New twist in golf course resort saga, with city asked to consider design and service standard changes

The golf course resort development saga has taken a new turn, with the City of Kalgoorlie-Boulder being asked to consider design and service standard changes for the multimillion-dollar project. Seven years after the 120-room resort development was first announced, the city has been asked to consider variations to the resort, including changing it from a Hilton DoubleTree to a Garden Inn hotel. It comes after many years of cost blowouts and delays, with little progress made onsite. Mayor Glenn Wilson said there was a proposal for adjustments to the design aspects and service standard of the resort that were not part of the original agreement which outlined a DoubleTree in-situ build. “When it comes to the Kalgoorlie Golf Hilton DoubleTree Resort, our residents want to see results, and council is exploring all options to ensure the community gets the best outcome from this development,” he said. “Since the city’s initial engagement with the Hilton, they have undergone changes to their brand and model, one is the introduction of Garden Inn, which did not exist at the time of initial negotiations. “No formal decision has been reached by council or the developer on the service standards, but all models need to be considered to maximise benefit for the city in this long-awaited investment. “The city is actively reviewing all options with the developers, and this is an opportunity to view and assess a variety of building options, and will assist council’s decision-making moving forward.” In 2017 the development sported a $22 million price tag and was expected to be up and running by the end of 2018. It was slated to include 120-rooms, conference and function rooms, a restaurant, golf clubhouse and pro shop, a pool and fitness centre. The Kalgoorlie-Boulder council on Monday night approved a city director and Cr Nardia Turner to attend the Australasian Hotel Industry Conference and Exhibition in Adelaide next week where they will see modular buildings on display. The report to the council states the visit will enable the council to assess the workmanship, code compliance, pace of build and logistics within current building permits for a variation to modular build. “The conference also offers panel sessions addressing traveller expectations on style, standards, facilities and services to help inform council with their decision on proposed variations to the golf course resort service standards from a DoubleTree to a Garden Inn,” the report said. Cr Terrence Winner said the resort topic had been going on for “over a decade now” and it was coming to the “pointy end”. “It’s absolutely critical that we as the local government are looking at the best possible bang-for-buck for our community and ensuring that the concepts and ideas being proposed for council are being considered and viewed and understood very clearly,” he said. “I think this is a fantastic opportunity for our staff and council to get a better and clearer understanding of what is being proposed and get a clearer picture of the best path forward for our community.” The conference will run from May 1-4 and will host more than 80 leading industry experts and provide multiple opportunities for networking and education on innovation within the travel, leisure, lifestyle and accommodation sectors.