Smaller SkyCity Convention Centre design unveiled

AUSTRALASIA – New Zealand’s contentious SkyCity Convention Centre project is now to be smaller, more expensive and have 10% less capacity than originally planned. Meetings industry professionals welcomed the new design unveiled last week, nevertheless and say the reworking of the Auckland project will return much the same economic benefits (NZ$90m/US$65.7m) and provide more jobs (800). The new design released by economic development minister Steven Joyce and SkyCity chief executive Nigel Morrison is more modest than the convention centre SkyCity mooted in 2011, when it edged out four competing bids, promising to build a centre at no cost to taxpayers. The revised design removes one level, cuts the maximum number of delegates that can be accommodated to 3,150. SkyCity is to swallow the extra NZ$28m in costs. The New Zealand government’s contribution remains the same: granting the casino operator expanded gambling facilities and a longer licence, together worth an estimated $402m. Conventions and Incentives New Zealand (CINZ), welcomed the design for the New Zealand International Convention Centre (NZICC). Its chief executive Sue Sullivan said the facility in would lift the bar for New Zealand. “It is inviting, accessible and open, bringing the outside in and giving delegates a real sense they are part of Auckland life,” Sullivan said of the design. “This announcement gives us the confidence to go out and talk on a new level about New Zealand as an exciting conference destination,” she added. The new NZICC will be six times larger than Auckland’s current facility, and cater for close to 3,000 people. Joyce said the government had done better out of the new deal than SkyCity. “But obviously they’re comfortable with their decision or they wouldn’t have signed up to it,” he added. “In pure monetary terms we’re probably in a better position than we were prior to this change.” Set to be the country’s biggest public building, the centre will open in 2019, provided the necessary permissions are received from Auckland Council. Meanwhile, Christchurch is still on course to build a $300m convention centre, although there is concern about escalating costs.