New Zealand International Convention Centre to open in February 2026

SkyCity Entertainment Group Limited has announced that the New Zealand International Convention Centre, located in the heart of Auckland’s CBD, will open in February 2026 – marking a delay of yet another year.

The long-awaited NZICC is set to transform New Zealand’s conference and events industry, boosting visitation and the wider economy with its world-class facilities.

NZICC will be Aotearoa's largest convention centre. Alongside Te Pae Christchurch Convention Centre and Tākina Convention and Exhibition Centre in Wellington, NZICC completes the triumvirate of New Zealand's investment in purpose-built infrastructure for business events.

Construction of the convention centre, which was first announced back in 2013, has been fraught, and delayed by a fire and COVID lockdowns.

SkyCity said delays by the contractor meant it did not expect to commence its own commissioning and operational readiness activities at the centre until the second half of 2025.

Fletcher Building confirmed it expected to hand over the NZICC to SkyCity by 30th June 2025.

Once completed, the centre will have 10 eateries, 2700m² of meeting space, 6674m² of hall space and be connected by an air bridge to the 1000-room Hobson Street Hotel.

NZICC General Manager Prue Daly says it’s an exciting time for Tāmaki Makaurau Auckland and Aotearoa New Zealand and enthused “the NZICC is a transformational project, and we are thrilled to name the month we will open our doors. New Zealanders and visitors worldwide will be blown away by the innovation and thought that’s gone into every detail of the building – it’s configured for anything from a meeting for 20 people all the way up to an international conference for 3,000 delegates.

“Following the contractor's delivery of the completed building, we expect to commence commissioning and operational readiness activities in the second half of 2025. It’s a complex undertaking to get ready to open, including scaling up our number of employees and associated training to provide the ultimate customer experience.”

Business Events Industry Aotearoa (BEIA) welcomed the news confirming the February 2026 opening of the New Zealand International Convention Centre (NZICC).

BEIA Chief Executive, Lisa Hopkins noted “It is impossible not to think about the history of this venue. When first conceived, the expectation for what it would deliver was enormous. The hurdles along the way have been heart-breaking, not just for the industry, but for the NZICC team who have been so dedicated.

“Now, instead of looking behind us, we can, with certainty, look forward, and it is fantastic to have the assurance that this time next year we will be welcoming a new era for Tāmaki Makaurau and New Zealand on the international stage.

“The business events industry is valued at NZ$2.8 trillion globally and the potential for the sector to contribute to New Zealand's growth goals, jobs, knowledge and business connections, as well as tourism and hospitality is immense.

“We are already looking ahead at MEETINGS' 2026, which will be the 30th anniversary of this landmark event in June 2026, and NZICC is where we will be celebrating this milestone.

“Although it has taken longer than anticipated it will be worth the wait, and supports New Zealand and Auckland's future as a global business events hub.

“With world-class new infrastructure, increased international connectivity, and diverse regional offerings, New Zealand's position as an aspirational destination for business events – conferences, corporate meetings, tradeshows and incentive travel, has never looked brighter.

“Business events are a long term game, and it is not uncommon for large international conferences to be booked four to six years in advance.

“Now, with this certainty, the long pipeline of business for New Zealand's flagship new facility is going to get longer and that signals great news for not just the sector, but the country as a whole.”

Image. An artist’s impression of the SkyCity international convention centre when complete.