Event organisers remain cautious over booking events in Sydney during the construction of a new events precinct in Darling Harbour despite plans to build a temporary structure on Glebe Island.
Minister for tourism and major events George Souris yesterday revealed that the Glebe Island Expo will provide 15,000 square metres of exhibition space, and a further 10,000 square metres for larger exhibitions and trade shows.
It will provide the capacity from 2014 to 2016 while the new Sydney International Convention, Exhibition and Entertainment Precinct is built. The current centre will close in December 2013.
But Diversified Exhibitions chief executive Matt Pearce said a lack of details regarding the new site has left his firm unable to begin planning for 2014 events.
“We still do not know who will be running the site, how much space will be available and the configuration of that space,” he said. In addition, the tender process for the design and construction of the facility has yet to begin.
“We can surmise that this process will take at least another two or three months and then we are into 2013 before we can give any firm assurances to exhibitors.”
Chief executive of Reed Exhibitions Debbie Evans echoed his concerns and called for Infrastructure NSW to “very quickly” address the infrastructure needs of the new site.
Glebe Island Expo will form part of a Sydney-wide interim solution which will see venues such as Sydney Olympic Park and Moore Park play en expanded role in hosting conferences, smaller exhibitions and entertainment.
Business Events Sydney will manage bookings for both the new facility and the Sydney International Convention, Exhibition and Entertainment Precinct until operators are appointed.
