Canberra’s long-discussed $750 million National Convention and Entertainment Centre has taken a step forward with the release of a tender to develop the project’s business case and design.
A new convention centre has been mooted since 2008, when then-chief minister Jon Stanhope called for a federally funded venue capable of hosting major international conferences.
The 37-year-old National Convention Centre, built in 1989, is considered too small to host major national and international events.
“A new convention and entertainment centre is critical infrastructure for a growing national capital,” Ashlee Berry, executive director of the Property Council ACT and Capital Region, said.
“Canberra is increasingly competing against cities with more modern venues and greater event capacity,” Ms Berry said.
“For too long, Canberra has been missing out on opportunities to host major events that drive visitation, investment and economic activity. A contemporary convention and entertainment precinct will strengthen our competitiveness and support the city’s long-term growth.”
The new centre is planned for the site of the Olympic Pool in Civic; it will be used for major conventions and business events, and will include an entertainment venue with 8,000 seats. It will sit alongside the new UNSW Canberra City Campus, which is expected to accommodate 6,000 students and staff.
An ACT Labor election commitment, the federal government last year committed $31.1 million to ready the site for construction.
“The National Convention and Entertainment Centre is a once-in-a-generation infrastructure project that will help shape Canberra’s future as a growing, confident and ambitious city,” Chief Minister Andrew Barr said.
The successful consultant team will prepare a reference design and examine the centre’s proposed scope, costs, benefits, risks and delivery options.
“The next phase of work will ensure we have a robust business case and reference design to inform future investment decisions and position the project for delivery,” Mr Barr said.
Canberra Business Chamber CEO Greg Harford said the release of the tender was excellent news.
“The Canberra Business Chamber has long advocated for new state of the art convention facilities to be built in Canberra,” Mr Harford said. “The conference and convention market is huge, and offers real opportunities to bring large numbers of visitors to the ACT, and to drive significant economic benefits for the city as a whole.
“The benefits of a new convention centre will flow widely across many sectors and will help cement Canberra’s place at the centre of the knowledge economy.”
Ms Berry also welcomed the release of the tender, but urged both governments to maintain momentum.
“Canberra has been talking about a new convention centre for more than a decade,” Ms Berry said. “This announcement is encouraging, but the community and business sector will rightly be looking for a clear pathway from planning to construction.
“Every year we delay, Canberra risks losing conferences, major events and economic opportunities to competing cities. The business case should provide the certainty needed to move this project forward as quickly as possible.”
The Master Builders ACT said procurement arrangements should ensure local builders, subcontractors, suppliers and trades benefit from the project.
“We have a highly capable local construction industry with the skills, experience and capacity to deliver major infrastructure projects,” CEO Anna Neelagama said. “Local companies should have a genuine opportunity to compete for and participate in this work.”
