Moreton Bay needs at least 1500 more hotel rooms for the 2032 Olympic Games and more beyond in its chase for business conferences and live events.
In an exclusive interview with News Cop, Moreton Bay Council Mayor Peter Flannery says that demand for accommodation for business conferences, live events and tourists is growing.
“We need 1500 rooms − that’s in the lead-up to the (2032) Olympics. We need that now; we need that right now,” he says.
“After that, we will need more.”
WATCH OUR VIDEO: Deputy Mayor Jodie Shipway at the North Lakes hotel launch.
He was speaking at the launch of a new $180 130-room hotel precinct at North Lakes in northern Brisbane yesterday (September 25) also attended by local councillor and deputy mayor Jodie Shipway.
Flannery says the council wants to double the number of new hotel projects on its books; it has four but at least 10 more are needed.
“I learnt that with the hotel industry a lot of investment comes from buying existing hotels, rebranding them and upgrading them into a different brand,” Flannery says.
“It’s very difficult to get investment in new hotels unless the demand’s there. It’s a very niche part of the market.”
He says council has been “working very hard” in pressing their case for more investment including attending hotel industry conferences.
HOTEL CAPACITY BOOSTS HOSTING RIGHTS
More guest beds will also allow them to push for more business conferences, sports and tourism events, and school graduations, Flannery explains.
“We have a lack of space now for even high schools to have their big graduation ceremonies,” he says.
“They’ve got to go to the entertainment centre so we’ve got a huge deficit in that area now. There’s a huge demand for that.”
He says tourism demand is also “huge” especially for day visits.
“Our tourism figures are very high for day visitors so the weekend stuff, we think the market’s already there and can fulfil the needs,” he says.
“We’re working now on the corporate market, the Monday to Friday market, where hotel owners usually have a decrease in hotel room (occupancy).”
Flannery notes that Moreton Bay’s close proximity to Brisbane International Airport is an advantage they can use to attract more events.
“We’re so close to Brisbane airport; it’s a 30-minute drive. Businesses can have their conferences here, they can have their business meetings here. It provides an opportunity for that Monday to Friday market.”
To that end, council is eyeing interstate and national conferences and other events, Flannery says.
“We’re looking at all opportunities because you’ve got to make these models stack up financially for the whole market, not just for the weekend.”
He also points to demand from medical patients needing temporary accommodation.
“We’ve got hospitals with people looking for hotel rooms.
“People go back for recovery, cosmetic surgery, those things – all go into hotel rooms rather than hospital beds so there is a huge market opportunity there for us.”
NORTHERN GROWTH
Flannery also says council is targeting more northern and western development as the city’s population continues to grow.
“All our growth is happening from Pine River north so now … growth is going to happen in the northern part of Moreton Bay; north and to the west,” he says.
“You’ve got Warraba, where 70,000 people are going to be in there, and about another 30,000 sprinkled back in towards the Bruce Highway so all the growth is happening in the north.”
