So, there it is, over six-and-a-half years later than planned, and at around double early cost estimates, the $750 million New Zealand International Convention Centre (NZICC) in Auckland is good to go.
Fletcher Building [FBU] officially handed it over to the operators SkyCity Entertainment [SKC] on Tuesday and SkyCity says it will now start operational testing and commissioning ahead of the official opening in February 2026.
Fletcher Building's current CEO Andrew Reding - who is the third Fletcher CEO to be involved with the NZICC - says the handover [just over 10 years after the company signed up for the project] represents "the culmination of an extraordinary journey in which we have overcome unprecedented challenges, from the aftermath of the fire to complex remediation works that tested every part of the project. It stands as a testament to the determination, skill and professionalism of everyone involved."
Originally championed by then Prime Minister John Key as far back as 2011, and with early thoughts that it could be open by 2017, the "38-month build", 32,500 sq m centre, was already delayed when in October 2019 it was extensively damaged by fire. It has since had to be largely rebuilt.
Earlier this year, SkyCity commenced legal action against Fletcher Building, though legal experts think the claim has little chance of success.
SkyCity CEO, Jason Walbridge, said the handover was "a major milestone for SkyCity, and we’re delighted to finally have the keys".
SkyCity says the NZICC will be the largest and most versatile conference, exhibition, and entertainment venue in New Zealand, with capacity for up to 4,000 attendees. The NZICC theatre will be the largest seated theatre in the country, seating 2,850 people, while the hall will be able to host 3,300 people for a banquet.
To date, 100 events have been confirmed for 2026, including two of Australasia’s largest association conferences – The Australian and New Zealand College of Anaesthetists (ANZCA) and the Royal Australian and New Zealand College of Ophthalmologists (RANZCO).
According to its website, the NZICC is expected to attract approximately 33,000 international delegates annually, contributing around $90 million in new economic spend each year.
5 Comments
“It stands as a testament to the determination, skill and professionalism of everyone involved."
6.5 years overdue and double the cost and that’s the spin? In what parallel universe have we stumbled into?!
Yes, but any handover is a milestone. Lets face it, all Fletcher shareholders and staff will be stoked to see the back of it.
Fletcher shareholders and 'stoked' don't naturally fit together. At best the anger of those gullible enough to have believed the repeated turnaround promises from the latest CEO of the hour might be a tad less seething upon this announcement.
SKC (-78%, 5Y) shareholders can only dream of having FBU (-22%, 5Y) levels of management incompetence.
I can't help but wonder what the next millstone project to emerge for Fletcher's will be, now this particular millstone has been handed off (barring remedial work people are yet to find).
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