A modern touch to an old centre
Palmerston North’s new-look Conference and Function Centre has turned around its fortunes.
From a tired, red, 1980s Convention Centre that mayor Grant Smith attacked for ‘‘bleeding’’ $600,000 annually two years ago, the rebranded centre has boosted its look and performance.
Still balancing the books through a $290,000 ratepayer subsidy, dropping to $240,000 next year, the events it hosts have poured an estimated $3.8 million into the local economy this year.
Venues and events manager John Lynch, also in charge of Central Energy Trust Arena, said the improvement had largely come through better branding and marketing.
He stepped into the role 16 months ago, after the council had hired consultants to review the operation, and did his own assessment. He came to much the same conclusions about how to make things better.
The fresh approach coincided with the city council releasing about $350,000 for renewal works around the building, including the carpet and the paintwork, and investing in technical and kitchen equipment.
Lynch said the new name better captured what the facility did and where its future strengths lay. ‘‘The name ‘convention’ conjures up the image of something very large and American, whereas our market is for a maximum of around 350 people.’’
A significant part of the business was for much smaller business meetings, dinners, board meetings and weddings. ‘‘We will have done 280 individual events through the year, but only 17 were conferences.’’
Those bigger events, many running
"We will have done 280 individual events through the year, but only 17 were conferences." John Lynch, venues and events manager
over several days, were still where the big gains were to be won. Last financial year there were nine conferences.
The consultants’ advice was that increasing the number to 12 would make all the difference. A target of 13 was set and exceeded. ‘‘We did eight better and the trick is now to keep it that way.’’
Lynch said although ratepayers still subsidised the business, the important equation was about the gains of attracting visitors to the city. ‘‘We’ve not been good enough letting Palmerston North and the district know the value that we bring.’’
Lynch said the centre was putting more energy into going out and attracting events, and sometimes creating and hosting its own events, to increase use. ‘‘We would not exist and we would be a burden on ratepayers if we just sat and waited for bookings to come.’’