Can Cairns rival Macau as a gambling destination?

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Cairns is projected to rival Macau as a gambling destination by 2019.

Tony Fung, a Hong Kong property developer, has secured early-stage government backing for an ambitious A$8.15 billion casino resort development north of Cairns. This project aims to transform the region into a major gambling hub, rivaling established destinations like Macau by 2019. The proposed resort, situated on a former sugarcane farm, is designed to be significantly larger than existing Asian casino complexes, with plans for 7,500 hotel rooms, an 18-hole golf course, and a water park.
Ambitious Scale of Development

The Aquis resort development is set to dramatically increase Cairns' accommodation capacity, nearly tripling the region's existing hotel rooms. The planned resort will encompass 343 hectares and will feature extensive amenities, including two theaters, a convention center, a sports stadium, a water park, and an aquarium. Complementing these attractions will be numerous shops, restaurants, and housing for 1,800 staff members. Upon completion, the resort's 7,500 rooms would make it comparable in size to Moscow's Izmailovo Hotel Complex and surpass the MGM Grand in Las Vegas, which has 5,044 rooms.
Strategic Positioning and Market Focus

Queensland, Australia, is actively seeking to attract Asian gamblers and boost job growth by issuing three new casino licenses. This strategy is modeled on the successful integration of casino resorts in Singapore, such as Resorts World Sentosa and Marina Bay Sands, which significantly increased tourist numbers. Cairns is considered particularly well-positioned to capture the growing Chinese outbound tourism market, which spent US$129 billion in 2013. A Fung family company has already acquired 77% of the city's sole casino operator, indicating a strategic move to leverage existing infrastructure and market access.
Existing Regional Tourism Landscape

In June 2013, the Tropical North Queensland region, encompassing Cairns, had a total of 3,892 hotel rooms. These hotels reported an average occupancy rate of 68% and an average room rate of A$143 per night. This existing capacity, while substantial, is dwarfed by the scale of the proposed Aquis resort. The development aims to create a comprehensive entertainment and gaming destination, capitalizing on the natural attractions of the Great Barrier Reef and rainforest while offering world-class resort facilities to draw international visitors, particularly from Asia.

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Can Cairns rival Macau as a gambling destination?

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