The Star Gold Coast continues to take dining and entertainment to world-class heights by joining forces with high profile identities Simon Gloftis and Billy Cross for a stunning new rooftop restaurant and bar.

The stylish venue will be located on the top level of The Darling luxury suite hotel - the centerpiece of The Star Gold Coast's current investment set to be delivered before the Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games.

Acclaimed Gold Coast restaurateur Simon Gloftis and entertainment guru Billy Cross will co-manage the venue with The Star Gold Coast, bringing with them a wealth of home-grown and international dining and entertainment expertise. The Star Gold coast's new venue will welcome its first guests in March and will offer a superior dining and beverage experience and boast spectacular views.

The restaurant will feature a 110-seat dining area opening out onto an infinity pool overlooking the incredible Gold Coast skyline, as well as a private dining area catering to more intimate functions. The bar, oozing style and class designed to entertain 300-500 guests, will play host to local DJs and will feature an extensive beverage and cocktail list range as well as private booths and a VIP Bar.

The Star Entertainment Group Managing Director Queensland Geoff Hogg says as the final element of the current redevelopment, the rooftop destination signifies a defining moment in the property becoming an established world-class tourism destination.

“Having already unveiled eight new food and beverage venues as part of the redevelopment, including award-winning Kiyomi, Cucina Vivo and Garden Kitchen & Bar, the new restaurant and bar will further elevate our offering and cement our reputation as a leader on the dining scene,” Mr Hogg said.

“A formidable power duo in Billy Cross and Simon Gloftis, combined with our world-class rooftop location and stunning Broadbeach skyline views, the restaurant and bar promises to be Queensland's premier dining destination.

“We cannot wait to reveal the name and further design and menu details of what will be a hero feature of The Star Gold Coast. We are committed to delivering a whole new dining experience for our property and for the city.”

From humble kitchenhand to well respected and highly sought-after icon of the foodie scene, Simon Gloftis has an undeniable passion for food which is evident in his illustrious portfolio of restaurant successes on the Gold Coast.

From his early years as café owner of local venues such as Three Beans and Little Beans to now the owner of popular Greek restaurant Hellenika and former owner of The Fish House, Gloftis has been a pre-eminent force in evolving the Gold Coast dining scene.

“My passion for food and my passion for my hometown is undying and I remain committed to continually revolutionising how we deliver exceptional, high-end food experiences to ensure the Gold Coast is transformed into a dining mecca,” Mr Gloftis said.

“I wake up in the morning thinking about food and I do not stop until my head hits the pillow at the end of the day so you can imagine how incredibly excited I am to finally lift the lid on my latest joint venture with one of our city's great icons.”

Billy Cross, CEO of Queensland's largest outdoor event and festival company, Cross Promotions International, has been building his entertainment empire over three decades spanning two continents.

From pioneering the return of sophistication, celebrity and glamour to the South-East Queensland nightclub scene, Cross now specialises in developing major events including the likes of Brisbane Riverstage, The Falls Festival Byron Bay, Schoolies and V8 Supercars 600 Sounds.

Devoted to shining the spotlight on our city and luring high-end entertainment, festivals and events to the southern end of the state, Cross brings with him to The Star Gold Coast impressive local and global knowledge and expertise.

“The Gold Coast is currently entering a new era and with the announcement that we are launching one of the most exciting new entertainment venues in Australia, the buzz surrounding our city continues to escalate,” Mr Cross said.

“Partnering with The Star Gold Coast for such a cutting edge and unique venue is a project I am incredibly proud to be part of and I cannot wait to show the world what our coastal city has to offer.”

ENDS

For further information please contact:

Rebekah Boyle | Public Relations & Communications Director, The Star Gold Coast

P +61 7 5592 8600 | M +61 403 178 800 | rebekah.boyle@star.com.au

Nicole Barclay | Communications Executive, The Star Gold Coast

P + 61 5592 8507 | M + 61 432 456 809 | nicole.barclay@star.com.au

BILLY CROSS

Billy Cross has built a reputation through his cultivation of the nightlife landscape of South East Queensland. From humble beginnings in a Surfers Paradise nightclub in 1988, Cross reshaped the local scene and stood at the helm of a nightclub empire with nine trading clubs in Surfers Paradise.

Cross then saw an opportunity to establish an outdoor festival market in Queensland with the new venture seeing the Gold Coast play host to its biggest ever dance event SummaFieldDayze – a 35,000 strong music festival held on the Broadwater.

It was this festival that catapulted Cross into luring more events to the southern end of the state and he now currently runs the largest bar operations consultancy in South East Queensland, specialising in outdoor events and festivals. The team, whose current portfolio includes Brisbane Riverstage, The Falls Festival (Byron Bay) and V8 Supercars 600 Sounds, are now in a unique position to create entertainment concepts utilising global relationships and local knowledge and experience.

SIMON GLOFTIS

37 year old restaurateur and Gold Coast local Simon Gloftis is a hospitality professional who has dedicated his life to pushing boundaries. He worked his way up the ranks from kitchenhand to restaurant manager and it was here that Gloftis realised his real passion was in the kitchen.

After working as a chef for a few years Gloftis took his first step into the business world with Broadbeach café 3 Beans before opening up Little Beans in Nobby Beach, one of the first true espresso bars on the Coast. After a very successful four years he sold the venue and moved onto cafe number three, Piccolo Espresso in Miami.

Gloftis then moved onto his dream restaurant, award-winning Hellenika Greek Eatery in Nobby Beach before establishing acclaimed restaurant The Fish House overlooking iconic Burleigh Heads Beach. The Fish House, which was presented a multitude of awards and accolades, was another of his projects to really push the food boundaries for the Gold Coast. He sold the venue last year to concentrate his efforts on his new venture with The Star Gold Coast.

THE STAR GOLD COAST'S REDEVELOPMENT

The Star Gold Coast's current transformation heralds a new era for the property and forms part of crucial investment in the region ahead of the Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games.

Eight new food and beverage offerings, 596 refurbished hotel rooms and a luxury poolside experience are among the already completed offering, while The Darling, a new luxury suite hotel and rooftop destination, will form the centrepiece of the redevelopment.

A further two food and beverage experiences, Food Quarter and Sports Bar, will also open in the coming months when the existing building connects to the luxury suite hotel.

Adding to the excitement of the current development is the planned addition of the first mixed use residential apartment and hotel tower on Broadbeach Island. Pending successful pre-sales of The Page 4 of 4 Star Residences, the 53-storey tower could be the first of up to five within a future master plan for the property as part of a joint venture with renowned Hong Kong-based partners Chow Tai Fook and Far East Consortium.

Together, the refurbishments of the existing property, and the development of both The Darling and the proposed hotel and residential tower would involve an investment of up to $850 million