$90m towers development

By Callan Date
A DOCKLANDS-style development featuring more than 140 four-star hotel rooms, restaurants and office suites has been earmarked for Narre Warren.
The $90 million plan, dubbed Casey Towers, will also include hotel bars, a gymnasium and serviced apartments in a project that is set to boost the entertainment and business capacity of the growing Casey population.
The two distinctive towers, one consisting of five levels and the other making up ten levels, is planned to take almost 10,000 square metres of vacant Princes Highway land near Victor Crescent.
It is expected that more than 1000 jobs will be created during the construction and about 200 ongoing positions will be on offer once the building is complete.
Function and conference facilities will also be available for up to 700 guests as well as a multi-level car park that will be linked to the hotel by a covered walkway.
The Narre Warren company Grossi and Cardamone Group has submitted the planning application for the development and said construction could start as early as next year.
Project manager Rick Grounds said the company began planning the project 19 months ago and had done extensive research to determine the feasibility of the development.
“We hope to call tenders later this year and believe construction could take up to 18 months,” Mr Grounds said.
He said only the Fountain Gate shopping centre and Casey Hospital would be comparable in terms of investment value within the Casey-Cardinia area.
“In addition to its major accommodation and reception/convention elements, the development will incorporate office, entertainment and lifestyle facilities with fine dining, a series of bar areas, live entertainment, gaming lounge, gymnasium, and health and beauty services,” he said.
Mr Grounds said the company had operated successfully for the last 25 years and had commissioned several other major projects in the local area.
“Historically we have been involved in industrial and residential subdivisions.
“We always intended for this site to be used for something along the lines of this project.”
The response from community leaders to Casey Towers has been encouraging for developers.
Casey councillor Lorraine Wreford, a strong critic of Casey’s current lack of night time entertainment, said the development signalled exciting times for residents.
“On the whole it’s a big win-win for our city,” Cr Wreford said.
“It will be adding more options to our community and this is a very positive outcome.”
Cr Wreford said she hoped the developers would work closely with Casey Council in a bid to get the right entertainment facilities built.
“We can bring knowledge to the table about what has worked and what hasn’t in terms of entertainment.”
Narre Warren Chamber of Commerce president Bob Burns also backed the development.
“I think it has the potential to shake up the whole area,” Mr Burns said.
“It is providing a lot of facilities that don’t already exist in Casey at the moment.”
He said the restaurants, hotel accommodation and function centres could improve the hospitality for any large delegations of business and government officials who visit Casey.
“I think we definitely need far more businesses in the City of Casey and this development will provide that.”
However, an application for Casey Towers to have 60 pokie machines is sure to create heated debate.
More than $107 million was lost on Casey pokies last financial year and the city already has 879 machines operating almost around the clock.
The gaming lounge component of Casey Towers will need a separate permit from the Victorian Commission for Gaming Regulation.
Casey Council has invited a representative from the Grossi and Cardamone Group to speak about the development at an upcoming general purposes meeting.