Convention Goals being kicked at Suncorp Stadium
With an acknowledged reputation for hosting world-class sporting events, Suncorp Stadium is also fast kicking goals in the convention business.
The Stadium recently hosted day three of the Investment and Financial Services Association’s Annual Conference attended by more than 1,000 national and international delegates, with this major conference split between the Stadium and the Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre – both venues operated by Ogden IFC, the leading venue management company in the Asia Pacific region.
Chief Executive Officer, Geoff Donaghy said the Stadium delivered on its biggest non-event day challenge to date, adding, “The Stadium regularly delivers full house football events, but a day long conference utilizing most of the functions rooms and other unique spaces such as the players’ dressing rooms and concourse areas presented a whole new range of operational challenges.”
The official lunch was held in the Stadium Members Dining Room while the dressing rooms were used for ongoing plenary sessions and presentations including former Rugby League international players, Mal Meninga and Gary Belcher, throughout the day. In addition, the Level 3 Concourse with a sweeping view of the playing field, was set up for the official breakfast.
Director, Ashley Gordon from Carillon Conference Management Pty Ltd which oversaw the conference said the Stadium “ticked all the right boxes” as a convention venue, adding, “We were confident that Suncorp Stadium would prove a popular choice, and so it did, but we underestimated the gravitas of the place.” “For example, when a conference sponsor sees their logo flashed across the scoreboard, their reaction is one of amazement.”
“The Stadium delivers wonderful atmosphere while simultaneously providing high quality meeting spaces and catering.” “And the location of the Stadium was a real plus and their team became real partners in the project,” Mr Gordon said.
Mr Donaghy said the Stadium was an emerging player in the lucrative business events area, saying, “The Stadium hosts just on 100 such non-sport events each year, including corporate lunches, product launches, functions and meetings.”
“It offers a unique and exciting option to the more conventional functions venues,” he said.
Ogden IFC is Asia Pacific’s leading venue management company and among the venues it manages are Suncorp Stadium in Brisbane, Telstra Stadium and Acer Arena in Sydney, the Brisbane, Cairns, Darwin and Kuala Lumpur Convention Centres, the Brisbane and Newcastle Entertainment Centres and the four State Theatres in Perth.
Report by The Mole
John Alwyn-Jones
Vegas’s Billion-Dollar Secrets – What They Don’t Want Tourists to Know
Visit Florida’s New CEO Bryan Griffin Shares His Vision for State Tourism with Graham
Chicago’s Tourism Renaissance: Graham Interviews Kristin Reynolds of Choose Chicago
Graham Talks with Cassandra McCauley of MMGY NextFactor About the Latest Industry Research
Destination International’s Andreas Weissenborn: Research, Advocacy, and Destination Impact
Graham and Don Welsh Discuss the Success of Destinations International’s Annual Conference
Graham and CEO Andre Kiwitz on Ventura Travel’s UK Move and Recruitment for the Role
Brett Laiken and Graham Discuss Florida’s Tourism Momentum and Global Appeal
Graham and Elliot Ferguson on Positioning DC as a Cultural and Inclusive Global Destination
Graham Talks to Fraser Last About His England-to-Ireland Trek for Mental Health Awareness
Kathy Nelson Tells Graham About the Honour of Hosting the World Cup and Kansas City’s Future
Graham McKenzie on Sir Richie Richardson’s Dual Passion for Golf and His Homeland, Antigua
ADS PRO 
Phocuswright reveals the world's largest travel markets in volume in 2025
Higher departure tax and visa cost, e-arrival card: Japan unleashes the fiscal weapon against tourists
Cyclone in Sri Lanka had limited effect on tourism in contrary to media reports
Singapore to forbid entry to undesirable travelers with new no-boarding directive
Euromonitor International unveils world’s top 100 city destinations for 2025