Auckland’s new convention centre to open ‘later than hoped’

Friday, 7 February 2025

An artist’s impression of the SkyCity international convention centre when complete.

The opening of the long-awaited New Zealand International Convention Centre (NZICC) in Auckland has been delayed for another year.

SkyCity Entertainment Group Limited said, in an announcement on the NZX on Friday morning, the centre would open next February.

Construction of the convention centre, which was first announced back in 2013, has been fraught, and delayed by a fire and Covid lockdowns.

But in August the contractor, Fletcher Building, said it was on track for completion over the next financial year.

In its announcement, SkyCity said delays by the contractor meant it did not expect to commence its own commissioning and operational readiness activities at the centre until the second half of 2025.

Fletcher Building confirmed it expected to hand over the NZICC to SkyCity by June 30 this year.

SkyCity’s chief executive Jason Walbridge said the date was later than they had hoped but offered contingency, as well as certainty for customers.

“We are thrilled to name February 2026 as the date we can open the NZICC's doors to the New Zealand public and the world.

“The NZICC is a world-class facility that will transform the visitor and events economy in Aotearoa.”

SkyCity would now formalise contracting for conferences being held from February, he said.

Once completed, the centre will have 10 eateries, 2700m² of meeting space, 6674m² of hall space and be connected by an air bridge to the 1000-room Hobson Street Hotel.

The 2019 fire at the Sky City Convention centre caused extensive damage that delayed the project.

Construction of the centre started in 2015, but was dealt a blow by an October 2019 fire, which caused extensive damage that delayed the project and escalated costs.

Last February, Fletcher Building announced the actual and expected costs to complete the centre had increased by $165 million.

At the time, it said the project was on track to be finished in late 2024.

The centre, which is between Hobson and Nelson streets in Auckland’s CBD, is eagerly awaited by businesses in the area, including new hotels such as the Intercontinental and Hotel Indigo.

Shareholders at casino company's AGM were treated to a look inside the nearly-completed convention centre.

To date, the centre has announced that it has been booked for two large conventions over coming years.

Next year, it will host the International Dairy Federation’s (IDF) World Dairy Summit, which is expected to attract about 1000 delegates.

And in 2028, the IEEE International Geoscience and Remote Sensing Symposium (IGARSS) will be held at the centre. About 2000 delegates are expected to attend.