MCEC eager to make up for lost time with upcoming expansion

The Melbourne Convention and Exhibition Centre (MCEC) has revealed its new features for its A$300 million (US$235 million) expansion site at a preview event held last Thursday night.

The event showcased design elements for three new sections including a gala venue, theatre, and courtyard meeting rooms. Also announced were names for the new spaces – which pay homage to Victoria’s gold rush era in the mid-1800s – and a custom gold palette which will be seen in the carpet, ceiling and roof tiles.

Peter King, CEO of MCEC addressing the crowd. Photo: Adelaine Ng

The Sovereign Room will be able to accommodate up to 450 people for gala dinners or 790 people for business events and meetings, and will connect to VIP suites and an outdoor terrace for pre-function drinks or networking events.

Meanwhile, the Goldfields Theatre comes equipped with fully retractable seats for 1,000 people, as well as adjustable soundproof walls that can also retract to transform the space into a banquet dining hall; its builders promised it “won’t feel like an exhibition space”.

There’s also the option of transforming the theatre into a pillarless exhibition space, adding 9,000m2 to create a total 40,000m2 of connected event space on one level when combined with the existing Exhibition Centre. Also unveiled were two Courtyard Meeting Rooms that can accommodate 70 each or up to 130 people when merged into one space.

Guests at the preview were invited to sit on theatre seats that will be installed, explore the completed expansion via virtual reality headsets and sample gourmet food from the cafe and bar – which will cater for up to 140 people when the new site opens in July 2018.

The MCEC’s expansion is aimed at resolving years of lost business due to the lack of space, having turned away A$15 million in the past year alone.

But CEO Peter King admits the renovation may not end the happy problem.

“We’re always going to have trouble fitting people in,” said King. “I’m sure of that because the industry’s growing, and people are coming to us wanting additional space. But this certainly gives us a better opportunity to satisfy more people”.

Still, King tells TTGmice the MCEC will not be resting on its laurels.

“We’ve got some aggressive revenue targets to hit over the next few years so we’ve got a very big plan for growth (and) we’re going to be very proactive in the marketplace. (We’ve got) a 75 per cent growth on our current revenues, with a 25 per cent increase on the footprint. So it’s going to be hard work,” he added.

The MCEC reported a profit of A$80 million in the financial year ending June 2017, a fifth consecutive year of record results. King shared that they are projecting profit will grow to A$140 million in five years.

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