Representatives from Forrester Kurts Properties and Bloomberg Incorporation Limited, developers of the project, officially turned over the keys to the property to Outrigger Hotels & Resorts at opening ceremonies held July 11, 2000. Representing the developers at the ceremonies was Rod Forrester, managing director of Forrester Kurts Properties. Attending on behalf of Outrigger Hotels & Resorts was Bill Henderson, vice president of business development, who flew in from Hawaii for the opening, Dave Lawrence, vice president and general director for Australia, and Dennis Mackenzie, hotel general manager. 

Maroochy Shire Mayor, Alison Kerr-Jones, cut the ribbon officially opening the Sunshine Coast�s newest resort hotel. Commenting on the opening of the resort, Mayor Kerr-Jones stated that the new Outrigger �will usher in a new era for tourism for Mooloolaba and for the Sunshine Coast.� Tourism Sunshine Coast Manager John Liddicoat said that it �will rejuvenate Mooloolaba, and will allow us to tap into new markets, including corporate, conference and meeting markets, along with our traditional leisure markets.�

The new seventeen-story luxury resort is located on prime ocean front land in the heart of Mooloolaba�s thriving cafe and retail district. The hotel has 204 one-, two and three-bedroom luxurious apartments, each offering spectacular views of the surrounding Sunshine Coast region and coastline.  In-room amenities include a spa bath, full kitchen, washer and dryer, private balconies, and modern decor and furnishings designed in contemporary seaside themes and hues. 

Recreational facilities include a large fully landscaped deck with the adjoining award-winning Earth Bistro restaurant, an observation platform and two pools. Other amenities include a spa, sauna, health club, gymnasium, barbecue area and 25 specialty retail and restaurant tenants on the ground level. The property also offers a dedicated Kids Club during weekends and school holidays.

On-site conference facilities, with meeting space for up to 220 delegates, is also available at the Outrigger Mooloolaba, and according to Outrigger�s Dave Lawrence, the property has already drawn interest from the corporate sector. �Before we even opened we had secured 40 conference bookings, which I believe is attributable to the property�s mix of accommodation and resort-style recreation facilities.� 

Outrigger Hotels & Resorts opened its Australia offices on the Gold Coast in 1998 to support its Australian expansion activities. The Outrigger Mooloolaba represents the company�s fourth property in Australia and joins Outrigger�s other deluxe beachfront properties located in Cairns, Surfers Paradise and Coolangatta.

According to Bill Henderson, Outrigger will continue to explore opportunities in Australia. �Outrigger�s track record for maintaining solid hotel occupancies throughout the Pacific region puts the company in a good position to utilize its strong marketing network to support more properties in Australia,� he said. �We look forward to exploring other opportunities in Australia, New Zealand and the region as they become available.�
 

Outrigger Hotels & Resorts is a division of Hawaii-based Outrigger Enterprises, Inc., the largest lodging company in Hawaii and one of the fastest growing lodging companies in the Pacific. Outrigger currently operates or has under development 35 hotels and resort condominiums throughout the Pacific region, representing more than 10,000 hotel rooms and condominium units in Hawaii, Micronesia, Australia and the South Pacific.  Outrigger�s affiliate, Outrigger Lodging Services, manages nearly two dozen hotels and resorts throughout the U.S. mainland.