The Star Gold Coast (formerly Jupiters Hotel and Casino) is a casino and hotel located in the suburb of

Broadbeach Broadbeach is a suburb in the City of Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia. In the , Broadbeach had a population of 5,514 people. Geography Development in the area today mostly incorporates low rise structures, consisting of single bedroom house ...

on the

Gold Coast Gold Coast may refer to: Places Africa * Gold Coast (region), in West Africa, which was made up of the following colonies, before being established as the independent nation of Ghana: ** Portuguese Gold Coast (Portuguese, 1482–1642) ** Dutch G ...

Queensland ) , nickname = Sunshine State , image_map = Queensland in Australia.svg , map_caption = Location of Queensland in Australia , subdivision_type = Country , subdivision_name = Australia , established_title = Before federation , established_ ...

, Australia. The casino, which was Queensland's first, is situated next to the

Nerang River The Nerang River is a perennial river located in South East Queensland, Australia. Its catchment lies within the Gold Coast local government area and covers an area of . The river is approximately in length. Course and features The Nerang Rive ...

and is operated by

Star Entertainment Group The Star Entertainment Group Limited is an Australian gambling and entertainment company. The company was formerly known as Echo Entertainment. Properties The Star Entertainment owns and operates the Treasury Casino & Hotel, The Star Gold Coast a ...

. It opened in November 1985 as Conrad Jupiters. In 2017 it was rebranded as The Star, Gold Coast. One per cent of the casino's gross gaming revenue is deposited in the Gambling Community Benefit Fund. This fund was established in 1987, supports non-profit community-based groups and is administered by the

Government of Queensland The Queensland Government is the democratic administrative authority of the States and territories of Australia, Australian state of Queensland. The Government of Queensland, a parliamentary system, parliamentary constitutional monarchy was form ...

. The seven acre complex includes eight bars, seven restaurants, conference facilities, a ballroom, theatre, health spa and gym. The hotel, with 592 rooms, stands 66 metres (216 feet) and has 21 floors. The complex is governed under the ''Jupiters Casino Agreement Act''.

Theatre

Jupiters Theatre underwent a $20 million makeover and expansion and re-opened in June, 2012. The redevelopment of the theatre resulted in the capacity more than doubling to accommodate 2,000 seated or 2,300 general admission guests and the theatre viewing experience will be improved through state-of-the-art technologies and architecture. The theatre redevelopment includes the creation of a balcony level with up to 300 seats, VIP Hospitality rooms for pre- and post-event functions, new bars on the balcony and orchestra level, new toilets on the balcony and orchestra level, purpose built integrated movie projection booth, multi-purpose mechanical thrust stage, the enhancement of disability access to all areas, and increased dressing room space. In 2008, Jupiters ceased producing shows in-house and now presents international shows such as Mother Africa, ABBA Revival, Burn The Floor, Dance of Desire, and STOMP.

History

Conrad Jupiters Casino opened on 22 November 1985 with 10,000 people in attendance, formally known as Conrad International Hotel and Jupiters Casino.Jupiter's, Queensland's first casino, marks 30th anniversary
''

ABC News ABC News is the news division of the American broadcast network ABC. Its flagship program is the daily evening newscast ''ABC World News Tonight, ABC World News Tonight with David Muir''; other programs include Breakfast television, morning ...

'' 23 November 2015 Originally operated by Conrad Hotels and Jupiters Limited, the asset was included in the November 2003 merger of Jupiters with

Tabcorp Tabcorp is Australia's largest gambling company, employing more than 5,000 people. It is the largest provider of wagering and gaming products and services in Australia. Tabcorp is listed on the Australian Securities Exchange (ASX). History In ...

In April 2010 it was rebranded as Jupiters Hotel & Casino. In 2011 it became part of Echo Entertainment Group when Tabcorp listed its casino assets. Jupiters Hotel & Casino made headlines in 1995 when then

Brisbane Broncos The Brisbane Broncos Rugby League Football Club Ltd., commonly referred to as the Broncos, is an Australian professional rugby league football club based in Brisbane, Queensland. Founded in April 1987, the Broncos play in Australia's elite com ...

Rugby League player

Julian O'Neill Brian Julian O'Neill (born 14 October 1972) is an Australian former professional rugby league footballer who played in the 1990s and 2000s. Primarily a goal-kicking or and goal-kicker, during his 14-year top-grade career he played with sever ...

urinated on the carpet under a black jack table on two separate occasions. Both Jupiters Hotel & Casino and the

Treasury Casino The Treasury Casino, also known as The Treasury is a casino in Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. It also houses a hotel, 6 restaurants, 5 bars, and a nightclub. The casino is operated by Star Entertainment Group. One percent of the casino's g ...

Brisbane Brisbane ( ) is the capital and most populous city of the states and territories of Australia, Australian state of Queensland, and the list of cities in Australia by population, third-most populous city in Australia and Oceania, with a populati ...

were used for

money laundering Money laundering is the process of concealing the origin of money, obtained from illicit activities such as drug trafficking, corruption, embezzlement or gambling, by converting it into a legitimate source. It is a crime in many jurisdictions ...

by welfare recipients on behalf of organised crime syndicates, from May 2006 to November 2007. Between 1993 and 2001, the casino was defrauded of $5.7 million when corrupt casino staff and food suppliers fabricated food orders and invoices. In 2009, a court heard that senior management tried to prevent a proper investigation and that the police major fraud squad became involved in 2003. In 2008, security staff at the casino and other venues took part in a trial of head mounted cameras which were worn over the ear. The devices were used to record video and audio evidence of incidents and raised privacy concerns due to a lack of laws regarding their use. In 2009, Office of Gaming acting executive director Barry Grimes criticised the casino's internal controls and procedures relating to excluded persons gaining entry to the casino.

2006 renovations

The complex underwent renovations in 2006. $53 million was spent on refurbishment of the casino. The two gaming floors are now one and the size is just over double of what it was. Level Two became the brand new Gold Club room. A new restaurant, balconies, and two new bars were included in the renovation. By 2008, 442 of the hotel rooms were completely refurbished at the cost of $16 million. The hotel front office and lobby bar were also renovated.

2017 expansion

In August 2015, work commenced on a $345 million redevelopment of the casino including the construction of a 17-storey tower.Construction Starts on $345 Million Gold Coast Jupiters Casino Expansion
''Urban Developer'' 17 August 2015

References

External links