The 32,500m2 convention centre has been in the works for more than a decade, with a major fire on the building’s roof in late 2019 when the project was near completion setting the NZICC’s debut back by several years.
After a ceremonial opening at first light on Wednesday, February 11, last night’s evening opening event was attended by more than 650 people, including micenet.
The event started in the expansive ground floor exhibition hall with a hero moment from the mammoth illuminated Helios, a sculpture of the sun from British artist, Luke Jerram. The 6m installation was brought to New Zealand especially for the opening of the convention centre.
Attendees then moved upstairs into the NZICC’s Te Paepae Theatre for the remainder of the evening.
In the theatre, Māori performers Te Whare Karioi kicked things off.
Speeches followed, acknowledging the significance of the NZICC’s opening for New Zealand.
“Tonight matters because this building has been imagined, debated, tested, delayed and believed in for a very long time and now here we are,” said Jason Walbridge, CEO of SkyCity Entertainment Group, which owns the convention centre.
“Tonight we celebrate a dream that started many years ago, a dream that’s faced challenges but maintained momentum and now here it stands.
“It’s world-class. It’s a masterpiece.
“It’s distinctly Aotearoa’s. Its design speaks to our land and our people. Its art reflects our forests and our rivers. Its food comes from our oceans and our whenua and the people who will bring this place to life every day represent our rich and diverse culture,” said Walbridge.
“We are absolutely thrilled to have you here, to welcome you in and to finally show you inside.
“Let’s celebrate before the world walks through these doors. Let’s celebrate the dream becoming real. Let’s celebrate the future we’re about to build.”
New Zealand’s tourism and hospitality minister, Louise Upston, spoke next, calling the NZICC’s opening a “game-changer” for the country.
“As a government we’re really ambitious to ensure that we get more visitors here in New Zealand and this New Zealand International Convention Centre will be a drawcard and it will be an opportunity to bring thousands and thousands more visitors into New Zealand.
“The NZICC will strengthen our economy, boost our international profile, show that we deserve our place as an amazing host of world-class events.
“Thank you again for everyone who has played a part in getting to today over many years.
“I look forward to seeing the NZICC thrive in the years ahead.”
The speeches were followed by a performance from the Auckland Youth Choir that showcased the acoustics of the theatre.
The choir’s performance transitioned into a surprise set from the hugely popular New Zealand band, Six60, which is playing the venue’s first ever concert this Friday.
After the entertainment concluded, attendees sampled the NZICC’s culinary approach, which is something of a departure from standard convention centre fare – there were goat arancini, venison and beef tartare with bone marrow meringue on offer at various food stations, alongside a whole fish being sliced up live and a well-stocked array of desserts.
The NZICC’s general manager, Prue Daly, told micenet in December that the F&B offering would include some options not usually found in a convention centre, alongside more expected dishes.
“Chef Rob is very passionate about not going the traditional path,” she said of the centre’s executive chef, Rob Cullen.
“He’s really passionate about wild game. And so we’re going to have some dishes in the menu that feature wild game. That’s pretty unique.
“We want to be a bit different with our menus.
“We want to push the boundaries a little bit and we hope that some of our customers will take that leap with us.”
Daly has also spoken to micenet on more than one occasion of the need to open the venue well, as a singular opportunity in the life of the convention centre.
With a joyful and distinctly New Zealand celebration last night – perhaps captured best by watching the youth choir getting into the Six60 set as much as the invited guests – micenet can confirm: mission accomplished.
The convention centre has more than 120 events locked in for 2026 and is forecast to have an annual economic impact of NZ$90 million, including through the attraction of 33,000 international business events visitors to New Zealand each year.
