Palmer Coolum Resort sacks 40 staff, close accommodation facilities for renovations
About 40 staff at Clive Palmer's resort on Queensland's Sunshine Coast have been sacked after its gates were locked yesterday.
The Palmer Coolum Resort issued a statement saying the accommodation and conference facilities were closed for extensive renovations, with only the golf course and one restaurant remaining open.
Former staff member Benny Pike said he was among about 40 staff given redundancy notices at a meeting yesterday.
"And whilst they were disappointed, they said 'oh well' ... they knew it was coming - they just knew it was coming," Mr Pike said.
"The direction of the facility has changed so many times that nobody can sit back and relax because they don't know what's going to happen."
The announcement comes a week after Jeff, the resort's 10-metre tall model T-Rex, was destroyed by fire.
The region's peak tourism group, Sunshine Coast Destinations, said it was excited by the prospect of a major refurbishment of the resort, with CEO Simon Ambrose calling it long overdue.
"I think it's a really good indication that Clive Palmer is taking the Palmer Coolum Resort seriously and wants to invest in it and turn it back into a five-star world class resort that it needs to be," Mr Ambrose said.
"What we need to continue to do is to reinvest in our assets on the Sunshine Coast.
Mr Ambrose said in the past, the Palmer Coolum Resort had operated at a high standard.
"Currently visitation is low - we do need more investment and if there's going to be more investment into the resort, it's going to be operating at a really, really high level," he said.
"It'll continue to attract lots and lots of leisure visitors and attract lots of business visitors."
Source: ABC News - 16th March 2015
