Sydney International Convention Centre: Local bookings refused in favour of international customers

MIKE Baird’s new convention centre off to a controversial start, with management knocking back local bookings in a bid to win international ones.

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MIKE Baird’s new $1 billion convention centre is off to a controversial start, with management knocking back local bookings in an apparent bid to win international ones.

Initial contracts for the International Convention Centre have also required organisations to relinquish bookings as close as 40 days before events if the government requires it.

Clubs NSW has been told it cannot book its annual conference at the new centre beyond 2018, yet are aware of an international event booked there in 2019. Clubs NSW had hoped to book the site until 2022.

“Clubs NSW wanted to bring our annual conference back to Sydney and stay here for good,” Clubs NSW chief executive Anthony Ball said.

Artist’s impression of the new International Convention Centre / Supplied

“That’s why we were excited about the prospect of a quality Sydney Convention Centre, and why it’s frustrating now that they refuse to take long-term bookings.”

Racing NSW, meanwhile, has been told its Australian Horse of the Year award cannot be held at the centre in October. The organisation that runs the centre told Racing NSW it was running “test events” at the time.

“I just find it ridiculous that I have an event that would raise them tens of thousands of dollars and they’ve knocked it back,” Racing NSW chief executive Peter V’landys said.

“It’s a $100,000 function and they declined it.”

The new International Convention Centre is set to open in December.

It is the first jewel in the crown of the Coalition government’s infrastructure spend and was built to replace the Sydney Entertainment Centre and Darling Harbour Exhibition Centre.

The new International Convention Centre is set to open in December / Supplied

The ICC, managed by a consortium which includes AEG Ogden and Lendlease, has also inserted a “priority events” clause into contracts that says: “If a Priority Event is required by the State to be scheduled on dates on which an Event is scheduled under this Hiring Agreement, ICC Sydney will notify the Client that the Priority Event will take precedence.

“If the event is cancelled under this clause 3.5, ICC Sydney will (as the Client’s sole remedy in respect of the cancellation) refund the amounts of the hiring fee paid by the client at the time of such cancellation and pay to the client an amount equal to the reasonable demonstrated direct costs of the client arising out of the cancellation.

“‘Priority event’ means any event which, in the opinion of the state, is of economic, cultural or social importance to or otherwise of benefit to the state, the NSW government or the state of New South Wales.”

Construction continues at the Darling Harbor Exhibition Centre / Picture: Rohan Kelly

An ICC Sydney spokeswoman denied there were problems.

“Clubs NSW is confirmed for 2017 and negotiations are well advanced to confirm their event for subsequent years, including 2018 and 2019,” the spokeswoman said.

“The priority clause has been addressed and revised to the satisfaction of clients. The above is now an obsolete version of our confidential Hiring Agreement.

“We had numerous requests to hold events during the testing phase of ICC Sydney. This program has been locked in for some time and, unfortunately, we haven’t been able to be accommodate the request from Racing NSW.

“We look forward to working with them should they wish to hold an event at ICC Sydney when it formally opens.”

Premier Mike Baird.

Peter V'landys, CEO of Racing NSW.