Grand progress at SkyCity site

By ANNE GIBSON

SkyCity's new hotel/convention centre already has bookings up to 2007 and will host its first event in April when it becomes headquarters for the Rally of New Zealand.

The $135 million, five-level convention centre being built by Fletcher Construction was designed by Sky Tower architect Gordon Moller.

SkyCity's general manager capital projects, Bryce Morrin, said the convention centre's roof was completed on Friday, but a tower crane built through the centre of the floors to lift gear to the site had yet to be dismantled and the floor completed.

The convention centre floors were being fitted out ready for the opening early next year. A 15-level hotel atop the centre was already at level four and rising at the rate of one floor a week, he said.

The $75 million SkyCity Grand will be a five-star, 316-room hotel. The existing SkyCity Hotel is four-star. Scheduled to be finished by April 2005, the Grand is aimed at business, conference and independent travellers.

Morrin said the convention centre was Auckland's largest commercial construction job and was being headed by Fletcher project manager Alan Gray, whose last job was AMP's PricewaterhouseCoopers Tower on the waterfront.

The centre was linked to the existing SkyCity buildings on October 21 via a skybridge built off site. Cranes lifted the skybridge into position between the fifth level of the convention centre and the third level of the existing main SkyCity building.

Although the bridge is level, its floor slopes gradually towards SkyCity to accommodate the difference between the buildings. Morrin said this would be disguised via exterior cladding.

The 17m pedestrian bridge will have a twin on the ASB Tower end of the site when Fletcher installs a goods bridge.

The convention centre/hotel job is part of a wider scheme by SkyCity to upgrade its facilities.

It is extending its main gaming floor and the former convention centre becomes a new gaming floor and bar for the younger market.

It also is improving the Sky Tower and in July opened a new shop at the base of the tower.

The new convention centre's main entrance is off Federal St and levels four and five have double-height walls, with studs between 5m and 6m.

Level four, the display area for trade shows and exhibitions/displays, can be divided into five rooms, become two 400seat banqueting rooms or, as one space, take 800.

The fifth-floor ceiling is divided into 4m x 4m grids so the large area can be split to cater for smaller groups.

A mezzanine floor above is for sound and lighting technicians, television cameras and special effects such as pyrotechnics and lighting displays.

Morrin said the centre could cater for 1000 people in a sit-down format, and shorter events for up to 2000 people hearing a presentation or product launch or drinking cocktails. Level four houses the main kitchen areas and bars hidden by sound-proof doors.