Christchurch's new convention centre nearly a quarter complete

Tuesday, 6 November 2018

Progress on the Christchurch Convention Centre build a year after the foundations were first laid.

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 convention centre is due to be hold its first conference in late 2020.

The build is managed by Crown rebuild company Ōtākaro. Chief executive John Bridgman said workers were finishing the structural steel in the auditorium and would start putting on the roof before Christmas.

The 1400-seat auditorium hall will be able to be split in two using a retractable wall made of 14 soundproofed two-tonne panels.

Ōtākaro CEO John Bridgman says the build is 'nearly 25 per cent complete'.

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Structural steel is being prepared for installation on the site of the exhibition hall.

The foundation of the adjacent exhibition hall was ready for steel work to begin in the near future, he said.

A worker installs safety netting in the structural steel of the auditorium hall.

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.

The huge kitchen is expected to prepare 4000 meals a day.

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. Further announcements about bookings would come after that.

ChristchurchNZ convention bureau manager Claire Hector-Taylor said there had been a lot of interest in holding events at the new building, particularly from the domestic market but also from Australia.

Two international conferences have been announced for the space in 2021 – a medical science conference for up to 1000 delegates, and the Scientific Committee on Antarctic Research biology symposium for 350 delegates.

Hector-Taylor said for international conferences, ChristchurchNZ was already putting in bids out to 2024.

An estimate done a few years ago found Christchurch was missing out on a $90m boost to the economy every year the convention centre was not there, she said.

However, a recent Ministry of Business Innovation and Employment (MBIE) survey of more than 300 venues found the conference and business events market had taken a dive in the past year, and it was unclear why.

Industry sources said that despite the drop, there was still a need for large new convention centres under construction in Auckland and Christchurch, and one planned for Wellington.

According to Tourism New Zealand, the average conference delegate spends about $334 a night – roughly double that of international holidaymakers.