The $2.6 billion Infinity Planet attraction is set to transform the landscape of Elimbah, a serene farming area located between Brisbane and Queensland’s Sunshine Coast. This ambitious project, spearheaded by RHC City CEO Ramin Ahmadi, aims to integrate a hotel, theme park, entertainment center, music venue, and shopping mall, all under one roof—a first for Australia.
RHC City has submitted development plans to the Moreton Bay Regional Council, proposing a 5-star international hotel, a 9,000-seat city hall, and a “global cultural mall” representing 50 countries. Ahmadi emphasized the importance of cultural representation, noting the diversity of the Brisbane area, where over 110 languages are spoken. “This is very good for us to bring this audience to our city and find their own mother language, mother culture, and roots in our pavilion,” he stated.
The Vision Behind Infinity Planet
Ahmadi, who also founded the Neguin Group in Malaysia, envisions the first stage of Infinity Planet being completed in time for the Brisbane 2032 Games. After an extensive search across Australia, Elimbah was chosen for its strategic location near Australia Zoo and its relative proximity to Brisbane, an area lacking major theme parks.
Ahmadi’s extensive experience with over 50 major projects in the Asia-Pacific and Middle East, including the Tehran Mega Mall, supports his confidence in the project’s success. “We have very good connections internationally with the different financial, different banking, different investment companies,” Ahmadi said, highlighting a partnership with a Taiwanese firm to ensure the city is both green and sustainable.
Challenges and Comparisons
While the vision is grand, history shows that theme park ventures in the region have faced significant hurdles. Aussie World, opened in 1989, was the last major theme park north of Brisbane. Other projects, such as Sanad Capital’s $350 million park and Kelly Slater Wave Co’s wave park, failed to materialize due to financial and regulatory issues.
Dr. Aaron Tham, a senior lecturer in tourism at the University of Sunshine Coast, noted the financial robustness of Infinity Planet but warned of potential challenges. “Elimbah is a high-risk bushfire zone, so the fire insurance would be quite a phenomenal cost,” he said. “Clearly, the demands on raw materials, labor, and other costs are always going to be challenging.”
“If there are delays, it could potentially push closer to the $3 billion mark, and that’s what we’re seeing already from infrastructure builds towards the Olympics,” Dr. Tham added.
Community Impact and Economic Potential
Infinity Planet is projected to attract up to 1.2 million visitors annually, but Dr. Tham emphasized the need to appeal to both leisure and corporate markets. “They are ambitious targets, and people do have choice. There are other factors at play with cost of living and discretionary income,” he said. “But if we were to pitch this to the business market, expos, and conventions, then this could work.”
Graeme Juniper, a prominent Sunshine Coast developer, believes it’s “only a matter of time” before the region sees a development of this scale. “It’s time for the next generation. Projects like this will happen. It will bring people from out west, up north, down south … it will flow through to the entire Sunshine Coast,” Juniper said.
However, local resident Jason Smith expressed mixed feelings. “It will change the face of Elimbah very strongly. One of the things that makes the area really attractive is that look and feel of a small country community that values its farming and its lifestyle,” he said. “There’s a hell of a lot of development going on around our area, but you don’t necessarily see anybody kicking up a stink about it because it’s happening slowly or in small blocks.”
“We are making more than 1,075 direct jobs and 1,320 indirect jobs in the construction time,” Ahmadi stated. “During the operation time, around 6,000 jobs we are providing in this city — new jobs.”
Ahmadi remains confident that the project will proceed if approved. “We have our master developer company running the whole project. We have secured the land, we have the budget for all the infrastructure,” he asserted.
As Infinity Planet moves forward, it represents a significant shift in the region’s economic and cultural landscape, promising to redefine what a theme park can offer in Australia.
