New $3 million sports entertainment venue underway at the Pullman Reef Casino hotel in Cairns

Construction has commenced on a $3 million state-of-the-art sports entertainment venue at the Pullman Reef Casino Hotel in Cairns.

Located on the second level of the complex in the casino area, the sports “arena” will feature a $1 million theatre boasting the largest indoor LED screen in Queensland and tiered seating catering for more than 180 people.

Development of Pullman’s new arena follows on from a multimillion dollar renovation of the hotel’s extensive meeting spaces and conference facilities which concluded late last year. Expected to take close to six months to complete, it is the first time the upstairs venue has received a comprehensive makeover in the 15 years since the casino opened.

Pullman Reef Casino Hotel’s General Manager Wayne Reynolds said the casino complex update complements the Pullman hotel’s recent conference centre renovations, and will provide a huge “wow” factor for guests and sports fans alike.

“It’s been a very long time since the upstairs section of the casino complex was changed, so it’s a welcome revamp and will offer something fresh for our guests to experience,” he said.

“The sports theatre itself will be really impressive and include a giant 7m x 4m screen containing 40 panels. Plus, there will be a sports arena bar, dry bars, a party pit and an after-game party area to help cater to larger groups, events and celebrations.”

My Reynolds said a stunning pendant light will fill the void between the two different venue levels. “We’ve called that light feature the ‘clouds’, and the idea is for it to offer a central focus point and cascade from the roof of the second floor. It’s certain to add impact for anyone that walks into the revamped space.”

Mr Reynolds said the elaborate $2 million reef and rainforest themed ceiling within the space will remain, while an updated audio system would be added and include high definition zone speakers.

"Zone speakers will enable us to confine the sound to designated areas so there is no crossover sound. For example, an NRL game can be played on the big screen, while an AFL game can be viewed on another smaller screen nearby with limited disruption for viewers.”