The $2.6 billion Infinity Planet attraction is set to transform 68 hectares of farmland in Elimbah, strategically 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 under one roof, a first for Australia.
RHC City, founded by Ahmadi, has submitted development plans to the Moreton Bay Regional Council. The proposal includes a five-star international hotel, a 9,000-seat city hall, and a “global cultural mall” featuring representations from 50 countries. With over 110 languages spoken in the Brisbane area, Ahmadi emphasizes the importance of cultural representation:
“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 said.
The Vision Behind Infinity Planet
Ahmadi, also the founder of the Neguin Group in Malaysia, aims to complete the first stage of Infinity Planet in time for the Brisbane 2032 Games. After an extensive search across Australia, the Elimbah site was chosen for its proximity to major attractions like Australia Zoo and its relative lack of competing theme parks.
Ahmadi’s extensive experience includes over 50 major projects across the Asia-Pacific and Middle East, notably the Tehran Mega Mall. He is confident in the project’s financial backing and sustainability partnerships:
“We are bringing a very strong partner from Taiwan so they can make the city a green city and sustainable,” the CEO said.
Challenges and Comparisons
The announcement comes amid a history of failed theme park ventures in the region. Aussie World, launched in 1989, was the last successful park north of Brisbane. Other projects, such as Sanad Capital’s $350 million park and Kelly Slater Wave Co’s wave park, faced financial and regulatory hurdles.
Aaron Tham, a senior lecturer in tourism at the University of Sunshine Coast, notes that while Infinity Planet appears financially sound, challenges remain:
“Elimbah is a high risk bushfire zone so the fire insurance would be quite a phenomenal cost,” Dr Tham said. “Clearly, the demands on raw materials, labour and other costs are always going to be challenging.”
Dr Tham also highlights the need for Infinity Planet to appeal to both leisure and corporate markets, suggesting a focus on business events and conventions to ensure success.
Community Impact and Economic Potential
Prominent Sunshine Coast developer Graeme Juniper believes the project is timely and will benefit the region:
“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 expresses mixed feelings about the development’s impact on Elimbah’s rural charm:
“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,” Smith said.
Despite these concerns, Ahmadi is confident in the project’s economic benefits, projecting significant job creation:
“We are making more than 1,075 direct jobs and 1,320 indirect jobs in the construction time,” he said. “During the operation time around 6,000 jobs we are providing in this city — new jobs.”
As Infinity Planet awaits approval, the project’s potential to reshape the region’s economic landscape remains a topic of keen interest and debate. With plans firmly in place, Ahmadi asserts:
“We have our master developer company running the whole project. We have secured the land, we have the budget for all the infrastructure.”
The future of Infinity Planet will depend on navigating the challenges of development while harnessing the opportunities it presents for cultural exchange and economic growth.
