Gold Coast casino put on hold

r months of debate, developers of the proposed Southport Spit Casino at Australia's Gold Coast have been told to find somewhere more “appropriate” to build, as locals fear the impact it could have.

China-based ASF, a strategic investment consortium, would have pumped AUS$3bn into the development. As reported in ABC News the proposed development would create 13,000 jobs and inject more than $700m into the local economy.

Fears of the potential impact on small club owners and the local wildlife were the key issues that prevented locals from approving the development.

The Star at Broadbeach will continue as Gold Coast's only casino for now, with the ASF development put on hold until they can find a new location.

Steve Gration, Head of Save our Spit Alliance, suggested that the development could continue in the future, just elsewhere on the coast. In a public statement on Monday he said: "There will be a great portion of Gold Coasters who will be cheering, and the economic jobs doomsday conspirators will be saying it's the death of the Gold Coast if we don't have a casino on the spit. We've always said that there may be a possibility of an integrated casino resort somewhere on the Gold Coast. We accept that there might be another licence given, as long as it's in an appropriate place and the community around that area supports it."