Construction starts on New Zealand’s $700 million convention centre

New Zealand’s Prime Minister and Minister of Tourism John Key, and Minister for Economic Development, Steven Joyce, have turned the first sod on construction of the New Zealand International Convention Centre (NZICC) in Auckland.

“SkyCity has now started construction on what will be a world-standard facility,” Joyce said. “It is a very significant investment for Auckland and New Zealand that will bring an additional $90 million in tourism expenditure annually.”

The total project cost of the NZICC plus the associated new hotel, laneway and extra carparks is NZD$700 million.

“This important national facility will now bring 2140 new jobs – 1000 during the construction phase and about 1140 people in the NZICC, the new hotel, the new retail outlets and the additional gaming and hospitality areas that are being constructed,” he said. “That’s 340 more jobs than originally estimated.

“This will be a tremendous facility for New Zealand, and it will be built without any direct financial contribution from the Government.”

Joyce paid tribute to the efforts of all those involved on the project that is set to be completed by 2019.

“The SkyCity Board agreed to take on the challenge of making the convention centre into a successful business and in addition, they have decided to build a new five-star hotel and a retail laneway beside it,” he said.

“The Design Team has created a building that will be inspiring, attractive to international delegates and will enhance Auckland’s landscape. It will be New Zealand’s meeting place, our face to the world, and a building of which New Zealand and Aucklanders will be proud.”

The NZICC will comfortably accommodate conferences of up to 3,150 people, and will be able to host up to 33,000 additional conference delegates who will support the hoteliers, retailers and restaurateurs of central Auckland, Joyce said.

It has 8,100sqm of exhibition space, auditorium seating for 2,850 delegates and at least 24 meeting rooms.

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Source: thenational.com.au