Casino Giants Battling It Out For Brisbane License

The battle to win the second casino license, which will see part of the CBD transformed into a casino complex, is on with Echo and Crown making it to the next round and part of the top-four shortlist.

The other shortlisted companies include Hong Kong based Far East Consortium in JV with Chow Tai Fook and Greenland Investment Pty Ltd of China.

The integrated resort will include facilities such as six-star hotels, retail, restaurant and entertainment zones, convention facilities and dynamic public open spaces.

State Development, Infrastructure and Planning Minister Jeff Seeney said the next phase of the bidding will require the shortlisted bidders to show their vision and innovation for transforming the CBD.

Seeney went on to say that the four contenders are high quality leisure and gaming companies with strong reputations in delivering the types of projects that incorporate hotels, entertainment and gaming.

All proposals have to be lodged by the end of 2014 and the winner will be announced in early 2015. Construction is only expected to begin 2017.

The announcement of the Brisbane shortlist comes off the back of the announcement that the two next new casinos will also be built in Queensland. Here there were six bidders that have now been brought down to a final two: Cairns’ Aquis and the Gold Coast’s ASF Consortium.