Melbourne to be reflected in the new Melbourne Convention Centre
Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre CEO Leigh Harry] Pictured at AIME 2007] told The Mole last week at AIME 2007 in Melbourne, that the new centre currently under construction alongside the current centre right on the banks of the Yarra will not only be visually striking, but will leave those who enter the space feeling like they have experienced Melbourne, from its maritime history, its art, its culture and sporting ethos.
He went on to explain that the new centre will contain not only state of the art meeting and conference facilities as Australia’s largest combined convention and exhibition facility, but it will also include a new Hilton hotel, a new Maritime Museum, a lifestyle retail precinct and 60,000m2 of shopping – it opens for business in 2009.
Architect Hamish Lyon said, “Most convention centres are like being in a black box, but in the new Melbourne Convention Centre, you will be able to stand in front of an 10m glass façade looking out to the Yarra River and feel like you could touch the city – you will be that close to the city centre! [Pictured left: an artist’s impression of the entrance]
The new centre is part of a $A1b project between the Victorian Government and Plenary Group and is part of a public-private partnership project that will revitalise the last section of the Yarra River, linking South Bank to the Docklands and that will complete the urban renewal of the Yarra River’s edge.
The Convention Centre will also feature:
** A Ballroom;
** A gala seating system in the Plenary Hall to allow flexible seating
configurations [Pictured: an artist’s impression] ;
** 32 meeting rooms; and
** A ground foyer for 11,000 guests
The state government is contributing $370 million to the project and the Melbourne City Council will also invest $43 million, with the Mulitplex/Plenary Consortium consisting of the Plenary Group (consortium lead, equity investor and project management), Deutsche Bank (financial underwriter), AUSTEXX (commercial development partner), Multiplex Constructions (builder), Multiplex Facilities Management (service delivery over the 25 year concession period), Hilton International (hotel operator) and NH Architecture/Woods Bagot/Larry Oltmanns (architecture and urban design).
Report by The Mole
John Alwyn-Jones
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