Convention centre at quarter
Christchurch’s new convention centre is nearing a quarter of the way to completion, one year on from the first concrete pour for its foundations.
Those overseeing the project, known as Te Pae, say it is on track to host its first convention in late 2020, with construction costs expected to fall within the $241 million allocated for the physical build – part of the total project cost of $475m.
When completed, it will include a 1400-seat auditorium which can be split in two, a main exhibition hall, meeting rooms, a foyer and main entrance facing the Avon River, a kitchen capable of serving 4000 meals a day, and administration areas and shops facing Colombo St.
The build is managed by Crown rebuild company O¯ ta¯ karo. Chief executive John Bridgman said workers were finishing the structural steel in the auditorium and would start putting on the roof before Christmas.
The foundation of the adjacent exhibition hall was ready for steel work to begin in the near future, he said.
Bridgman said the build was ‘‘nearly 25 per cent complete’’. So far, about 15,000 cubic metres of concrete has been poured, which would fill about seven hot air balloons, and 1450 tonnes of structural steel installed – the same weight as about 270 Asian elephants.
About 60 people are working on site. This is expected to jump to about 350 at the peak of construction.
Bridgman said work to find a developer and operator for a planned hotel on the south of the site was progressing well, with more than one party interested.
An announcement about who would operate Te Pae is expected in early December.