Coast Entertainment’s Greg Yong tells AALARA 2025 conference how safety and differentiation have transformed Dreamworld

Greg Yong, new elected President of the Australian Amusement, Leisure and Recreation Association (AALARA) and Coast Entertainment Holdings Group Chief Executive, has today told delegates at the 2025 AALARA conference about his leadership of Dreamworld has transformed the theme park during a series of challenging year.

Delivering the keynote address on the second day of the conference, being staged on the Gold Coast, Yong gave a candid account of his efforts in transforming the theme park's operations, with a strong focus on safety and differentiation.

Explaining that Coast Entertainment Holdings (the former Ardent Leisure) had, over recent years, made significant investments in safety measures, including re-profiling problem areas, upgrading infrastructure, and implementing rigorous safety drills and procedures, Yong advised “we've been really working hard on making new memories, and really trying to change the perception of Dreamworld.”

Commenting on the change of corporate branding, he noted “we've consigned Ardent to the dustbin of history - a name change that reflects a real paradigm shift in who we are as a company and an organisation.

“We have Looked at every part of the business and asked ‘how are we going to be uniquely different?’, not just to Village Roadshow but to the rest of the industry.”

“Safety has been a big, big deal … and its is not just about fancy manuals and that kind of stuff, but it's about spending money on things … which we have done in all areas.”

Yong also explained how Coast Entertainment has sought to improve the overall guest experience at Dreamworld and the adjacent WhiteWater World waterpark through enhanced theming, new attractions, an improved food and beverage offering, along with better amenities for families.

He also stressed a strong emphasis on building a positive, service-oriented culture and engaging the workforce to deliver excellent customer experiences.”

He also expressed a commitment to collaboration and knowledge-sharing within the industry to promote safety and continuous improvement – a sentiment consistent with AALARA’s overall approach to openness.

This was welcomed by the more that 120 AALARA Conference delegates.

Yong will be the subject of a feature in the next issue of Australasian Leisure Management.

Image: Greg Yong, President of the Australian Amusement, Leisure and Recreation Association and Coast Entertainment Holdings Group Chief Executive, addresses the AALARA 2025 conference. Credit: Eli Barlow.