More Room, More Events

A planned $130 million expansion of the Brisbane Convention & Exhibition Centre is set to enable the city to host an extra 250 events each year. The plans are for a five-storey 'boutique' convention and event space to be built on vacant land next to the complex and to include three stand-alone plenary halls with enough space for up to 8,000 people. Two ballrooms, three speakers' presentation centres and six executive boardrooms are also included while the top-floor venue will have views of the Brisbane River and city skyline.
Designer Michael Rayner of architectural firm Cox Rayner says the development will integrate with the existing centre but also stand as an independent venue. The expansion follows high demand for the centre, which has about 1,000 future bookings. So far this financial year, the centre has won 93 convention bids and injected more than $130 million into the state's economy. The project is planned to be ready in 2010.