As we reflect back on the year that was, we see a year of challenges and triumphs but most importantly a city united to build a truly world-class destination.
Here we touch on a few of the big successes for the Gold Coast over the last 12 months.
Commonwealth Games Handover
When the curtain closed on the Glasgow 2014 Commonwealth Games in August, a major milestone was marked as the Gold Coast became the official Commonwealth Games host city.
A global television audience of more than 300 million watched the official flag handover ceremony from Glasgow to the Gold Coast. Never before has the city had this level of international exposure and the handover set the platform for a successful Commonwealth Games on the Gold Coast – a place where anything is possible.
Preparations are already well underway in readiness for GC2018 that will leave a lasting legacy for the Gold Coast for years to come.
Gold Coast Aquatic Centre and Pan Pacific Games
The first Commonwealth Games venue to be completed is the $41 million Gold Coast Aquatic Centre at Southport. It is Australia’s newest international-standard aquatic centre and made its international debut as the venue for the 2014 Pan Pacific Swimming Championships in August. This major event saw two world records broken, reinforcing the aquatic centre’s reputation as the perfect venue for world champions to compete at their best. One of the stars, was the Gold Coast’s own Cameron McEvoy.
Read: local swim stars ready for Pan Pacs action
Gold Coast aquatic centre
Learn to swim facilities
Jupiter’s Hotel and Casino redevelopment
Almost thirty years ago Jupiters Hotel & Casino was designed and built to be a luxury entertainment oasis – a high-rise ‘island’ haven in a sea of mostly low-rise suburban and tourist development.
This year, Jupiter’s Hotel and Casino underwent the start of a $345 million re-development that will see a new six-star hotel constructed, along with a major refurbishment, representing an exciting new outward focus that engages the now bustling Broadbeach precinct and is designed to attract the burgeoning Chinese market.
Read: Jupiters redevelopment as it focusses outwards and towards China
Read: International Chef to open Japanese Restaurant at Jupiters
Australia Fair invests $15 million
The owners of Australia Fair Shopping Centre, YFG Pty Ltd, announced that they will invest $15 million in the redevelopment of Australia Fair West on Scarborough Street to create Australia Fair Metro.
The centre will enhance the development that is currently underway in the city, including the development of a Chinatown precinct and the improvement of the street scape around Nerang and Scarborough Streets.
Read: Australia Fair invests $15 million to complement the revitalisation of the Gold Coast CBD
Australia Fair Metro Redevelopment
Refurbished Suite in existing hotel
Jupiters new restaurant artist impression
Pacific Fair Shopping Centre redevelopment
Construction on iconic shopping centre Pacific Fair commenced in January of 2014.
The $670 million development will see the centre increase in size by 50,000sqm to approximately 150,000sqm, attracting the established and affluent residential areas of the Gold Coast, as well as international and domestic tourists on the Gold Coast.
Over the duration of the project, 1,115 construction jobs and 1,540 new retail jobs will be created.
Bernard Salt talks about the Gold Coast
Bernard Salt is one of Australia’s most influential commentators; and a long-standing supporter of the Gold Coast.
This year he received attention for his commentary about the Gold Coast economy and how he believes that it is time for the city to make another leap forward through education, health and the tribes and cultures that combined will create Australia’s first ‘fusion city’.
Read: Leading Australian demographer, Bernard Salt, projects another leap forward for the Gold Coast
Gold Coast CBD gets a revitalisation
It has been a big year for Southport – the Gold Coast CBD.
Following declaration of the CBD as a priority development area, and over $5 billion investment into major projects, we’ve seen momentum build within the city centre.
Since declaration, we’ve seen confidence build in the market with an increase in building approvals and new businesses moving into the precinct, including Urbis, Thomson Adsett Architects and Total Traffic Solutions.
Read: Southport – the Gold Coast’s CBD – welcomes new business
Coworking Spaces, Gold Coast CBD
Gold Coast - a liveable city
Information Communication Technology
Gold Coast CBD, night time economy
Chinatown
The $6.8 million Gold Coast Chinatown precinct underwent a series of milestones this year bringing it a few steps closer to becoming a vibrant multi-cultural precinct.
The street scape, focused on Young and Davenport Streets has been completed and a paifang has been secured.
The official launch of Chinatown will coincide with the 2015 Chinese New Year.
Read: Chinese culture comes to town
Launch of the G: Link Light Rail
Stage one of the G: Link light rail project, a vital connection in the Gold Coast’s public transportation network, carried its first passengers mid-2014.
At $1.6 billion, the Gold Coast light rail is the biggest transportation infrastructure project undertaken on the Gold Coast, with 16 stations, a dedicated 13 kilometres of rail, a fleet of 14 trams and bus interchanges at Broadbeach and Southport stations
Bond University turns 25
From controversial beginnings, through turbulent times, to global recognition, Bond University has always stood out as Australia’s first private, not-for-profit university.Named after its co-founder, colourful and chequered businessman and America’s Cup winning legend Alan Bond, it was billed as ‘As Australia’s 21st university, for the 21st century’. 25 years on, it has thrived, when many thought it might not survive.
Read: Bond University – 25 years, 25 influential people
2014 Gold Coast Business Excellence Awards
The 2014 Gold Coast Business Excellence Awards demonstrated the growing strengths of the city a place to grow a business.
This year renowned craft brewery Burleigh Brewing Co. was named the Gold Coast Business for their recipe for success in developing world class products.
Category winners included Evolve Skateboards, Turners Engineering, Burleigh Brewing Co., Nucrush Group, Usher and Son, Gwinganna Lifestyle Retreat, GCOMM, Timezone Surfers Paradise, Opmantek, Quantum Power and Skin O2.
Australian Women’s Basketball Team
The 21-strong Australian Opals squad, currently ranked second in the world, came to the Gold Coast for a training camp in preparation for the 2014 FIBA Wold Championships – the leading international women’s basketball tournament to be staged in Turkey from September 27 to October 5.
The team made it to the quarter finals where they lost against Turkey by one point.
Read: Australian women’s basketball team trains on the Gold Coast
Chevron Renaissance redevelopment
Chevron Renaissance underwent an exciting transformation into a modern, purpose designed precinct that echoes the street art and culture of famous Melbourne laneways, inspired by the trend of rejuvenation in eclectic urban laneways and the hip aspirational beat of intimate cafés, bars and specialty stores.
The renewal project also saw a complete revitalisation of the restaurant precinct, including the installation of rustic wood features, sweeping new garden beds and the transformation of the water fountain in to a stylish food and beverage kiosk.
Read: Chevron has its renaissance
Gold Coast Convention and Exhibition Centre 10 Year Anniversary
Ten years on from opening its doors in 2004, the Gold Coast Convention and Exhibition Centre has earned 25 industry awards, undergone a $40 million extension, contributed approximately $1.6 billion into the local economy and delivered an average of 160 business events (350,000 delegates) annually.
Having established itself as a leading conference and events destination, the Gold Coast Convention and Exhibition Centre continues to attract high profile national and international events providing the Gold Coast with opportunities for tourism, trade and investment.
Filming of San Andreas
This year saw some of Hollywood’s finest grace our shores to film San Andreas, an American 3D action-adventure disaster film that follows the story of a rescue-helicopter pilot (played by Dwayne Johnson, aka The Rock) and his ex-wife (played by Carla Gugino) as they attempt to rescue their estranged daughter (played by Alexandra Daddario) following a devastating earthquake in San Francisco.
San Andreas Executive Producer, Rob Cowan showed praise for the Gold Coast and our film industry.
“Professionally the crews have been top-notch, they’re probably the best I’ve worked with in the world and the facilities are terrific,” he said.
Read: Gold Coast ‘couldn’t be better’ for San Andreas Executive Producer, Rob Cowan
50 Years of Surfing Queensland
Major celebrations were held for the 50th anniversary of Snapper Rocks and Surfing Queensland, bringing many old surfing legends out of the woodwork.
Surfing has been through a dramatic evolution, from Pacific Island curio, to training exercise for lifesavers, from counter culture pursuit to mainstream sport. Nowhere on earth has surfing become more embedded in daily life than on the Gold Coast – with its perfect point breaks, warm water and ideal subtropical climate.
Read: From extreme to mainstream – a history of Gold Coast surfing
Southern Cross University 20th Anniversary
Southern Cross University has reached a big milestone reaching 20 years in the delivery of education.
Within this time the university has undergone massive transformation to now delivery internationally competitive courses in an enviable location – Coolangatta.
Attendance at the university has growth from 6,453 in 1994 to 15,000 today.
Read: 20 fast facts about Southern Cross University
host city of the Commonwealth Games in 2018
Bond University
dining in Chinatown
Australia Fair Metro Redevelopment
The post Gold Coast – Looking back on 2014 appeared first on More Gold Coast.