Friday, May 30, 2014
Why are they congratulating the Fungs?
Received this notice on my facebook page on Thursday May 29, 2014.
One has to ask why are we congratulating the Fungs? what have they done apart from lodging an application to be build a Casino/Resort at Yorkeys Knob.
I believe in progress but we don't have to "suck up" to people to get results, they are business people and do they really care what we think? NOT.
Don't get too excited about the job prospects
The Deputy Premier Jeff Sweeney's announced that aquis had been given the green light people are asking "where is the EIS report", we were told that it would be availble in December 2013 then January 2014, February, March, April, May and now June 2014.
Why are there delays in this report and it's interesting to note that the State Government hasn't received the report up till early last week according to Mr Fung's statement in the Cairns Post.
This is part of the report in the Cairns Post May 29, 2014:
http://m.smh.com.au/federal-politics/political-news/free-trade-agreement-china-wants-to-send-workers-into-australia-20140415-zquve.html?skin=dumb-phone
Chinese President Xi Jinping will attend the G20 meeting and it is believed that imported labour and investment remain the two obstacles in signing off on a deal.
Prime Minister Tony Abbott has already changed his previous opposition to Chinese state-owned businesses investing in Australia and signalled he would offer these enterprises special treatment by removing or changing the requirement that all investments have to be approved by the Foreign Investment Review Board.
Another statement made by Justin Fung in Cairns Post (May 29, 2014):
Not worth worrying about anyway…Anyone even vaguely familiar with the economics of casinos and integrated resorts knows this supposed $8bln project will never happen. It’s a financial fantasy. The developer, Fung, has no experience whatsoever with the casino industry or projects of this dimension. A project this size would already have announced world-leading architects, a major construction firm, an experienced hotel and casino operator(s) and global financial advisers and arrangers. We have seen none of this here and there is absolutely no evidence whatsoever Fung even has the financial capacity to undertake this project.
It appears the Fungs, by promising this Yorkey’s fiction, are simply trying to steamroll the probity screening process to get their hands on the CBD eef Casino with as few questions asked as possible. And like a mirage Aquis will then slowly but surely disappear once the developer has used this development/economic stimulus/employment bait to get the OK to obtain the Reef Casino licence.
Why are there delays in this report and it's interesting to note that the State Government hasn't received the report up till early last week according to Mr Fung's statement in the Cairns Post.
This is part of the report in the Cairns Post May 29, 2014:
The interesting part of this article is:
people are getting over excited about the job prospects and if the article link below has any substance then they might be bitterly disappointed.
Click on the link below:
http://m.smh.com.au/federal-politics/political-news/free-trade-agreement-china-wants-to-send-workers-into-australia-20140415-zquve.html?skin=dumb-phone
Chinese President Xi Jinping will attend the G20 meeting and it is believed that imported labour and investment remain the two obstacles in signing off on a deal.
Prime Minister Tony Abbott has already changed his previous opposition to Chinese state-owned businesses investing in Australia and signalled he would offer these enterprises special treatment by removing or changing the requirement that all investments have to be approved by the Foreign Investment Review Board.
Another statement made by Justin Fung in Cairns Post (May 29, 2014):
Again people are disappointed that very little if any community consultation has been held, there was two display centres, one at Cairns Central and the other at the shopping centre at Yorkeys Knob and if you visited one centre then the other you would not get the same reply or they didn't know the answer to the question.
If the businesses in Yorkeys Knob think that this project is going to boost their sales well they should think about what is going to be built into this project.
They will have "everything" at their finger tips and will not require them to go to the local store.
Justin Fung was on John McKenzie's talkback programe today so I have included that discussion for those who didn't hear it on radio, during the discussion Justin Fing seemed vague on some of his responses.
Comment from facebook page:
More twaddle from the Cairns Post. Their lack of real
investigative journalism on this is quite unbelievable. No wonder their
print sales are declining. The Govt’s own media releases point out that
binding documentation for these integrated resort projects is not
expected to be finalised till 2016 let alone construction starting next
year in 2015! See the ‘frequently asked questions’ at
Not worth worrying about anyway…Anyone even vaguely familiar with the economics of casinos and integrated resorts knows this supposed $8bln project will never happen. It’s a financial fantasy. The developer, Fung, has no experience whatsoever with the casino industry or projects of this dimension. A project this size would already have announced world-leading architects, a major construction firm, an experienced hotel and casino operator(s) and global financial advisers and arrangers. We have seen none of this here and there is absolutely no evidence whatsoever Fung even has the financial capacity to undertake this project.
It appears the Fungs, by promising this Yorkey’s fiction, are simply trying to steamroll the probity screening process to get their hands on the CBD eef Casino with as few questions asked as possible. And like a mirage Aquis will then slowly but surely disappear once the developer has used this development/economic stimulus/employment bait to get the OK to obtain the Reef Casino licence.
Thursday, May 29, 2014
As reported in the Cairns Post
May 27, 2014.
VISION: An artist's impression of an aerial view of the $8.15 billion Aquis Great Barrier Reef Resort planned for Yorkeys Knob.
HONG KONG tycoon Tony Fung has been promised a gaming licence for his $8.15 billion Aquis casino and resort at Yorkeys Knob if all environmental, planning and gaming licencing approvals are met.
The Queensland Government has short-listed Aquis and the proposed $7.5 billion Broadwater Marine Project on the Gold Coast as the two projects able to proceed to the next stage of development.
Deputy Premier and State Development, Infrastructure and Planning Minister Jeff Seeney said it was another milestone in the delivery of up to two new world-class integrated resort developments in regional Queensland.
“Today I can announce the proposed $8.15 billion Aquis integrated resort development at Yorkey’s Knob in Cairns will be able to receive a gaming licence if the project proceeds and meets all the necessary environmental, planning and gaming licencing approvals,’’ he told The Cairns Post.
Mr Seeney said the Fung family would now be invited to put forward more details about their development to the government.
“The government has identified that this project has the greatest capacity to deliver the state’s requirements for an integrated resort development in the regions, particularly its potential to attract interstate and international tourists,” he said.
VISION: Artist's impression of the AQUIS resort, Queensland
“The company has indicated this development could create over 3700 jobs during peak construction and more than 10,000 ongoing operational jobs.
“It is on this basis the government will now invite Aquis to submit a detailed proposal as part of the next phase of our competitive bid process.”
Mr Seeney said Aquis had clearly demonstrated its commitment to achieving public support in the Cairns region and the company was progressing with its environmental and planning approvals.
“Aquis has shown its commitment to Cairns through the proposed purchase of the Reef Casino, which is due to be finalised later this year and has expressed it is keen to start construction of the Yorkeys Knob development as soon as possible,” he said.
“Aquis can now refine its development proposal with greater certainty of government support about the casino element of their proposal, subject to the resolution of a range of outstanding project issues.”
Mr Seeney said in October last year the government decided that up to two casino licences would be offered in the Expression of Interest (EOI) process to “encourage the provision of world-class integrated resorts in regional Queensland”.
“We promised to grow the construction and tourism sectors of the Queensland economy and today’s announcement paves the way for this to happen in Far North Queensland,’’ he said.
Mr Seeney said the other four regional EOI participants submitted proposals that were only in the early stages of development and their projects needed a considerable amount of work before they could meet the criteria set down for this process.
VISION: Aquis developer Tony Fung.
“A number of projects faced challenges such as lack of access to an international airport, which meant they could not operate internationally competitive resorts or boost international visitor numbers to Queensland,” he said.
“That said, the Queensland Government is happy to continue to work with them to progress their projects.”
The plan is for the resort to sit on a 40ha island with internal lagoons and surrounded by a 33ha lake with two casinos, a convention centre in the middle and eight hotel towers on the edges of the island. An 18-hole golf course will surround the lake.
On the corner of Dunne and Yorkeys Knob roads will be an AFL-cricket oval, soccer and rugby fields and netball courts.
Further south along Yorkeys Knob Rd are a golf driving range, tennis courts, an equestrian centre and an archery field, with a large 3000-space staff car park.
The first stage, expected to start in May next year, is $5.05 billion, with a late 2018 completion date. It will include four hotel towers of 4000 rooms, one casino, a 23,000sq m convention and expo centre, a 2500 seat theatre, 6100sq m of retail space, a 2250sq m aquarium, landscaping, lagoons, pools and a water feature covering 110,000sq m. The initial stage will require a workforce of 3750 people and be staffed by 11,000 people. Stage 2 would be from 2020-2024.
VISION: The property at Yorkeys Knob which will be the site of the proposed $4.2 billion AQUIS Great Barrier Reef Resort.
CASH CAN ALLEVIATE AQUIS HAZARDS
Aquis timeline
June 9, 2013: Hong Kong billionaire Tony Fung reveals the $4.2 billion Aquis mega-resort at Yorkeys Knob.
August 2, 2013: Queensland Government grants Aquis co-ordinated project status.
October 5, 2013: Queensland Coordinator-General Barry Broe fast-tracks the final terms of reference for the environmental impact statement.
November 13, 2013: Fung family launches $269m bid to buy Reef Hotel Casino in Cairns.
January 10, 2014: Planned start date of Aquis pushed back 12 months to July, 2015.
March 3, 2014: Foreign Investment Review Board gives Fungs approval to buy the 342ha land at Yorkeys Knob.
March 8, 2014: Aquis announces naming rights sponsorship of FNQ Heat football club.
March 31, 2014: Aquis faces competition from five rivals bidding for two regional integrated resort licences in regional Queensland.
April 15, 2014: The Australian Competition and Consumer Commission examines the pending $269m takeover of the Reef Hotel Casino.
April 3, 2014: Aquis reveals that project is two-phased and totals $8.15bn with two casinos.
May 15, 2014: Fungs plan to take over Reef Hotel Casino by end of year.
May 26, 2014. State Government announces Aquis as one of two short-listed integrated resort developments in regional Queensland.
VISION: Artist's impression of the AQUIS resort,
AQUIS FACES FIVE RIVALS
The specifications:
• 3750 hotel rooms across nine luxury hotel brands.
• 1180 managed apartments.
• 130 managed villas.
• Two international-class casinos.
• One of the world’s largest aquariums.
• 13,500sq m of high-end retail shopping.
• A 25,000-seat sports stadium.
• A 45,000sqm convention and exhibition centre.
• A 20ha reef lagoon.
• Two 25,000-seat theatres.
• A cultural heritage centre.
• An 18-hole golf course.
The economics:
• Total construction investment $8.15 billion (in current dollar terms).
• Direct provision for 9300 full-time jobs a year (and indirectly a total of 16,600 a year) during period of construction.
• Direct provision for 10,000 full-time jobs a year (and indirectly a total of 26,700 a year) once operational.
• Total cumulative input to gross state product during construction: $3.4 billion.
• Annual input to gross state product: $1.15 billion during construction.
• Input to annual gross state product $2 billion once open
Tuesday, May 13, 2014
Can these people make up their minds? Another design
How many times do they want to change the design?
The latest design of the "so-called" resort/casino for Yorkeys Knob is so outlandish that it would do nothing for this quiet northern beach community or Cairns.
This is something you would expect to see in Hong Kong, Singapore, Macau or Las Vegas but Yorkeys Knob I don't think so, it does nothing to blend in with the area nor does it compliment the area or the surrounds so why persist with these outrageous designs.
People who say "get on with it" have not read read all information that is available, one thing that is a concern is the story placed on this site on Wednesday April 16, 2014 where the Chinese are demanding that the Federal govt issue working visas so that Chinese workers can be bought into Australia and work on Chinese projects, so what work do you think will be available for the locals, virtually none.
Read story click on link:
 |
| China's Premier Li Keqiang talks to Tony Abbott during the Prime Minister's visit to China. Photo: Reuters/China Daily |
http://m.smh.com.au/federal-politics/political-news/free-trade-agreement-china-wants-to-send-workers-into-australia-20140415-zquve.html?skin=dumb-phone
Also Cairns has lost all of it's major builders so no doubt Mr Fung will bring in Chinese construction builders to build the project if it goes ahead and there are doubts that it will.
In Saturdays Weekend Post the last paragraph is very disturbing as it relates to the EIS report which states:
Released on the Federal Environment Department website, the report was prepared to argue against a “controlled action’’ under the Environment Protection and Biodiversity Conservation Act 1999. Aquis also said it had completed a draft environmental impact statement for the State government, but had yet to submit it for approval.
They also stated below and that is a concern:
The spokesman said a detailed environmental impact statement was expected to be released publicly soon.
Read the full story:
http://www.cairnspost.com.au/business/billion-aquis-great-barrier-reef-resort-on-states-agenda/story-fnjpusdv-1226912252551
This report was due to be released and available for public perusal in December 2013 but was deferred until January 2014 due to the Christmas break, then it became February, March then the end of April.
This is the middle of May 2014 and it hasn't been presented to the Government for consideration.
Well what about releasing it so that the public can scrutinise it before the Government gets it's hands on it.
We the residents of this Regional city need the opportunity to read, study and ask questions so that changes can be made before it is sent to the State Government.
Questions need to be asked:
(1). has the land been purchased as there is talk going around that it hasn't.
(2). we know that Tony Fung returned to Hong Kong not so long ago to seek investors and get the backing from the bank/s and if not successful why persist with this project.
(3). is this a genuine attempt to build this or will it be dropped in favor for the Reef Casino, and why 3 casinos in Cairns.
"What aren't they telling us".
Designs from the original to the latest are displayed below.
The original design:
Then on December 4, 2013 the Member for Cairns Gavin King said That he preferred this design:
 | ||||||
| Drawcard: Member for Cairns Gavin King said Singapore"s Marina Bay Sanda resort was the preferred model for a casino development
Then in March of 2014 a revised plan was displayed in the Cairns Post:
The new design outlay
The complete outlay of the Casino/Resort.
|
Then in Saturdays Weekend Post May 10, 2014 we have another design with some changes to the version released in March, 2014 which would probably look good at Airlea Beach or Port Douglas looking over the clear blue water but at Yorkeys Knob you have to be joking.
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