The venue was blessed yesterday in a pre-dawn ceremony by the local Māori, Ngāti Whātua Ōrākei, before SkyCity entered the NZICC.
Commissioning of the final fit out of the building is now taking place, with the venue to be tested and staff trained before a February 2026 opening.
“We’re so excited to move in, as today’s milestone represents years of collaboration, craftmanship and vision,” said NZICC’s general manager, Prue Daly.
“The countdown to February is on and we can’t wait to welcome our first guests.
“Our team has been working hard to create an amazing calendar of both local and international events, and with over 100 confirmed already for 2026, there’s more to come.
“We’re off to a great start.”
Early works on the NZ$750 million venue began in late 2015, with the build initially expected to take 38 months.
However, in October 2019, as construction of the convention centre was nearing completion, a fire on the roof caused major damage, after which the pandemic and New Zealand’s strict lockdown restrictions delayed the project further.
Damage from the fire and the water used in efforts to extinguish it also resulted in much of the internal building being stripped back and replaced.
The NZICC will offer 32,500m2 of floor space, across up to 33 rooms, including a 2,850-seat theatre which can be split in two or converted into a large flat floor space.
Once open, the convention centre is expected to draw 33,000 international delegates each year, who are anticipated to make a $90 million contribution to the New Zealand economy.
