Events boss unfazed by delays to SkyCity
Auckland’s conference champion says this city still has New Zealand’s largest conference venues and although it is disappointed about SkyCity delays, the city can still host events for up to 2300 people.
Anna Hayward, convention bureau head at Auckland Tourism Events and Economic Development was reacting to SkyCity’s announcement on Wednesday that its $703 million centre would not open until the second half of next year.
It was initially planned to be open this month and SkyCity is withholding $39.5m progress payments from Fletcher Construction for the holdups.
“Auckland has the largest range of conferencing facilities in New Zealand, and this is without the addition of the NZICC,” Hayward said.
The city can host events for up to 2300 people in flexible, custombuilt convention facilities that can be reconfigured to any conference. But it also has many smaller spaces like homesteads in natural surroundings, Hayward said.
“The additional capacity of NZICC has meant that we are able to bid for the much larger-scale conferences that we’ve previously not been able to accommodate within the region’s current facilities,” she said.
SkyCity’s delays did not necessarily tighten supply because it was “situation normal” in the meantime, she indicated.
“When we are bidding for conferences, there is usually a long lead time, so often won’t take place until years after we secure the win. This current delay from an NZICC perspective is really only going to impact those events we’ve already
Auckland has the largest range of conferencing facilities in New Zealand, and this is without the addition of the NZICC. Anna Hayward, Ateed
secured during that period and, as we’ve previously mentioned, we are working with these clients to see if we can accommodate them at other venues or at a later time when the centre is open,” Hayward said.
Spaces like the Aotea Centre, have more than 2100 seats available in its ASB theatre, and the Great Room at Cordis, Auckland has a functions space able to accommodate up to 1150 theatrestyle.
“So while it’s disappointing that there have been some delays with the NZICC, Auckland does still have capacity available across the region at the various venues,” she said.
Use of the Viaduct Events Centre had changed because Emirates Team New Zealand had already moved in there as its base for the next six years. It shifted last year and has taken over the entire building.
“The Viaduct Events Centre was utilised more as an offsite venue as opposed to a conferencing space, for when clients were looking for somewhere to host something like a banquet or peripheral event to the conference,” Hayward said.
“There are still other offsite options like Shed 10, the Spark Arena, and The Cloud, and venues on the central city peripheral such as ASB Showgrounds which can host larger dinners,” she said.
But due to Auckland’s growing popularity for attracting largerscale conferences and events, additional large space would be welcomed, Hayward said.