Refurbished Cairns Convention Centre to reopen with impressive events calendar

The refurbished Cairns Convention Centre is to reopen next week with an impressive events calendar including performances from the Ten Tenors, comedy trio Sooshi Mango and Guy Sebastian.

Cairns Convention Centre’s General Manager Janet Hamilton said staff were looking forward to getting back to delivering amazing events adding “the team is busy preparing the Centre to host events again.

“The Centre’s building management systems, security systems and air conditioners are being checked and tested ahead of our first events.

“The refurbishment has seen the Centre upgrade its IT and AV equipment, and the teams have begun training and testing these new systems.

“With COVID causing the postponement of some events, we still have an exciting calendar for 2021, and 2022 is looking strong.”

Queensland Assistant Minister for Tourism Industry Development and Member for Cairns Michael Healy notes “the launch of ASM Global’s events calendar today confirms the Palaszczuk Government’s $176 million investment will continue to deliver for the Far North.

“We’re just a week away from rolling out the red carpet and welcoming back functions, conferences, events and entertainment, and if the current bookings are anything to go by, Cairns is still very much a destination of choice.

“Lendlease is busy commissioning the Centre and conducting necessary equipment and training with the Centre Management team so everything is good to go and I can’t wait to welcome the Cairns Taipans back to their spiritual home in the new-look Snake Pit for the next NBL season.”

Queensland Minister for Public Works and Procurement Mick de Brenni said next stage expansion works would continue until mid-2022, meaning more jobs and business for Cairns locals.

“With the local Convention Centre team back in and putting their new state-of-the-art systems through their paces, our firm focus on local jobs will continue throughout the Centre’s 10,500 square-metre expansion phase.”

Events already confirmed to see the Convention Centre workforce back on the job and supporting an ongoing boost to local tourism include:

• 14th Australian Banana Industry Conference, 12-14 May

• Soil Science Conference, 28 June – 2 July

• Ten Tenors, 10 July

• Professional Bull Riders Invitational, 17 July

• Australasian College for Emergency Medicine Winter Symposium, 26-30 July

• FNQ Emergency Services Ball, 7 August

• Sooshi Mango, 1 October

• Institute of Public Works Engineering – Qld Division Conference, 12-14 October

• The Australian and New Zealand Metabolic and Obesity Surgery Society Conference, 27-29 October

• Society of Cardiothoracic Surgeons Workshop, 9-14 October

• Guy Sebastian, 30 November

For further information on Cairns Convention Centre’s upcoming events please visit cairnsconvention.com.au/Whats-On

Image top: Cairns MP Michael Healy, Convention Centre General Manager Janet Hamilton and Minister Mick de Brenni unveil the 2021 events calendar; image above: Ten Tenors appearing 10th July