Dreamworld - Proposed Development

[DaptoFunlandGuy]

9 hours ago, STRAWS said:

I hope BGH dont buy Dreamworld. 

I think that's extraordinarily unlikely at this stage. Dreamworld's flag is on the rise and the valuation right now wouldn't be the bargain that those sorts of investors like to take on.

[New display name]

I'm not sure what you're saying @DaptoFunlandGuybecause when BGH purchased Village, Dreamworld wasn't worth as much as Village.

[DaptoFunlandGuy]

29 minutes ago, New display name said:

Dreamworld wasn't worth as much as Village.

You don't say? You mean a theme park with an attached waterpark wasn't worth as much as a diverse cinema, themepark and entertainment conglomerate? #this-just-in.

 

It's not about the pricetag, it's about the worth.

[Noll_57]

21 hours ago, Themepark Enthusist said:

The question is, if CE is really going to sell Dreamworld. Who is going to do it first because BHG isn’t going to hold onto village for much longer I see them reopening SDSC operating it for 1-2 years drive that value of the chain up then sell at the peak. 
 

will someone even buy DW? Or village for that matter?

I remember hearing that Merlin were interested in potentially buying Dreamworld a few years ago (around 2018/19) but I doubt that’s still on the cards considering the financial difficulty the company is currently facing and the significant cutbacks they’re making at their existing parks. I really hope Coast hang on to Dreamworld as long as they can as they’re doing such a great job under the current leadership. 

[Themepark Enthusist]

4 hours ago, Noll_57 said:

I remember hearing that Merlin were interested in potentially buying Dreamworld a few years ago (around 2018/19) but I doubt that’s still on the cards considering the financial difficulty the company is currently facing and the significant cutbacks they’re making at their existing parks. I really hope Coast hang on to Dreamworld as long as they can as they’re doing such a great job under the current leadership. 

If Merlin wanted to buy it they’d 100% turn it into a Legoland… 

[DaptoFunlandGuy]

9 hours ago, Themepark Enthusist said:

If Merlin wanted to buy it they’d 100% turn it into a Legoland… 

If Merlin wanted a legoland, they'd 100% build a greenfields park. You wouldn't buy dreamworld and then knock everything down to build a legoland park. legoland typically shoots toward a younger demographic so you'd have millions of dollars of thrill-rides that wouldn't suit the park style. 

Merlin also owns Alton Towers, Thorpe Park, Chessington and Gardaland, and none of those became Legolands. If Merlin bought dreamworld I could see them putting in a third gate style park, or redeveloping space inside the park into a mini legoland, but Dreamworld would stay.

[New display name]

On 02/05/2025 at 7:34 PM, New display name said:

A few weeks the application was ready to be voted on by council.  The council meet monthly and I haven't checked when it will be listed on the agenda.

This hasn't aged well.  Council has now asked for a stop on the application to give DW time to respond and time for council to review DW's response to the matter of access to Lot 3.   The council more or less want more information on how vehicles will/can access Lot 3.

 

[Narra]

4 hours ago, New display name said:

This hasn't aged well.  Council has now asked for a stop on the application to give DW time to respond and time for council to review DW's response to the matter of access to Lot 3.   The council more or less want more information on how vehicles will/can access Lot 3.

 

Seems like the council is too lazy to open google maps and see that there is already roads leading directly to Lot 3? Plus theres the road that Dreamworld already uses to reach the overflow carpark when its in use, though tbf that is only 1 lane wide

[New display name]

The overflow car park is accessed from the front of the park.  You can see the gate on your left before ST.

There is no access to the road on the other side because where the road ends, the land isn't owned by DW.

There is no requirement for the owner to extend the road and the council don't want to approve an island.

 

My guess is DW are working in the road will get extended and the council is working in there isn't a road.  (just a guess)

 

 

[Brad2912]

Tourism giant Dreamworld wants the State Government to fast track a massive expansion of the theme park precinct.

The theme park’s owners Coast Entertainment are asking Deputy Premier and Planning Minister Jarrod Bleijie to “call in” the project – taking the planning decision away from council.

A call in would also mean the project’s approval could not be legally challengeinclude hotels, high density residential development, function centres and restaurants.

 

The appeal comes after the State Assessment and Referral Agency (SARA) and council imposed conditions on the project – first submitted for assessment in September 2023 – which Dreamworld considers to be “unworkable”.

 

In a June 6 vote on whether Mayor Tom Tate should write to Mr Bleijie asking him to use the call-in powers, councillors were split 7-7.

After using his casting vote to back the motion, Mr Tate sent the call-in request to Mr Bleijie on Monday. 

In the council debate former Deputy Mayor Donna Gates said the City should be allowed to finish their assessment of the proposed project. She said the call-in request was a “slap in the face” to planning officers working on the application who had flagged serious infrastructure challenges.

“In my understanding we have never issued an approval where water and sewerage supply has not been guaranteed – never in the history of council,” she said.

“Someone said to me that one of the first lessons on the day of planning school – water and sewerage are number one.”

Ms Gates said she could not understand why a decision was being made on a call-in when council was due to complete its preliminary assessment by late next month.

“We haven’t even assessed or seen the bulk of the application. We haven’t had that opportunity,” she said.

This masthead understands Ms Gates met with Dreamworld on Monday in a bid to sort out the planning issues and “fast track what was necessary to get approval”. 

In the plans lodged in September 2023, Coast Entertainment described the application as for a “town centre transition project” which would see the Dreamworld precinct expanded from 55.3ha to 85ha.

The plans included 13 buildings with a maximum height of about 16 storeys.

 

The vote at council recommending Mr Bleijie, as Planning Minister, be requested to exercise his call-in powers was called by Mr Tate in a mayoral minute.

Mr Tate was supported by Deputy Mayor Mark Hammel, Shelley Curtis, Josh Wilkinson, Glenn Tozer, Nick Marshall and Gail O’Neill.

The councillors voting against were Ms Gates, Peter Young, Naomi Fowler, Brooke Patterson, Josh Martin, Bob La Castra and Dan Doran. The split required Mr Tate to use his casting vote.

Mr Hammel, the City’s planning chair, spoke strongly in support of Mr Tate’s mayoral minute.

 

He cautioned councillors that council was not locked into a call-in and could make planning submissions to the State.

“This isn’t coming out of thin air. It’s being driven by the government of the day,” he said.

“If the Government goes through the normal appeal process, it will be years. And it will be a million dollars plus on ratepayers (in legal fees).”

Mr Tate said Coast Entertainment had invested more than $180 million in Dreamworld across the past five years, creating more than 1000 jobs.

He said the development aligned with the state government’s Destination 2045 plan, which positions Queensland to be a leader in eco-tourism.

Mr Tate said Mr Hammel had advised him that the development application had received state approval.

 

But Dreamworld considered conditions imposed by SARA and the City to be “unworkable”.

The theme park’s bosses are also believed to be concerned it could lose existing planning advantages. Under its current planning status Dreamworld can gain approval for new theme park rides without going through an extended development application to council. 

“It is the applicant’s position that, in many cases, these conditions impose more onerous regulation and restrictions than currently exist,” Mr Tate said.

“The applicant has indicated that, if these conditions proceed unchanged, no further investment in the tourist park or surrounding areas would be possible. This would limit new tourism experiences in the theme park, environmental tourism opportunities and integrated accommodation options.”

 

In a statement to this masthead Coast Entertainment said it was seeking a call-in to “provide certainty for continued investment in Dreamworld and the northern Gold Coast”.

“Our proposal delivers significant benefits for the Gold Coast – creating tourism jobs, potentially providing critical accommodation infrastructure ahead of the 2032 Brisbane Olympics, and supporting the Queensland Government’s Destination 2045 tourism strategy,” the statement said.

“The development has received widespread support from key industry stakeholders.

“We have invested more than $150m into Dreamworld over recent years, demonstrating our long-term commitment to the Gold Coast. 

“The investment benefits all participants in the local economy from aviation, to accommodation, ground transportation, local food and beverage suppliers and many more.

“However the proposed State Assessment and Referral Agency (SARA) conditions will make future investment unviable.

“We remain committed to working with all stakeholders to deliver this important project for the region.”

 

https://www.goldcoastbulletin.com.au/news/special-features/in-depth/dreamworld-theme-parks-call-for-support-to-build-hotels-residential-towers-restaurants-and-tourism-attractions/news-story/050c066a7f95b16ef31673d477feaba5?fbclid=IwQ0xDSwK9fTxleHRuA2FlbQIxMQABHg6prZJ45DkixdPh4Fy72vVR-hl1Ufy33WWy1w9uIyWG6CFp5UnAXG_O4KJ9_aem_MZxNwSk0C3ZKf9KqBMg4mA

Edited June 17 by Brad2912

[New display name]

 

I could be wrong, but this is how I see it.

Edited June 20 by New display name

[dbo121]

This has been going on for years . Will not change what dreamworld is dramatically and what it delivers .