Wellington to benefit from new Convention Centre and Movie Museum

Wellington City Council has approved the purchase of a site opposite the city’s Te Papa museum on which it plans to build a convention centre and movie museum.

In a move welcomed for its potential to provide a massive tourism boost, the Council now plans to develop a three-storey building on Wellington’s Cable and Wakefield Streets will include a 6000 metre² convention centre on the top floor, capable of hosting 1,100 people for full format conventions and 2,250 in theatre style, along with a 10,000 metre² movie museum on the bottom two floors.

While the recently established Wellington Regional Economic Development Agency will manage the convention centre, the movie attraction will be run by The Movie Museum Limited, a company formed Sir Peter Jackson and Sir Richard Taylor, featuring many props and collectable items from the two Wellington film makers’ own collections.

According to Project Director George Hickton, The Movie Museum Ltd was formed to "realise their dream of a movie museum in Wellington which brings together material from their many film projects as well their own world-renowned movie collections.”

George Hickton added that it aims "to inspire Wellingtonians and domestic and international visitors alike", explaining "it will span the award-winning, Hollywood-scale productions the Weta Group of companies has helped bring to the big screen through to the earlier home-grown movies, and will also encompass one of the most valuable collections of Hollywood memorabilia anywhere in the world.

"The Movie Museum will be a home for thousands of the priceless designs, props, models and set pieces from the numerous film productions, from whole worlds to single weapons, creatures to costumes, make-up to miniatures, vehicles and more - an astonishing archive of Wellington film-making has been collected, curated and is ready to be shared.

"This museum could only be realised in Wellington. The company's founders all live in Wellington and it is also the place that some 2000 talented film-makers and craftspeople call home. The Movie Museum will celebrate their work, bringing the film industry closer to the people and communities which support it."

On display will be memorabilia from the sets of movies directed by Sir Peter and worked on by Sir Richard's Weta Workshop, as well as items from their own personal collections.

Construction of the convention centre has been welcomed by events and tourism groups.

Tourism Industry Association New Zealand Chief Executive Chris Roberts explained “cities all over the world are building convention centres because they can see the potential, but New Zealand has been lagging behind.

“As a metropolitan destination, it is critical Wellington can attract conferences and conventions. Conference delegates are high spending visitors who support jobs and generate economic wealth in the accommodation, retail and hospitality sectors year round, seven days a week.

“The council has done extremely well out of previous ambitious developments it has supported, such as Te Papa and Westpac Stadium.”

Roberts added “the Movie Museum will be an exciting new attraction in its own right. One of the most successful new tourism products in New Zealand in recent times has been the Hobbiton Movie Set in the Waikato.

“Wellington is at the heart of New Zealand’s film industry, and the Movie Museum could potentially attract visitors on a similar scale.”

Convention and Incentives New Zealand Chief Executive Sue Sullivan also sees that the new convention centre will be an enormous boost to New Zealand’s reputation as an exciting and unique conference destination.

Sullivan added “we congratulate the visionaries behind this – Sir Peter Jackson, Sir Richard Taylor and Wellington City Council - for recognising this opportunity and setting their sights on a stunning, world-class facility.

“Wellington is also the geographical centre of New Zealand, and a hub for creativity, technological expertise, culture and cuisine.

“It is the base for many associations, with a good range of accommodation, easy access to government, and it’s walkable.

“This purpose-built convention facility, configured to meet modern and future needs and expectations, promises huge benefits for the city and the country.”

Construction on the project has been scheduled to start next year and is expected to be completed by 2018. 

Images: Artist's impression of the planned convention centre (top) and movie memorabilia at Wellington's WETA Workshop (below).

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