Plans to redevelop the Perth Convention and Exhibition Centre (PCEC) have taken a significant step forward, with the Western Australian government announcing the start of the Project Definition Phase (PDP) for the proposal.
The WA government has allocated A$16.6 million (US$11.1 million) to fund the PDP, which will focus on scoping and costing the project before final agreements are made. This announcement was made by WA premier Roger Cook at the World Travel & Tourism Council’s Global Summit in Perth earlier this month.
The proposal outlines plans for significant upgrades to the existing convention centre, including expanded capacity to attract large-scale business events. It also envisions integrating the precinct with Elizabeth Quay and delivering a public realm featuring new waterfront facilities, an outdoor theatre, and improved connectivity with the Swan River.
As the plan stands, PCEC will retain its 16,500m2 of column-free exhibition space, while its Riverside Theatre will be upgraded and expanded from 2,500 to 3,500 seats.
A new, four-storey wing will house meeting rooms, ballrooms, a 1,000-seat plenary and a flexible multi-use hall measuring 3,800m2, taking the entire venue to 24,000m2.
There is also scope for the construction of residential apartments, commercial spaces, and a premium hotel with its own meeting facilities, to enable the running of multiple events simultaneously with PCEC.
Built in 2004, PCEC is the oldest convention centre in Australia that has not undergone a major redevelopment. The centre is operated under a joint venture between Wyllie Group and Brookfield Properties, who hold the lease until 2039.
Melissa Karlson, managing director at Wyllie Group, said construction is scheduled to begin in January 2025, with the centre expected to be fully operational by late 2028. Major events of more than 5,000 delegates are already in sight.
A new defining feature of the project will be its incorporation of First Nations narratives. Karlson said that the original development of the PCEC did not include indigenous consultation, something the current redevelopment seeks to rectify. “We have the opportunity now to do it properly,” she told TTGmice on the sidelines of the summit.
This will include the indigenous Australian “campfire” concept, representing the gathering and exchange of ideas. “We want the local Aboriginal community to feel welcome here. This is not just a responsibility – it’s an opportunity to create something that feels authentically West Australian.”
Karlson also referenced a Tourism Australia survey that found 100 per cent of conference delegates arrived wanting to see some part of WA’s culture but 83 per cent left without feeling they’d experienced it.
“We need to make sure that visiting delegates get an authentically West Australian experience, even if they don’t leave the precinct. They need to leave wanting to bring their family back to get even more of an immersion,” she said.
