World-Class Auckland: The future convention centre

The design of the NZICC. Photo / Supplied

Auckland consistently ranks highly in lists of the world's best cities but is never number one. So what would it take to turn Auckland into a first-class city? This week the Herald begins a 10-day series examining some of the biggest hurdles Auckland faces, from housing and transport to entertainment and education. We look at what we are doing, what we need to do, and why Auckland's success matters to the rest of the country. In part five of the series we look at events.

• Share your ideas and join the debate on Facebook, on Twitter (#worldclassAKL) or email us worldclassakl@nzherald.co.nz

• WORLD CLASS AUCKLAND - SERIES OVERVIEW

As the final shape of Auckland's convention centre begins to emerge out of the haze of the ethical and financial debates it's raised, the questions are now turning to just how it will fit into the central city.

Those in the industry are holding out hope it will provide the much needed solution to Auckland's "adequate" event facilities that were often too small or booked months in advance.

The plans agreed on earlier this year, show a smaller-than-planned centre that once complete will take up some 32,000sqm. This will include the ability to host up to 2,850 delegates, an exhibition hall of around 8,100sqm, and an incorporated laneway outside the building featuring a 100m x 20m gallery space, at least 1,415 carparks, shops, cafes, bars and restaurants.

The future convention centre was still significantly smaller than Beijing's International Convention Centre, with its 50 conference halls and meeting rooms set up on around 251,100sqm and marginally smaller than the soon-to-be-built Sydney International Convention Centre which will sit on 35,000sqm and would have a capacity for up to 8,000 people.

Stadiums and theatres in Auckland:

(app users click here)

But AUT University professor of tourism, Simon Milne said Auckland was never trying to catch-up with the bigger players and attract the "mega-conventions".

He said there was a need for a convention centre but it was not a question of the bigger the better.

"Clearly we haven't been able to target the large conventions, like large medical ones, because we haven't had a facility, so we haven't put a bid forward.

"The bottom-line is we are not competing with the larger players...we need to hit the sweet-spot."

He saw the "sweet-spot" as being a centre that had the capacity to cope with around 1,000 to 2,000 people, in a mixture of domestic and international events, from mainly Asia and the Pacific.

Mr Milne said the centre would have the capacity to hold large events, multiple events at one time and could even provide a place for "spill-off" events from larger conventions off-shore.

Corporate events company, Total Events, director Malcolm Jordan said the new convention centre would enable Auckland to put out its hand for larger events from a range of sectors such as hospitality, medical, law and accounting.

"It's a no-brainer, it should have been done three or four years ago," he said. "It's going to be perfect."

At the moment Mr Jordan said larger events of more than a 1,000 people were virtually impossible and even smaller events were limited as to where they could be held.

"Auckland is...adequate," he said.

Years ago he'd held an event in Aotea Square where marquees had to be set up to cover the square as a dining space for the guests.

He said for events of less than a thousand people there was still limited choice; the Langham Hotel, Aotea Centre, SkyCity and Vector Arena being some of the major players and "tons of little ones" that were more suitable for meetings than events or conventions.

As a result some of Mr Jordan's clients often chose to go to another city in New Zealand, such as Rotorua, or even across the ditch to Australia.

He hoped the centre would go some way to addressing the issue, by providing a versatile, all-in-one events package that included accommodation and a surrounding entertainment precinct.

Mr Milne said the challenge now plans for the centre had been confirmed, was to transform it into an iconic statement, like that of Vancouver's green-roofed convention centre, that would fit into the current urban framework and be in-line with our "100% Pure" brand.

"This branding is critical to the city; we need to be serious about our plans to be an innovative city that complements this."

The 43,340sqm-centre is well-known among its continental peers, as a sustainable, attractive, all-in-one service venue for large events by the city's waterfront. Its green roof, is the largest on a Canadian building and has helped earn it the accolade of the top destination for international meetings in North America.

Mr Milne said while certain "trade-off's" in the funding, location and design of Auckland's Centre had ruled out turning it into an iconic waterfront venue, it was still up to the developers to ensure it became an "icon and statement" within the city centre.

"We have cut some corners, with private-public partnerships that have come with trade-offs. But it's pretty core to an internationally competitive city."

The plans for the centre have not been without controversy, from a deal seeing SkyCity build the estimated $450 to $470 million dollar complex, in exchange for it being allowed more pokies and gaming tables, to the need to "re-think" the project's size after the budget blew out to over $500 dollars.

In May, a final agreement was made and a clearer plan was made.

SkyCity hoped to begin building the centre later on this year, with an expected completion to be three years later.

When built, it will occupy the southern half of a full block in Auckland's CBD bordered by Nelson, Wellesley and Hobson Street.

SkyCity chief executive, Nigel Morrison, said the centre would be a great addition to the city centre.

"The additional tens of thousands of international visitors that the centre will attract each year is great news for retailers, tourism operators, and indeed everyone in the tourism and hospitality industry and further cements Auckland's place as a leading international city in the 21st century."

Auckland Tourism Events and Economic Development chief executive Brett O'Riley said the centre would provide the city with new events we haven't had before and "open up a new market" for New Zealand to tap into.

"Tourism is still quite seasonal," he said. "This can help us fill the trough [winter]."

Mr Milne said the benefits of targeting the tourism sector were "obvious".

"Tourism is a reflection of our liveability," he said. "Making Auckland attractive to visitors inevitably makes the city more liveable for the locals."