The initial 10 years comprises seven years of operation and a three-year pre-opening period, which included operational planning and sales and marketing.
When the centre opened in December 2016, it already had more than 500 events locked in.
Now seven years open, ICC Sydney has hosted 3,665 events for 6.4 million attendees who have collectively spent $3.9 billion in the local economy.
And with events locked in until 2034, the venue has 1,126 confirmed events over the next 10 years with 4.7 million attendees expected.
In a new report celebrating 10 years managing the centre, the potential for ICC Sydney’s 8,000-seat entertainment theatre to gain a sports mode has been flagged, which would increase its capabilities to host a range of sporting events including basketball, tennis, boxing, bull riding, ballroom dancing and netball.
“It is with great delight that we celebrate 10 years of delivering extraordinary results at ICC Sydney,” said ASM Global’s chairman and chief executive for APAC, Harvey Lister AM.
“From the beginning, ASM Global’s bold aspiration was for ICC Sydney to be one of our signature convention, exhibition and entertainment centres.
“It is gratifying to see how ASM Global’s venue management framework has helped ICC Sydney drive economic contribution, exceeding the initial A$3.4 billion investment into the transformation of Darling Harbour.
“Despite the three COVID-19 pandemic impacted years, it is already closing in on the NSW Government’s target for the team to deliver A$5 billion in economic benefit over the 25-year period of the public private partnership.”
Through its first seven years of operation, the venue has welcomed half a million international delegates – even with Australia’s international border closed for almost two years during that time – and enjoyed consistently high satisfaction ratings from both its event managing clients and delegates who attend events at ICC Sydney.
“ICC Sydney’s mission continues to be to make a difference for greater Sydney and NSW residents, visitors and businesses and our extensive calendar of events has already contributed to 7.22 million hotel room nights and the creation of 21,395 jobs in the local economy,” said ICC Sydney’s CEO, Geoff Donaghy.
“The venue has also spent A$370 million with local suppliers, including A$65 million spent directly with NSW food and beverage suppliers.”
ASM Global – then AEG Ogden – is part of the public private partnership which delivered ICC Sydney. Alongside the state government and ASM Global, other members of the partnership included Capella Capital, Lendlease, Hostplus, Aware Super and Spotless.
