Live entertainment, DJs, nightly themed events, fireworks, a pop-up food stall showcasing flavours of the Commonwealth and giant outdoor screens formed part of The Star Gold Coast's highly successful schedule of events for the Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games.

Having undergone a significant transformation in the lead up to the Games, The Star – the first official partner of the Commonwealth Games and a proud sponsor of Commonwealth Games Australia team – proved to be the best place outside of the stadiums to cheer on our Australian athletes, and watch all the action broadcast live on the lawn and in the newly unveiled Sports Bar.

The Star Entertainment Group Managing Director Queensland Geoff Hogg said a packed nightly schedule of thrilling events and the recently completed transformation of the property had contributed to strong patronage during the Games, with locals, visitors, athletes and celebrities flocking to the entertainment hub to join in the celebrations.

“The Games have been an incredible opportunity to shine a spotlight on everything that makes the Gold Coast such a remarkable City and we're thrilled to have helped deliver a world-class entertainment experience that showcased some of our most memorable sporting achievements,” said Mr Hogg.

“Our Celebration Lawn proved to be a huge hit, celebrating the diversity of the Games through nightly themed events, while our new Sports Bar ensured enthusiasts didn't miss a minute of the action with more than 20 screens broadcasting all the unmissable moments.

“Sharing in the spirit of the Games is what it's all about and it was fantastic to see the property come alive as we cheered on our Australian athletes to success.”

Designed to appeal to locals and visitors alike, The Star's entertainment program celebrated the multicultural diversity of the Games taking guests on a journey through the Best of British, Caribbean Celebration, Party Pasifika and The Great Aussie BBQ across 12 unforgettable days.

Approximately 180 entertainers and music artists including The Potbelleez, Havana Brown, Bobby Alu, Midnight Juggernauts, and Triple J favourites KLP and Alex Dyson, performed on the Celebration Lawn over the 12-day period, while in the Theatre, homegrown international superstar Dami Im graced the stage with a special one-off show on Thursday April 5, and Australian favourite Jimmy Barnes performed “Working Class Man: An Evening of Stories and Songs” to a sold-out crowd on Saturday April 14.

Australian medallists Tia-Clair Toomey, Rebecca Wiasak, Jordan Kerby, Stephanie Morton, Kaarle McCulloch, Melissa Wu, Dane Bird-Smith, Jemima Montag, Ken Hanson, Damien Schumann, Christopher McHugh and Daniel Repacholi were among more than 75 athletes who delighted fans with their visits to the Celebration Lawn, providing first-hand accounts of their phenomenal successes throughout the Games.

The iconic property was also a celebrity hot-spot as Seven – the Official Australian Broadcaster of the Commonwealth Games whose custom-built lifeguard tower formed the centrepiece of the celebrations on the lawn – social media platform Facebook, and radio stations Nova and Hot Tomato, broadcasted live daily from the property. Olympic and Commonwealth Games legends were in abundance as Ian Thorpe, Susie O'Neill, Brooke Hanson, Nat Cooke, Matthew Mitcham and Anna Meares all shared their support for the next generation of athletes competing on home soil.

Brand new rooftop restaurant and bar, Nineteen at The Star, proved equally popular with those visiting the Coast, hosting 150 swimmers from all nations on the final night of the swimming.

Mr Hogg said The Star was proud to have been part of such a successful celebration and remained confident the legacy of the Games would result in new and exciting opportunities for the Gold Coast for many years to come.

“Celebrating our stunning climate and coastal lifestyle is at the forefront of what we do here on the Gold Coast and our activations throughout the Games provided the perfect platform to showcase the diversification of the property's current offerings and further propel the Gold Coast onto the world stage,” he said.

“We experienced strong demand throughout the 12-day period in both our existing hotel, The Star Grand, and our new luxury suite hotel, The Darling, and have seen a noticeable increase in interest from corporate clients who visited the property during the Games.

“With The Darling assisting to ensure the Gold Coast has an even more compelling value proposition as we seek to compete on a global scale for domestic and international visitors, and the TV Week Logie Awards less than two months away, we are incredibly excited for what the future holds for the City.”

The Star Gold Coast underwent a significant transformation in the lead up to the Games, and offers guests eleven new food and beverage offerings including a newly unveiled Sports Bar, 596 refurbished hotel rooms at The Star Grand and a premium poolside experience, as well as new luxury suite hotel, The Darling, and rooftop destination, Nineteen at The Star.

CELEBRATING GC2018 AT THE STAR:

• The Star Gold Coast sold almost 6,500 rooms over the Games period, with guests from Great Britain, Singapore, Greece, the United Kingdom, the United States, China, India, New Zealand and Australia.
• Approximately 2000 custom-designed chocolate GC2018 surfboards were delivered to guests of The Star's hotels.
• A total of 115,179 food items were served at The Star across the Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games, including 20,531 main course items.
• More than 150 buses accessed Broadbeach Island over the Games period.
• The favourite treatment at Azure Spa & Fitness for GC2018 was the 60-minute Deep Muscle Massage and the 60-minute Inner Calm Massage – with almost 80 combined bookings for the two treatments between April 4 - 15.
• The Celebration Lawn shone gold as 5000 LED wristbands flashed in celebration of our Australian medallists' 80 gold-medal wins.
• Two tonnes of fireworks fired from 14 positions and approximately 40,000 pyrotechnic effects delighted guests of The Star over the duration of the event.
• The Star's social channels were abuzz, with the property's facebook page reaching more than 1.15 million users during the Games. Daily videos highlighting the previous day's celebrations were viewed almost 870,000 times.
• The Star's Laundry team processed more than 109 tonnes of washing during the Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games.
• As one of Seven's key broadcast locations, the Official Australian Broadcaster of the Commonwealth Games crossed live to athlete interviews and entertainment from The Star every day of the Games.
• The Star Gold Coast was the proud presenting partner of Festival 2018's Brisbane and Broadbeach sites in Kurrawa Park and Surf Parade, supporting the arts and cultural program within the Broadbeach precinct.
• The Star Gold Coast was also a Gold Sponsor of the 2018 Pride House Gold Coast located in Surfers Paradise, the first ever Pride House to be hosted in Australia celebrating inclusion and diversity through sport during the Gold Coast 2018 Commonwealth Games.

For more information, visit www.thestargoldcoast.com.au