In a move set to affirm its dominance in Gold Coast luxury accommodations, Marriott has inked a deal with the Makris family to manage a five-star resort as part of the Rich Listers' $500 million redevelopment of Marina Mirage mall at The Spit.
Scheduled to open in 2027, the 122-room hotel will be branded as the Marina Mirage Gold Coast, a Luxury Collection resort, a distinguished Marriott brand that includes iconic properties like the Bellagio in Las Vegas, the SLS Hotel in Beverly Hills, and The Tasman in Hobart.
The Marina Mirage Gold Coast will feature a high-end restaurant, function and event spaces, a rooftop bar and pool, a wellness and beauty center, and a day spa.
Marriott’s Richard Crawford and Jason Makris, CEO of the Makris Group and son of Rich Lister Con Makris, announced the venture at the Marina Mirage site on the Gold Coast.
"This is our first hotel, and we’re very excited about it," Jason Makris told The Australian Financial Review. "It will bring significant benefits to our property portfolio, including enhanced revenue generation. It’s part of our strategy of owning lifestyle assets."
The new hotel forms part of the second stage of the waterfront shopping mall's redevelopment, originally built by the notorious developer Christopher Skase. Acquired by the Makris Group for $52 million in 2013, the first stage of the redevelopment—a 78-berth super yacht marina and ferry terminal—has already been completed.
The second stage will include the hotel, luxury apartments, restaurants, and shops spread over three levels, featuring redesigned sails—an iconic element of the current mall’s architecture. Hutchinson has been appointed as the builder, with construction slated to begin next year.
The Makris family plans to retain ownership of the mixed-use development, shifting focus from their previous projects like the Oracle Boulevard dining and commercial precinct at Broadbeach after selling malls in Adelaide.
For Marriott, the Marina Mirage hotel will be its fifth luxury property on the Gold Coast by the end of the decade. The company already operates two of the region’s top-tier hotels: the Sheraton Grand Mirage Resort, currently being revamped by the Laundy and Karedis families, and the JW Marriott Resort & Spa at Surfers Paradise.
Further bolstering its presence, Marriott will open a 150-room Ritz-Carlton as part of the Marina’s Cove hospitality precinct, developed by Ross Pelligra and Dion Giannarelli, and a St. Regis Hotel within Rich Lister Tim Gurner’s $1.7 billion La Pelago multi-tower project at Budds Beach.
Richard Crawford, Marriott’s head of hotel development in Australia, remarked that the surge in new hotel developments at the northern end of the Gold Coast is "collectively redefining" the popular leisure destination.
"The Gold Coast has been the best-performing hotel market during and post-COVID. The flight to luxury has been a genuine phenomenon," said Mr. Crawford, noting that the stellar performance has proven that room rates can consistently exceed $300 a night, thereby attracting developer interest.
Crawford added that the demand for luxury hotel rooms is further driven by a wave of high-end apartment developments fetching record prices from local downsizers and interstate buyers.
"The Luxury Collection brand, which enables developers and owners to personalize the look, feel, and amenities of a property, is tailor-made for the Marina Mirage development," Crawford added. "It allows passionate developers to create a unique identity with their own name while benefiting from Marriott’s sales, marketing, and loyalty programs."
"The Makris family has owned this site for 10 years, and the Marina Mirage name carries significant equity," he concluded.
Source www.commercialrealestate.com.au.
