2 December 2007

New-look convention centre to inject $200m into economy

| Glimmertwins
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The ABC is reporting that Canberra’s revamped National Convention Centre is expected to inject an extra $200 million into the ACT economy each year.

The conference building has undergone a seven month, $30 million facelift to improve its facilities.

As a result of the upgrade, the ACT Government expects Canberra to increase its share of the national conference market from 6 to 7 per cent.

Chief Minister Jon Stanhope says the refurbishment was long overdue.

“We now have a state of the art, updated, iconic convention facility here in the ACT,” he said.

“It’s a $30 million investment in business, it’s a $30 million investment in tourism, it is a $30 million investment in the business of this town,” he said.

“It has enormous significance and will have a tremendous impact on our capacity to compete nationally and internationally for major events.”

But despite the upgrade, the ACT Government says Canberra will need a larger convention facility in the future.

Minister for Tourism Andrew Barr says the revamped Convention Centre has been hailed a success and will meet Canberra’s needs in the short term.

“We obviously have an issue in the longer term, perhaps around our centenary with the opportunity of some Commonwealth investment perhaps in a facility of a much grander scale,” he said.

“But this meets 90 to 95 per cent of the needs of conferences that are held in Australia and places us very well to compete, to increase our market share.”

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blingblingbears1:22 pm 22 Oct 07

true… I guess I will wait to see the inside then before deeming it ugly altogether

I think the blue stuff looks a bit silly too, but I guess it is the changes on the inside that are more important.

blingblingbears11:20 am 22 Oct 07

Ok, is it just me or does anyone else think the place looks damn ugly now? Whats with all the blue “scaffolding” stuff everywhere? makes it look unfinished. Not to mention the new screen on the corner. I drove past it a night when they first turned it on and the white screen near blinded me! a bit dangerous for an intersection me thinks…

So does that make it a $60million investment into business ?

VYBerlinaV8...the_original_and_best9:02 am 22 Oct 07

Good stuff – my Braddon properties should increase in value nicely.

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