A concept illustration of what a National Convention Centre and Entertainment Precinct would look like. Image: ACT Government.
The proposed new Canberra Convention and Entertainment Precinct, to be built on the Civic pool site in the city, will be delivered through a Public-Private Partnership.
Chief Minister Andrew Barr announced that the ACT Government had settled on this preferred delivery method for the multi-million-dollar project while detailing Budget commitments to it and the associated Canberra Aquatic Centre to be built in Commonwealth Park.
The ACT and Federal Governments have committed $200 million to begin delivering both projects, with the 24 June Budget allocating $31.1 million for planning and detailed design work for the Convention and Entertainment Precinct, progressing it to construction readiness, and $68.9 million for the design and construction of the new aquatic centre as part of the National Capital Authority’s master plan for the park.
The Commonwealth will match this funding, with additional amounts to be allocated in future budgets.
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Mr Barr said the PPP decision came after market soundings and clear advice from industry about how best to proceed.
“We’ve also been working with with industry stakeholders locally and nationally around where the centre should be positioned, but the final pieces of work in scoping exactly what we will take to market, the level of detail that’s necessary to undertake a PPP procurement, that’s exactly what this money is funding,” he said.
Mr Barr said every other convention centre project in the country had been delivered through a PPP of some sort.
“Having the ultimate operator and maintainer of the facility involved in its design and construction, we think will deliver the best outcome in terms of a convention centre that is fit for purpose, and is the most efficient to operate, and will meet the needs of the Canberra convention market,” he said.
Member for Canberra Alicia Payne and Chief Minister Andrew Barr believe the new convention centre and entertainment pavilion will supercharge the ACT economy.
The ACT Government owns the current convention centre building but contracts out management to IHG.
Mr Bar said a private operator would maximise its use and revenue.
“There’s a good discussion and piece of work to be done over the next 12 to 18 months in terms of shaping up who is best placed to take both risk and opportunity associated with the development of the convention and entertainment centre,” he said.
The detailed design work for the convention and entertainment centre would take three years, while the pool project is being delivered.
Mr Barr hoped the new aquatic centre would open in 2028-29, subject to NCA approvals, freeing up the Civic pool site for the convention and entertainment centre project.
“The desire is that that facility is open as soon as possible because that’s necessary to enable a smooth transition, both for swimmers and users of the current facility, but also that triggers a start point for commencement of construction on the convention centre,” he said.
The government expected to update the community within 12 months on a start date for the pool construction.
The current convention centre is too small and operates at capacity.
Mr Barr said the government wanted a very competitive PPP process, and the winner would be the one that could provide the best convention and entertainment centre for Canberra.
In the case of the 8000-seat entertainment pavilion, it made sense for concert promoters to be involved as they had a stake in bringing acts to Canberra.
Mr Barr said the convention and entertainment centre would probably take three years to complete, subject to the NCA works approval.
He said the business case would have to determine how much underground parking would be required.
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Member for Canberra Alicia Payne, who chaired the Joint Standing Committee on the National Capital that recommended these pieces of infrastructure, said the current convention centre was at capacity and turning away a lot of business because it wasn’t big enough for the kinds of events that a modern capital should be able to host.
Ms Payne said the new convention and entertainment centre would be able to host international meetings and important events.
“This will have amazing flow-on effects for our local economy here because business tourism has a great multiplier effect,” she said.
“It will also mean that Canberrans will get to enjoy a lot of entertainment that we may have missed out on because we haven’t had an appropriate venue.”
Mr Barr said it would add hundreds of millions of dollars to the ACT economy.
He said confirmation of the Commonwealth’s commitment to the project had already triggered new hotel investments, referring to Salter Brothers and IHG announcing their deal to redevelop the Crowne Plaza Hotel site and open InterContinental and Indigo hotels there.
Light rail Stage 1 was delivered as a PPP.
