Melb trust for centre

THE Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Trust will operate the $294m Geelong Convention and Exhibition Centre when it opens, the state government says.

Regional Development Minister Mary-Anne Thomas said the trust would use its expertise to bring events and performers to Geelong from across Australia and the globe.

Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre Trust chief executive Peter King said: “We have more than 25 years’ experience hosting and delivering world-class business events and we’re excited to bring this experience to Geelong and the Bellarine.

“We look forward to engaging the local community, businesses, and event organisers as the centre is developed.”

The Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre has hosted more than 20,000 events and attracted millions of visitors during the past 25 years.

The state government is running an expressions of interest program to find a builder that can deliver the Geelong convention centre.

The centre is set to include a 200room high-end hotel, and a 1000-seat plenary hall and at least 3700sq m of flexible event space so that large and small events can run at the same time.

Early works on the convention centre are due to start this year and it is forecast to open in 2026.

Tourism Minister Martin Pakula said the Geelong convention centre was “set to bring far reaching benefits to Geelong and the Bellarine Peninsula and drive more visitors to the region”.

“The Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre and the Geelong Convention and Exhibition Centre will work together to cement Victoria as a premier global destination for events,” Mr Pakula said.

The state government said the trust operating the Geelong convention centre would increase opportunities for collaboration between the centres.

Federal Urban Infrastructure and the Arts Minister Paul Fletcher said: “The Geelong Convention and Exhibition Centre, with its prime waterfront location and proximity to Avalon Airport, has the potential to attract major national and international events that would otherwise be the exclusive domain of our capital cities.”

The state government said the convention centre was expected to create demand for 600 construction jobs and 270 ongoing jobs when opened.

The project is jointly funded by the state government, which has a majority stake, the federal government and the City of Greater Geelong.