PLANS for a $3 billion US film studio, water park, extreme sports complex, resort and hotel precinct have been unveiled publicly on the eve of a Cairns Regional Council vote on a separate water park proposal. 

Designed to mirror projects in Los Angeles and Florida, the theme park and film studio from proponent Tropical Resort Developments Pty Ltd would be the centrepiece of the development, due east of Edmonton.

Organisers say the project would cost about $3 billion and be completed by 2027 in three stages, starting in 2012.

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But the matter will not go to the Cairns Regional Council for approval. Earlier this month, Queensland Co-ordinator-General Colin Jensen declared the plan, in development since 2006, to be a "significant project" requiring an Environmental Impact Statement assessed by the State Government.

The proposal is on behalf of Melbourne-based TRD Consortium Holdings Trust Pty Ltd, which includes members Paul Davies Film and Television Enterprises, Housing Industry Promotions and Tom Blair.

Mr Davies is a past director of marketing for the South Australian Film Corporation who has produced Australian feature films, television mini-series and telemovies. He is also the founder of the Entertainment City Consortium which included Paramount Studios US as the major entertainment partner.

Mr Blair was the senior project manager for Disney’s new Grand Californian Hotel in Anaheim, California, and has other connections with Viacom and Paramount Pictures.

Their proposal lists an association with the Cunningham Group, an urban and community architect and design firm which works with the likes of Disney, Universal, Paramount Pictures and Warner Bros.

Minister for Infrastructure and Planning Stirling Hinchliffe said a significant project declaration was not an indicator of government support but signalled the start of a whole-of-government environmental assessment process to be managed by the co-ordinator-general.

The development is an area zoned R1, utilised for growing sugar cane, between the MacAlister Range (to the west) and Murray-Prior Ranges (to the east).

Advance Cairns Chairman Russell Beer said the project would be a boost for the region and a great opportunity to diversify the local economy.

But Cr Paul Gregory, who represents areas south of Cairns, was sceptical of the project going ahead, saying it would have a "large number of obstacles to get over" because the proposal was in the rural landscape area of the Far Northern 2031 regional plan.

Former Cairns mayor Kevin Byrne said a similar proposal came before the council in 2006 and he thought it had "very little chance" because it appeared far from Cairns and needed a large amount of government environmental approvals.

"We need to be very careful at the moment about embracing proposals because some proposals are achievable and other proposals are frankly not achievable," he said.

Meanwhile, the council will today vote on Paul Freebody’s plans for a $35 million water park at Smithfield, which council officers have recommended not go ahead because of flooding, environmental and planning concerns.

Mr Freebody said it was "fantastic" there was now another proposal similar to his, but he was sceptical about its size.

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