AUSTRALASIA – Three consortia have been shortlisted for the contract to build and operate the proposed 12-hectare convention, exhibition and entertainment precinct at Darling Harbour, Sydney.
 
New South Wales state Premier Barry O’Farrell said the consortia were a mix of local and international players with a depth of experience in construction and maintenance as well as operations and events.

The three consortia are ‘Destination Sydney’ comprising AEG Ogden, Lend Lease Project Management and Construction, Spotless Facility Services, Lend Lease Developments, Capella Capital and InfraRed Capital Partners; ‘Key Partners’ comprising LaingO’Rourke Australia Construction, John Laing Investments, Macquarie Capital Group, GL Events and Honeywell; ‘VeNuSW’ comprising Plenary Group, Brookfield Multiplex, Brookfield MultiplexServices and Suntec International Convention and Exhibition Services.

The redevelopment of Sydney’s events facilities include the refurbishment of the existing Sydney Convention and Exhibition Centre. The expanded site has been named the Sydney International Convention, Exhibition and Entertainment Precinct and is intended to provide Australia’s largest event facilities.

Construction is set to be completed by 2016, resulting in exhibition space of at least 40,000sqm and flexible plenary spaces with a combined capacity of at least 10,000 delegates. Facilities would also cater to sporting, musical and theatrical events for at least 12,000 people.

Infrastructure NSW (INSW), which is managing the project, received expressions of interest from the three proponents following a six-week 'Expressions of Interest' period at the end of 2011. INSW has invited all three proponents to move forward in the tendering process following a thorough evaluation of their submissions against the published criteria.
 
The three consortia now enter into a negotiation phase with the NSW Government. An official Request for Proposals is expected to be issued in March 2012, with the preferred tenderer selected by the end of 2012.
 
“We are working to a tight timeframe, with completion of the expanded and new facilities by 2016, so it is important that views are taken into account and we have a facility that makes us competitive in the longer term,” said O’Farrell. 
 
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