Brisbane Convention & Exhibition Centre (BCEC) is celebrating 30 years in operation. Since opening on Queensland Day in 1995, the South Bank venue has hosted 26,082 events, welcomed 21.6m attendees, and generated $6.26bn in economic benefit for the state.
The centre has delivered over 2,370 conferences and supported more than 10,000 full-time jobs over the past three decades. Managed by ASM Global, BCEC was a key part of Brisbane’s post-Expo ’88 legacy and has helped position the city as a destination for international meetings.
The venue reports that it introduced the industry’s first carbon calculator.
Bob O’Keeffe AMFormer general manager and current CEO Bob O’Keeffe AM said the goal was always to create a venue that would “drive growth … and put Brisbane on the world stage.”
General manager Kym Guesdon, also with BCEC since day one, said the focus is now on future impact. “We’re working closely with the Queensland Government and universities to target research and innovation sectors,” she said, noting that attracting international conventions is increasingly a sign of a city’s knowledge economy.
Brisbane Convention & Exhibition Centre BCECAccording to BCEC, the venue has won 198 awards – making it Australia’s most awarded convention centre. A gala dinner was held in its Plaza Ballroom to mark the anniversary, with further legacy initiatives planned for later this year.
For more information: bcec.com.au/our-history
