New Wellington Convention Centre to be named Takina

Wellington City Council has announced that the new Wellington Convention and Exhibition Centre will be named ‘Takina’ when it opens in 2023.

The new name comes after Council had to scrap the first proposed name of ‘Tutaki’ after it was found to be the same brand used by a café in nearby Lower Hutt.

Announcing the naming, Wellington City Council Maori Partnerships portfolio leader Councillor, Jill Day stated “Takina is a really strong, memorable name, meaning ‘to invoke’.

“It is a name that has so many different levels to it and reflects both the building and our city as a place people come together to talk and think.”

While the name is waiting to be approved by Wellington Councillors, Mayor Andy Foster says Takina “will be an iconic space”, commenting “its location and versatility for exhibitions supported by world class hospitality services will strengthen Wellington’s position as the creative and cultural capital

“Takina is part of the ongoing regeneration of the city centre and, along with the work at the St James Theatre, the Town Hall and elsewhere in the central city, we are creating an even more dynamic, vibrant and attractive centre for business and lifestyle. We expect Takina to be a catalyst for further investment in the area.”

With construction of the venue delayed by New Zealand Coronavirus lockdown, it is now scheduled to be completed in February 2023.

Takina will be Wellington’s first purpose-built facility able to host conventions of up to 1400 delegates and will offer 18,000 metre² of conference and exhibition gallery space over three floors.