The Star Sydney is facing a potential hurdle reintroducing the five-star Ritz-Carlton brand back to Sydney. More than 80% of submissions from the public made to the NSW Government are protesting development of the 237 metre tower which is slated to be added to the existing footprint of The Star Sydney. Most of those lodging objections to the $500 million structure live in the same suburb as the proposed project in Pyrmont. Their primary squabble is that the newbuild luxury hotel tower disregards the height guidelines of a Master Plan for the suburb.

A 53-storey mixed-use tower that will house one of the Gold Coast’s largest luxury hotels broke ground last week in a sod-turning ceremony on Broadbeach Island. The $400 million development at The Star Gold Coast will also herald the entry to Australia of the internationally acclaimed Dorsett hotel brand. The Dorsett will be among an elite group of hotels on the coast and, with more than 300 rooms, will be second-largest in the Broadbeach region behind only The Star Grand.

The Star Entertainment Group this week lodged a development application with the NSW Department of Planning for a $500+ million, 220-room hotel tower that will herald the return of the Ritz-Carlton brand to Sydney.