Star Entertainment will delay the opening of its new Queen’s Wharf casino in Brisbane by four months.
Chief executive Robbie Cooke said the company now expects to open the casino in April next year.
“The revised opening date follows careful consideration of current progress by our builder. Queen’s Wharf has not been immune from the types of pressures that other major infrastructure projects across Australia have encountered.
“We are disappointed, but this transformational development for Brisbane has been eight years in the making already, and it will be well worth the wait. Queen’s Wharf will be a game-changer for a city that continues to attract the eyes of the world as we charge towards the 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games.”
Star has partnered with Chow Tai Fook and Far East Consortium on more than $5bn worth of developments, including Brisbane’s Queen’s Wharf.
The resort was initially scheduled to open in the second half of this year.
Disappointed: Star Entertainment CEO Robbie Cooke. Picture: Steve Pohlner
Mr Cooke said Star has already received the keys to several dining, entertainment and gaming areas on levels five and six of the resort, while the third and final section of the “sky deck” bridge was moved into place last Friday.
Mr Cooke said the Sky Deck will connect all four towers of the Queen’s Wharf development and showcase a 250-metre open-air rooftop runway of bars and restaurants, providing
panoramic views from 100 metres above the Brisbane River and have capacity for up to 1500 people.
It comes after Star Entertainment pleaded guilty in March to seven charges of breaking Queensland casino laws at its Brisbane and Gold Coast gaming resorts.
The state’s Attorney-General and Justice Minister, Shannon Fentiman, said the charges related to purchasing of gambling chips with a credit card.
The offences occurred between June 2017 and December 2018, and as late as in March and April of last year.