Marylyn Paspaley’s Pinctada Hotels and Resorts has pulled out of its bid to develop a luxury hotel at Longreach Bay, a day after new data revealed a slump in visitors at the holiday destination.
RIA chairman Laurie O’Meara said the board was disappointed the proposal would not go ahead, but the parties had to follow the tendering parameters set at the beginning of the process.
Mr O’Meara said the authority would continue to pursue a hotel development at Longreach Bay.
Pinctada was chosen in November last year to build a 120-room hotel at the site, including a restaurant, bar and lounge, function room and gymnasium, ahead of a proposal from John Spence’s Karma Resorts.
Visitor numbers released yesterday showed winter visitors were down 15 per cent and summer bookings off 17 per cent this year, as part of a three-year falling trend.
