The Gold Coast Convention and Exhibition Centre (GCCEC) has completed phase one of a multimillion-pound technical overhaul, introducing Australian-first lighting technology across its four exhibition halls.
Part of a broader A$3 million (US$2.1 million) investment programme over the past 18 months, the upgraded infrastructure includes new lighting, audio systems and network capabilities designed to improve production efficiency and offer event organisers greater creative control.
Central to the project is a new GDS lighting system featuring 168 LED fixtures and over 840 individually controllable colour channels. The setup allows organisers to programme the halls as a single unified environment or customise individual spaces, ranging from subtle ambient lighting for tradeshows to vibrant colour washes for gala dinners.
The initial rollout also includes new speakers, upgraded cabling and a broadcast-standard network signal distribution system, allowing visual content and audio-visual data to be shared seamlessly across the entire venue.
GCCEC’s general manager Nick Jeffrey said the technology aims to streamline event execution while lowering costs for planners.
“Our clients should not have to choose between creative ambition and efficient delivery. This product gives them both, with greater freedom to transform our Exhibition Halls while reducing the time, complexity and cost involved in bringing an event to life. We want organisers to see the Exhibition Halls as a creative canvas, not simply a space to fill,” he said.
This upgrade allows the venue to cater to a broader range of production budgets, providing cost-effective visual enhancements alongside advanced technical configurations for complex event briefs.
