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Once dubbed Australia's answer to Las Vegas, the Gold Coast has long been synonymous with visions of flashy skyscrapers, larger-than-life attractions, luxury yachts and neon-lit nightlife. Now, a once-glitzy stretch of Surfers Paradise is set to become the site of Australia’s tallest tower – and Trump’s name will be branded all over it.
Last week, Gold Coast developer David Young of Altus Property Group signed a deal to bring the Trump Organisation’s first official project to Australia. They're yet to submit plans to the Gold Coast City Council for approval, but if it receives the green light, the 340-metre building would surpass the Q1 – currently Australia's tallest building at 323 metres – to claim the crown by the end of the decade.
Altus Property Group aims to begin construction of the 91-storey Trump International Hotel & Tower Gold Coast on a Surfers Paradise site that's been vacant since 2013, this August. The vision for the $1.5 billion development is to feature an uber-luxe six-star resort with 285 rooms, plus 272 fancy residential apartments offering sweeping views of the Pacific Ocean, each expected to sell for $5 million. The first five floors will also house a high-end retail plaza, Michelin-starred restaurants, a swimming pool and an exclusive beach club.
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It sounds flashy, but not everyone is keen on the proposed development. A petition to stop the Trump Tower has already received more than 50,000 signatures (as of Wednesday, February 25). The petition states, “Beyond issues of over-development, environmental impact and pressure on local infrastructure, many residents are deeply uncomfortable with the Trump brand and what it represents.”
Meanwhile, some local businesses support the development, pointing to the additional hotel rooms as a timely boost for tourism ahead of the 2032 Brisbane Olympics.
If Trump International Hotel & Tower Gold Coast gets approval, it won’t hold the title of Australia's tallest building for long. A 101-storey twin-tower named One Park Lane, located in Southport, just north of the Trump Tower site, has ambitions to reach 382 metres. Construction of this twin-tower is also expected to begin later this year.