Melbourne’s MCEC expansion plans approved

News this week: Earlier this week, the Victoria state government in Australia announced funds of between US$149 million to US$165 million have been approved for the expansion of the Melbourne Convention & Exhibition Centre (MCEC).

Stage two of MCEC’s expansion is expected to add thousands of square metres of new exhibition space and additional multi-purpose space. The MCEC reported a record three years, which welcomed 1.5 million visitors annually. The venue expansion is expected to attract an additional 74,000 international visitors annually. A timeline for the project will be announced at a later date.

Exhibition and Event Association of Australasia (EEAA) chief executive Joyce DiMascio said, “EEAA has been campaigning for a number of years for this expansion, most recently in our submission to the Victorian Visitor Economy Review, and we warmly welcome today’s announcement.” DiMascio also cautioned, “If there is one lesson governments should take from the closure of the Sydney Convention & Exhibition Centre it is that disruption due to construction must be managed with the highest regard for its flow on effects to the industry.

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MCEC expansion plans approved

News this week: The Victoria State Government of Australia has approved the proposed expansion plans of the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre (MCEC). Reportedly Australia’s largest and busiest convention and exhibition centre, MCEC posted record results over the previous 12-month period hosting 1,030 events and close to 1.5 million visitors.

MCEC’s expansion proposal of the South Wharf precinct includes new retail space, additional car parks, hotel accommodation and multi-purpose convention and exhibition facilities. According to the venue’s management, the expansion could include additional exhibition and banquet space, smaller meeting rooms, new plenary options and networking and entertainment space.

Bob Annells, chairman of Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Trust, said, “The expansion business case has been in the pipeline with the Victorian State Government and stakeholders for some time and we are grateful for their support. The investment supports the ongoing work MCEC conducts with the Melbourne Convention Bureau to attract business events to Victoria which are worth around A$1.2 billion (US$1.1 billion) each year and generate 22,600 jobs.”

This post is excerpted from BSG's weekly e-newsletter which is part of our subscription research service, BSG Tracker. Visit our website to find out more about this service. You can also follow us on Twitter for all the latest updates.

Melbourne again misses out on expansion funds

Melbourne, 8^th May: In a repeat of last year’s developments, the 2013 state budget of Victoria in Australia has once again excluded funds for the expansion of the Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre (MCEC). Despite efforts from the Exhibition and Events Association of Australasia (EEAA) to persuade the government otherwise, the state outlined the need to manage financial constraints caused by a weaker national economy and international economic uncertainty.

According to the EEAA, over 50% of the new shows planned in Australia for 2013 are set for Melbourne. A next phase expansion was anticipated to take place within a few years after the opening of MCEC in 2009. The redevelopment of the Sydney International Convention, Exhibition and Entertainment Precinct (SICEEP) in New South Wales is scheduled to open in December 2016.

Joyce DiMascio, general manager of EEAA, said, “While the Victorian Government has a history of support for the events sector, it risks compromising the growth of the Victorian industry and its flow-on economic benefits to the State. Many events organised by EEAA members are venue-bound. The size and availability of space has reached capacity and Melbourne risks turning away new business and larger exhibitions.”

This post is excerpted from BSG's weekly e-newsletter which is part of our subscription research service, BSG Tracker. Visit our website to find out more about this service. You can also follow us on Twitter for all the latest updates.