What the hell is going on? $4.2 billion Aquis mega-resort developers adjust tactics around casino licence

It would appear that cracks are starting to appear in the Aquis Casino/Resort project with a suggestions that the proposed stadium could  be built in the city or maybe revamp Barlow park.
The Premier has stated on radio that splitting of the licence between the Reef Casino and Aquis Casino in Yorkeys which according to departmental  advice stated that this was not possible.
Now we have the Attorney-General Jarrod Bleijie setting up a special advisory team to push through the licence to cover the CBD and Yorkeys Knob, why the rush? politicians should realise that rushing projects like this can come with disastrous results.

What else is happening in the background that residents haven't been told as it would appear that the Premier is not listening to the residents.
Residents believed that Mr Fung was funding this whole project but according to his statement in the Cairns Post he is meeting  "with investors and banks in Hong Kong this week to raise the billions of dollars needed to fund the project".  
This Resort/Casino should be built if it goes ahead within the city's boundaries as this would be the more suited  and would allow visitors going to the casino without the worry of having to get a taxi, get a bus or hiring a car.

Finally, where is the consultation and transparency? there has been NONE.
REMEMBER Premier that the LNP suffered at the Redcliffe by-election and if this project continues on this path with residents not being consulted then Cairns could be another Redcliffe disaster. 

Below: As reported in the Cairns Post
Monday March 10, 2014

THE developers of the proposed $4.2 billion Aquis mega-resort have dumped plans to establish a standalone casino licence at Yorkeys Knob and now say they hope to build community facilities in Cairns city.

Facilities such as a sports stadium could now be built in the inner-city rather than being included in the Aquis site.
A revamp of Barlow Park is also possible.
Billionaire developer Tony Fung wants to focus on using the one gaming licence from his recently acquired Reef Casino to develop a casino at Aquis.

CHINESE BILLIONAIRE: developer Tony Fungis behind the proposed $4.2 billion mega-resort at Yorkeys Knob. 

Mr Fung also revealed plans to establish a special fund to tailor top-level infrastructure to locals.
"We want to work together with the community," he said.
SPONSORSHIP DEAL BETWEEN FNQ HEAT AND AQUIS
AQUIS AMONG 7 BIDDERS FOR RESORT DEVELOPMENT
Mr Fung and son Justin announced that Aquis had withdrawn a bid for one of two regional integrated resort development licences and would focus on ensuring the Reef Hotel Casino licence was split to cover the 342ha Aquis property.
Mr Fung, who has spent more than $15 million on the development, will meet with investors and banks in Hong Kong this week to raise the billions of dollars needed to fund the project.
"I see the construction date to be after the wet season next year ... for completion to be before Christmas 2019," he said.
Mr Fung said Premier Campbell Newman had suggested splitting the licence and that was the way Aquis would proceed.
He met Attorney-General Jarrod Bleijie last Thursday for talks.
Mr Bleijie has established a special advisory team within the department to work with Aquis advisors, lawyers and consultants to push through splitting the licence to cover the CBD and Yorkeys Knob sites.
Mr Fung said he had emphasised "a very tight schedule" because of emerging casino markets in Asia and would meet with investors and banks in Hong Kong this week to raise the money to fund the project.
"Japan is coming on soon (legislation of gambling) and I predict Japan will be as big as Macau which will be seven times bigger than Las Vegas by the year end," he said.
He said he hoped that the terms of the licence would be agreed upon by the end of June subject to legislation being passed by Parliament.

PROPOSAL: What a new Aquis resort and casino development at Yorkeys Knob might look like. 

He said there had been "many ups and downs" since the project was announced last year.

"I am very pleased we are at this point but I will be even more pleased when I have the licence in our hands," Mr Fung said.

AQUIS CHIPS ARE UP WORK ON AQUIS MAY START LATE THIS YEAR

He said he would stop the integrated resort process.
"I think there will only be one route and we are choosing the route presented to us by the Premier (splitting the licence) and putting a stop to the other route," he said.
He said raising the billions of dollars for the project relied on the casino licence.
"Aquis relies on a gaming licence to get started," Mr Fung said.
"You give me the licence and I say 99 per cent (Aquis goes ahead)."
Mr Fung said he had spent $15 million to date on the project but did not have "a bottomless pit."
He said he also needed community support.
"I will not do anything if I do not have the overwhelming support of the community," Mr Fung said.
He said some members of the community did not want to travel to Yorkeys Knob and "walk through a casino to take a six-year-old girl to ballet lessons".

AQUIS AMONG 7 BIDDERS FOR RESORT DEVELOPMENT
AQUIS CHIPS ARE UP

He said after talks with Mayor Bob Manning, Aquis was considering a community benefit fund to build sites such as a sports stadium, near the CBD, not at Yorkeys Knob.
Aquis chief executive Justin Fung said it might mean that a proposed 25,000-seat stadium at Yorkeys Knob could be a new facility elsewhere.
But Aquis opponents have demanded more transparency from the State Government in the resort-application process.
A group campaigning against the Aquis development is calling for transparency about the casino licence.
Aquis Aware Group of Concerned Citizens said it had "serious concerns about the transparency" of the process being followed for the mega-resort.
"It appears clear, following (Premier Campbell) Newman's remarks about splitting the casino licence between the Reef Casino and Aquis, that he wishes to sidestep the thorough four-stage process set up for the integrated resort assessment process," spokesman Denis Walls said.

Left PROTEST: Aquis Aware spokesman Denis Walls. 

"It now seems that Mr Newman wants to negotiate with the Fungs to split the licence when widely reported departmental advice stated that this was not possible," he said.

"It seems that there is a lack of clarity and consistency about this whole thing.
"Are there any specific regulations that will have to be changed or ignored for example?
"It is clear as a result of the Premier's recent comments that the whole Aquis development approval process is a charade where the goalposts are moved or modified to suit every possible free kick being given to Mr Fung and his corporation."
A spokesman for Attorney-General Jarrod Bleijie said a Probity Code of Practice would apply to the process and former Queensland Auditor-General Len Scanlan had been appointed probity adviser.
"Probity and commercial-in-confidence requirements prohibit the government from releasing the names of proponents who have registered an interest," he said.

He said expressions of interest close on March 31.