Cairns Convention Centre has provided a visual update on the completion of its $176 million refurbishment and expansion project.
The major project will deliver an extra 10,000 square metres of meeting, banquet and exhibition space when completed, and will be delivered in two stages.
The first stage is a refurbishment of the existing centre, including the auditorium, arena and existing meeting rooms. The refurbished centre will be complete in February 2021, with events beginning in March 2021.
The expansion to the centre will see new spaces available to event planners opening in early 2022.
Tourism Minister Kate Jones said the centre’s expansion was one of the largest tourism infrastructure projects in Queensland.
“Once complete, the expanded centre will bring around 20,000 extra visitors to the region and inject up to $50 million into the local economy annually,” she said.
“This will be a major boost for the Cairns tourism industry, with the additional visitors staying in local hotels, eating at restaurants and touring around the region.”
The new Cairns Convention Centre façade is inspired by the region’s oldest living rainforest, the Wet Tropics Rainforest, and the expansion is set to provide more flexibility for clients.
The centre will be able to host a conference for 500 delegates, and the entire centre can comfortably host 2,500 delegates. The refurbished arena can host events with up to 5,000 people.
Highlights of the expanded Cairns Convention Centre interior include a new exhibition space that will hold 30 exhibition booths.
The new exhibition space leads to a flat-floor Plenary that holds 410 people theatre-style and can be divided into two equal rooms – ideal for conferences and large seminars.
Also on this level are three new meeting rooms that can hold over 118 delegates each in theatre style, and can be combined to host 370 theatre style as one large space.
The new Trinity level brings the region’s beautiful tropical environment inside and gives delegates an opportunity to enjoy the destination while inside the centre.
Being able to host up to 500 people, the Trinity Room is ideal for gala dinners and large cocktail functions, and the large pre-function space and the outdoor Trinity Terrace has stunning views over the Trinity Inlet.
The tropical outdoor area is ideal for cocktail functions, lunches or unique events wanting to enjoy Cairns’ tropical weather.
Along with the new spaces, the centre is also launching a new brand to reflect the beauty of the destination and the spirit of the people.
The new logo incorporates both the Great Barrier Reef and Wet Tropics Rainforest shining through sunbursts, giving a sense of the beautiful tropical destination the Cairns Convention Centre is located in.
Cairns Convention Centre general manager Janet Hamilton said: “With our enviable location near two World Heritage sites of the Wet Tropics Rainforest and the Great Barrier Reef, we wanted to highlight these amazing World Heritage-listed sites in our new Cairns Convention Centre logo.”
“The colour palette reflects the colours of the region that are seen as the sun shines through the rainforest and across the reef.”
The new tagline, ‘Passion is in our Nature’, represents not only the Cairns Convention Centre team, but the spirit of the people of Cairns.
“Everyone you come across in Cairns has a strong passion for what they do,” Hamilton said.
“From the marine biologists who are working on the reef, to the local farmers growing amazing fresh produce to our own dedicated team at the Cairns Convention Centre, everyone wants every event planner, every delegate and every visiting family member to enjoy their Cairns experience.”
The new brand campaign will roll out across the next 18 months across a variety of platforms, highlighting the best of the region.
