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Maroons leave Palmer

· Palmer’s Jurassic park opens in Queensland

Clive Palmer hopes Queensland’s decision to leave his Coolum resort won’t put the hex on their long State of Origin winning streak.

In the latest blow for the Palmer Resort, the Queensland Rugby League (QRL) will shift their training base from Coolum to the Gold Coast.

The Maroons have used the golf and beach resort at Coolum for the past five years as they have stretched their stranglehold on the Origin title to eight series.

“I hope it’s a good move for them,” Palmer told reporters at Parliament House Canberra.

“They’ve only won the State of Origin every year they’ve been there.

“I hope it’s not the end of Queensland’s winning streak.

“Of course, NSW have set up another facility (at Coffs Harbour) similar to what we had at Coolum because they know it’s a winning formula.”

The Maroons, now sizing up Royal Pines or the more luxurious Sanctuary Cove, last held their pre-Origin camp on the Gold Coast in 2008.

The Palmer Resort, which has a roaring mechanical T-Rex dinosaur on its golf course, last year lost the Australian PGA Championship to Royal Pines.

About 90 staff were laid off at the resort earlier this month.

It’s not national news when someone doesn’t make a hotel booking.

The Independent Federal MP had purchased the resort from the Hyatt Regency group in 2011 for a reported $80 million.

The Coolum facility had transformed its driving range into a full-size rugby league field so Mal Meninga’s team could prepare before all three Origin matches each year.

Palmer said the QRL didn’t want to pay the same amount they had previously and had asked for a bigger discount.

“People have got the right to choose where they go,” he said.

“It’s not national news when someone doesn’t make a hotel booking.”

Topics: Clive Palmer
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