Plans Revealed For Sydney’s Convention, Exhibition And Entertainment Precinct

New Convention & Exhibition Centre

The NSW Government has unveiled plans to build Australia’s largest convention and exhibition facilities, a 900 room hotel, entertainment centre and a new urban neighbourhood at Darling Harbour.

The re-development of a 20-hectare precinct from Cockle Bay to Haymarket and Ultimo will be one of the largest urban renewal projects Sydney has ever seen.

NSW Premier, Barry O’Farrell, said the Destination Sydney consortium comprising AEG Ogden, Lend Lease, Capella Capital and Spotless, had been selected as the preferred bidder to partner with the NSW Government for the development. The project has the working title “Darling Harbour Live” and will cost about $1 billion.

“Along with the development of Barangaroo, this project will transform the western fringe of Sydney’s Central Business District and is the biggest and most exciting change to Darling Harbour in 25 years,” Mr O’Farrell said.

Highlights of the preferred plan:

• The largest exhibition space in Australia at 40,000 sqm - the equivalent of five football fields. It includes 35,000 sqm of dedicated space and a further 5,000 sqm of flexible space.
• The biggest total meeting room space in Australia at 8,000 sqm across 40 rooms, linked to both convention and exhibition areas.
• The biggest Australian convention capacity - known as plenary space - able to accommodate more than 12,000 people over four different areas, allowing multiple events to take place at the same time.
• Sydney’s largest ballroom, for at least 2,000 people - almost double the current capacity.
• A red carpet, premium entertainment facility with a capacity of at least 8,000 people, suitable for both entertainment events and 'mega' conferences.
• State-of-the-art technology throughout, such as free wireless connectivity across all facilities and 10 free Wi-Fi hot spots in the public open space.
• Up to 900 hotel rooms in a hotel complex at the northern end of the precinct.
• The new convention, exhibition and entertainment facilities will be built north of Pier St. 
•  Renewed and upgraded public domain that has been increased by a hectare, including an outdoor event space for up to 25,000 people at an expanded Tumbalong Park.
• A new neighbourhood at the southern end of the precinct, called The Haymarket, home to high-tech businesses, apartments, student accommodation, shops, cafes and restaurants.
• The new urban neighbourhood will be created south of Pier St on the site of the existing Sydney Entertainment Centre and car park.
• Improved pedestrian connections drawing people between Central, Chinatown and Cockle Bay Wharf as well as east-west between Ultimo/Pyrmont and the city.

The existing Sydney Convention & Exhibition Centre will close December 2013 with new facilities opened in December 2016. The Sydney Entertainment Centre will remain open until December 2015.