ChristchurchNZ to take 'proactive' approach in chasing high impact events

Friday, 19 October 2018

Take an animated look at the yet-to-be-completed Christchurch convention centre, Te Pae.

Christchurch's economic development agency is taking a more 'proactive' approach in chasing bigger events for the city, as new key venues edge closer to completion.

ChristchurchNZ is advertising for a new head of major and business events, and wants to expand its convention bureau and business events team.

It comes in the lead up to the Town Hall reopening in March after a $152.5 million restoration, and steady progress has been made on the $475m central city convention centre Te Pae, due for completion early 2020.

The Christchurch convention centre will have some shop frontage onto Colombo St.

ChristchurchNZ general manager destination and attraction Loren Heaphy said they were going to be 'more proactive' in chasing events that had a high level of impact or high economic profile, or those that could provide a legacy for the city such as additional infrastructure, which will then drive more visitors and spending in the region.

**READ MORE:

The structural steel for the Christchurch convention centre's exhibition hall is en route from Thailand, due to arrive next month.

* Christchurch convention centre animation shows final shape of anchor project

* 'All positive' for Christchurch conferences as convention centre build progresses

The view of the Christchurch convention centre, left, from the city's new central library.

* Christchurch convention centre now known as Te Pae**

'We know that the the attraction of big events and conferences and conventions really helps grow the economic prosperity of the city, and particularly with business events and filling up the convention centre, and the related services around that, is really good for retail and hospitality and seasonality, because business events and conference attendees tend to visit Christchurch in the shoulder and winter season.'

Workers are part way through putting the roof onto the Christchurch convention centre's auditorium.

She said ChristchurchNZ strategy would not solely focus on the convention centre, also working to attract business events to other venues, such as large expos for Horncastle Arena and smaller meetings for hotel conference rooms.

'In some ways having the convention centre will attract fantastic larger events, but it will also raise the profile for smaller events to come to Christchurch, which will fill other venues, so there's a great flow on effect from that.'

Heaphy said ChristchurchNZ had a budget to bring events to the city but would also be incentivising events to come with wraparound services such as accommodation and marketing, and by working with venues to find cost savings. She did not say what the budget was.

When a head of major and business events is found, one of their first jobs will be to come up with an implementation plan, including funding, for early next year.

Heaphy said the new role was not due to the current restructure at ChristchurchNZ, but in 'recognition of the need to really ramp up what we're doing'.

An Ōtākaro spokesman said construction of the convention centre remained on budget and on track to be finished in early 2020.

It will include a 1400-seat auditorium, a main exhibition hall, meeting rooms, a foyer and main entrance facing the Avon River, and administration areas and shops facing Colombo St.

Workers are currently placing the suspended floor on the administration block, near Colombo St, and continuing to install the roof of the auditorium.

Structural steel for the adjacent exhibition hall is being shipped from Thailand, due to arrive next month.

Ōtākaro is looking for someone to build and run a hotel on the south end of the site. The spokesman said there had been a 'good level of interest', and discussions were continuing with prospective developers and operators.

An announcement on the future of the hotel site was expected in the coming months.

There had been strong interest in holding events at the convention centre, the spokesman said. More than 20 events, and at least two major conferences have already been announced for the first two years from October 2020.

The largest include an international medical science conference for up to 1000 delegates, and the Scientific Committee on Antarctic Research biology symposium for 350 delegates.

Heaphy said anecdotally, the response to the convention centre calling for events was very positive. She said to 'watch this space'.

'In my dealings with a number of big players in the industry, there's some really exciting things that will be coming to the city as part of that convention centre.'