Brisbane Convention & Exhibition Centre

Last updated

Brisbane Convention & Exhibition Centre
Brisbane Convention & Exhibition Centre logo.svg
Brisbane Convention & Exhibition Centre.jpg
Grey Street view of the Centre (2012)
Brisbane Convention & Exhibition Centre
AddressCnr Merivale Street and Grey Street, South Brisbane, Queensland, Australia
Location South Bank
Coordinates 27°28′35″S153°1′6″E / 27.47639°S 153.01833°E / -27.47639; 153.01833
OwnerSouth Bank Corporation
Operator ASM Global
Opened6 June 1995 (1995-06-06)
Expanded2012
Construction cost
A$170 million
$140 million (2012 expansion)
Classroom-style seating
20 (Concord Ballroom)
16 (Arbour Boardroom)
Banquet/ballroom2,000 (Plaza Ballroom)
1,100 (Plaza Terrace Room)
600 (Boulevard Room)
300 (Sky Room)
150 (Arbour Lounge)
Theatre seating
4,000 (Great Hall)
620 (Plaza Auditorium)
430 (Boulevard Auditorium)
Enclosed space
 • Total space171,000 square metres (1,800,000 sq ft)
 • Exhibit hall floor20,000 square metres (220,000 sq ft)
 • Breakout/meeting3,722 square metres (40,000 sq ft)
 • Ballroom25,000 square metres (270,000 sq ft)
ParkingUndercover parking for 1500 vehicles [1]
Public transit access South Brisbane railway station
Tenants
Brisbane Bullets ( NBL) (1998–2008, 2016–2019)
Queensland Firebirds ( ANZ/NNL) (2008–2017)
Website
bcec.com.au

Brisbane Convention & Exhibition Centre (BCEC) is a convention centre in Brisbane, Australia. It is located in South Brisbane and occupies most of the block formed by Grey Street, Melbourne Street, Merivale Street, and Glenelg Street. The centre is owned by South Bank Corporation and managed by ASM Global. [2]

Contents

History

Designed by COX Architecture, the BCEC was constructed by Leighton Contractors, [3] beginning in March 1993 with the demolition of World Expo Park. [4] Prior to Expo, the site was home to the South Brisbane Interstate Station. The building cost $170 million (equivalent to $333 million in 2022), and was mostly funded by the Queensland Government's sale of a casino license, with the remainder funded directly by the government. [4] The centre was completed in May 1995, and opened on 6 June that same year. [2]

Brisbane hosted the 2014 G20 summit. The BCEC hosted the event including the International Media Centre. It was the largest media operation in the country's history with capacity for more than 2,500 journalists. [5]

On 1 June 2021, around 150 protesters converged on the centre to protest the Land Forces convention. [6] Fake blood was spread over the stairs and pavement outside the centre. Seven arrests were made. [6]

During the COVID-19 pandemic the centre was used as mass vaccination hub. [7] It was the largest hub set up in Queensland.

Expansion

The design of an expansion to BCEC on Grey Street was approved in 2007. [4] Laing O'Rourke was appointed as the project's builder in June 2009 after a delay caused by budget issues, and construction began in 2010. [4] [8] The project was completed in early 2012, [8] and opened on 25 January. [4] It cost $140 million and was funded by the Queensland Government. [4] The five-level expansion has 25,000 m2 of floorspace and includes two auditoria for 400 and 600 with accompanying foyer space, speakers’ facilities, and private boardrooms. The expansion saw the commission of an integrated artwork sited within the foyers and along Grey Street titled 'Pamphlet' 2012 by artist Bruce Reynolds, curated by Jacqueline Armitstead of Armitstead ART Consulting, and funded by Art + Place, Queensland Government's public art fund.

Design

The building is 450 m (1,480 ft) in length, 120 m (390 ft) wide, and 24 m (79 ft) high. [9] The complex roof design is based on five hyperbolic paraboloids. [9] The building is stabilised by concrete shear walls and clad in steel. A car park is located on the ground floor.

Events

BCEC hosts events such as the Brisbane International Boat Show, Home Show, Lifeline's Bookfest, Brides Wedding & Honeymoon Expo, World Travel Expo, graduation ceremonies for Griffith University and Southbank Institute of Technology, art shows, charity events. The centre hosts musical performances as well. It is the venue for a Kraftwerk concert in 2023. [10]

The centre was selected as the hosting venue for the 2014 G-20 Australia summit. [11]

Sports

Tenants
Brisbane Bullets NBL 1998–2008, 2016–19
Queensland Firebirds ANZ/NNL 2008–17
Gold Coast Blaze NBL2011–12

From 1998 until 2008, the BCEC Great Hall was the home of three times National Basketball League (NBL) champions the Brisbane Bullets. The Bullets moved from the previous home, the 13,500 seat Brisbane Entertainment Centre, due in part to dwindling crowds and the cost of playing out of the Boondall based stadium. During the 2011-12 NBL season the Gold Coast Blaze played two home games at the centre.

The Convention Centre was also the home to the Brisbane-based netball side the Queensland Firebirds from 2008 to 2017. The Firebirds were a foundation club of the Commonwealth Bank Trophy (CBT) in 1997 and played at the 2,700 seat Chandler Arena. When the CBT was retired in 2007 and the ANZ Championship took its place the Firebirds moved to the new championship and also moved into the larger Convention Centre, becoming the venue's second major tenant alongside the Bullets. The team moved home games to the Brisbane Entertainment Centre after the 2017 season.

See also

Related Research Articles

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Brisbane</span> Capital city of Queensland, Australia

Brisbane is the capital of the state of Queensland and the third-most populous city in Australia and Oceania, with a population of approximately 2.6 million. Brisbane lies at the centre of South East Queensland, which includes several other regional centres and cities. The central business district is situated within a peninsula of the Brisbane River about 15 km (9 mi) from its mouth at Moreton Bay. Brisbane is located in the hilly floodplain of the Brisbane River Valley between Moreton Bay and the Taylor and D'Aguilar mountain ranges. It sprawls across several local government areas, most centrally the City of Brisbane. The demonym of Brisbane is Brisbanite.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">World Expo 88</span> Worlds fair held in Brisbane, Australia in 1988

World Expo 88, also known as Expo 88, was a specialised Expo held in Brisbane, the state capital of Queensland, Australia, during a six-month period between Saturday, 30 April 1988 and Sunday, 30 October 1988, inclusive. The theme of the Expo was "Leisure in the Age of Technology", and the mascot for the Expo was an Australian platypus named Expo Oz.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Brisbane Bullets</span> Basketball team in Brisbane, Queensland

The Brisbane Bullets are an Australian professional men's basketball team in the National Basketball League (NBL) based in Brisbane, Queensland. They competed from 1979 to 2008, and returned to the league in 2016. Brisbane were one of ten NBL foundation teams and have won three NBL championships, being successful in the 1985 and 1987 seasons, and again in 2007. They have also competed in the 1984, 1986 and 1990 grand finals and have reached the playoffs 22 times.

The Brisbane Entertainment Centre is a multi-purpose indoor arena located in the Brisbane suburb of Boondall, Queensland, Australia. The centre is managed by ASM Global. The centre also houses a sporting complex and small function rooms which are available to hire for wedding reception and business functions.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Queensland Cultural Centre</span> Historic site in Queensland, Australia

The Queensland Cultural Centre is a heritage-listed cultural center on Grey Street, South Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. It is part of the South Bank precinct on the Brisbane River and was built from 1976.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">South Bank, Queensland</span> Precinct of Brisbane, Queensland, Australia

South Bank is a cultural, social, educational and recreational precinct in Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. The precinct is located in the suburb of South Brisbane, on the southern bank of the Brisbane River.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sleeman Centre (Brisbane)</span> Sporting and entertainment facility located in Brisbane, Queensland

The Sleeman Centre is a sporting and entertainment facility located in Brisbane, Queensland, Australia. Located on Old Cleveland Road in the suburb of Chandler, the Centre is 15 kilometres (9.3 mi) east of Brisbane's CBD and is home to an aquatic Centre, velodrome, sports arena, gymnastics training hall, gymnasium, and auditorium. The centre offers a range of services to the public.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sport in Brisbane</span>

Sport is a significant aspect of the Brisbane lifestyle. Activities range from the occasional international event, annual competitions, competitive leagues and individual recreational pursuits.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Culture of Brisbane</span> Overview of the culture of Brisbane (Australia)

The culture of Brisbane derives from Australian culture and incorporates a strong history in the performing arts, music and sport.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Gold Coast Convention and Exhibition Centre</span> Convention centre in Queensland, Australia

The Gold Coast Convention and Exhibition Centre (GCCEC) is located on the Gold Coast Highway, in Broadbeach, Queensland, Australia. The venue was opened on the 29th of June 2004 at a cost of A$167 million. It is linked by a covered walkway to The Star Gold Coast. Managed by the Star Entertainment Group, the Centre caters for 10 to 6,000 people.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Adelaide Entertainment Centre</span> Indoor arena in Adelaide, South Australia

The Adelaide Entertainment Centre (AEC) is an indoor arena located in the South Australian capital of Adelaide. It is used for sporting and entertainment events. It is the principal venue for concerts, events and attractions for audiences between 1,000 and 11,300.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Cairns Convention Centre</span> Convention center in Carins, Australia

The Cairns Convention Centre is a convention and entertainment centre in Cairns, Queensland, Australia. The venue was selected the World's Best Congress Centre in 2004 and 2014.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Laing O'Rourke</span> Multinational construction company in the United Kingdom

Laing O'Rourke is a multinational construction company headquartered in Dartford, England. It was founded in 1978 by Ray O'Rourke. It is the largest privately owned construction company in the United Kingdom.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Sports on the Gold Coast, Queensland</span>

Sport on the Gold Coast has a rich history. As a popular tourist destination leisure sports like Golf, but most particularly sports associated with its famous beaches, have always been popular. A number of surf clubs line Gold Coasts beaches, who host a variety of swimming and athletic events collected into surf carnivals along with competitions evolved from methods of surf life saving.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Chandler Arena</span> Indoor sports venue in Chandler, Brisbane, Australia

The Chandler Arena is an indoor sports venue, located in the suburb of Chandler in Brisbane, Queensland. It has seating capacity for 2,700, and hosts netball, basketball, indoor soccer, badminton and volleyball.

Carrara Indoor Stadium is a multi-purpose arena located at Carrara on Queensland's Gold Coast and can accommodate 1,600 fans, with additional seating provided if required, which can push the total capacity for events such as basketball up to 2,962. The stadium stands adjacent to the 25,000-seat Metricon Stadium and forms part of the Carrara Sports Complex. The stadium has the nickname The Greenhouse, as even during winter it would get "hot and steamy as Hades at times", although that changed with $800,000 worth of improvements in 1996, including new air conditioning.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">2014 G20 Brisbane summit</span> Meeting of heads of state regarding economic issues

The 2014 G20 Brisbane summit was the ninth meeting of the G20 heads of government/heads of state. It was held in Brisbane, the capital city of Queensland, Australia, on 15–16 November 2014. The hosting venue was the Brisbane Convention & Exhibition Centre at South Brisbane. The event was the largest ever peacetime police operation in Australia.

Auchenflower Stadium is an Australian basketball centre in Auchenflower, Queensland. The four-court arena was the home of NBL side Brisbane Bullets until 1983. During that time, it was often referred to as The Auchendome. The facilities cater for those using wheelchairs.

Gold Coast Sports and Leisure Centre is a multi-purpose arena and sports facility located at Carrara on Queensland's Gold Coast in Australia, capable of seating 5,000 fans. The centre is located adjacent to the Carrara Indoor Stadium and forms a part of the Gold Coast Sports Precinct. A section of the centre also serves as a sports administration and indoor training facility for the Gold Coast Suns with the facility being called the Austworld Centre under a naming rights partnership, who play home matches and train outdoors at the adjacent Carrara Stadium and training oval.

<span class="mw-page-title-main">Queensland State Netball Centre</span>

The Queensland State Netball Centre, also known commercially as Nissan Arena, is a multi-purpose facility located in the southern Brisbane suburb of Nathan. The centre features a 5,000 seat indoor arena that is the home court of Super Netball team the Queensland Firebirds, as well as National Basketball League club the Brisbane Bullets. It is the administrative headquarters of Netball Queensland and provides training facilities for elite-level and community-based netball clubs in Queensland.

References

  1. ↑ "BCEC Parking" . Retrieved 7 May 2014.
  2. 1 2 Brisbane Convention & Exhibition Centre. "About Us" . Retrieved 1 October 2019.
  3. ↑ Leighton Holdings. "Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre" . Retrieved 29 March 2014.
  4. 1 2 3 4 5 6 Canberra Convention Bureau. "Major Australian Convention Centres" (PDF). Archived from the original (PDF) on 14 February 2014. Retrieved 30 March 2014.
  5. ↑ Williams, Patrick (8 November 2014). "Brisbane G20: Inside the International Media Centre". ABC News . Retrieved 28 October 2023.
  6. 1 2 "Protesters arrested at Land Forces defence equipment expo at Brisbane Convention Centre". ABC News . 1 June 2021. Retrieved 28 October 2023.
  7. ↑ McKenna, Kate (9 August 2021). "Mass vaccination centre to open as Queensland records four cases of COVID-19 in the community". ABC News . Retrieved 28 October 2023.
  8. 1 2 Laing O'Rourke. "BRISBANE CONVENTION AND EXHIBITION CENTRE. BRISBANE. AUSTRALIA". Archived from the original on 30 March 2014. Retrieved 30 March 2014.
  9. 1 2 MacMahon, Bill (2001). The Architecture of East Australia. Edition Axel Menges. p. 206. ISBN   3-930698-90-0 . Retrieved 9 December 2011.
  10. ↑ Newstead, Al (12 July 2023). "Kraftwerk are returning to tour Australia this December". ABC News . Retrieved 28 October 2023.
  11. ↑ "Brisbane to shunned Sydney: 'Get used to it'". The Sydney Morning Herald. 11 July 2012. Retrieved 6 July 2012.
This page is based on this Wikipedia article
Text is available under the CC BY-SA 4.0 license; additional terms may apply.
Images, videos and audio are available under their respective licenses.