinct, a research centre and reuse of dredge material in break wall construction.
Stage 1 will see the construction of a 250-room international hotel on the water at Fisherman’s Beach, a 250-berth marina at Putney Beach, 150 marine precinct apartments, a ferry terminal, an airstrip and resort staff accommodation.
The resorts first guests are expected to arrive in 2017.
