Entertainment Centre Loses 4000 Seats

A plan to build a 12,000-seat stadium to replace the Sydney Entertainment Centre has been dumped in favour of an 8000-seater arena.
Infrastructure NSW is due to present its plans for the new Sydney Convention site to cabinet for approval after receiving proposals from two private consortiums.
Defending the decision to downgrade the ageing Darling Harbour venue, an INSW spokeswoman claims that Sydney already has Allphones Arena at Homebush, which seats 13,500, for bigger concerts.
“It is proposed the new entertainment venue at Darling Harbour will have a minimum seating capacity of 8000 people,” the INSW spokeswoman said.
In the past decade, only a handful of events at the Entertainment Centre were for 8000 people or more.
“While the existing Sydney Entertainment Centre has a capacity of 12,000 people in sports mode, it seats 10,000 people in concert mode,” the spokeswoman said.
Tourism and Transport Forum chief executive John Lee said there was an argument that with The Star casino opening a 4000-seat complex and the Allphones Arena housing 13,500, there needed to be a mid-sized venue.

Source: The Daily Telegraph Friday 23 November 2012 Page 9

New Boss for Business Events Sydney

Ms. Lyn-Lewis-Smith has been appointed as acting chief executive officer of Business Events Sydney, taking over the reins from long-term CEO, Jon Hutchison.

Ms Lewis-Smith takes on this role, in addition to her responsibilities as COO, after more than eight years at BESydney.

She is chair of the Future Convention Cities Initiative and Marketing Group for the Australian Association of Convention Bureaux. She also sits on the steering committee for the Australian Association Project and is part of The Incentive Association Committee of Management.

Sydney Boosts Budget to Lure Events to City

Sydneys Barangaroo waterfront developments is expected to transform the city into a world leading business and events destination.

The developments worth more than $7 billion will transform 22 hectars of former wharves and industrial space on Sydney Harbour into a public, residential, commercial CBD precinct to lure more international events.

"NSW businesses and the NSW Government are working closely together to ensure Sydney remains the Asia Pacific's leading business events destination for decades to come," Business Events Sydney CEO, Jon Hutchinson said at AIME yesterday.

"The developments represent a once in 200 year opportunity to transform Sydney's CBD waterfront precincts for the business travel market and leverage the next phase of Sydney's economic growth."

The proposed $550 million redevelopment of the entertainment centre in Darling Harbour will also include a new Sydney Multifunctional Convention and Entertainment Centre, after demolishing the existing Sydney Entertainment Centre.

A further $860 million redevelopment and repositioning of Star City will also transform the area into a world-class venue, adding a further 3000 seated capacity multi-purpose Events Centre, a further 172 room hotel plus several new upscale restaurants.

"BE Sydney has secured an estimated $530 million of economic impact for NSW in coming years," Mr Hutchinson said.

(Source: ETBMICE.com 17th February 2011)