Premier announces winning bid to build Perth Convention and Exhibition Centre

4/7/00
Premier Richard Court announced today that the Western Australian-based Multiplex consortium had been selected as the preferred provider to build the $310 million Perth Convention and Exhibition Centre (PCEC).
The consortium, which includes Multiplex Constructions Pty Ltd and Accor Asia Pacific Pty Ltd, will build the project on the car park site beside the bus port on Mounts Bay Road.
The Government will now enter into negotiations with the preferred provider to finalise issues such as design and financial arrangements.
The project will be one of the biggest non-resources infrastructure projects in Western Australia's history.
The Multiplex consortium expects that up to 5,000 jobs during construction and more than 3,000 new permanent full time and part time jobs will be created.
The project will also generate between $1.5 to $2 billion for Western Australia's economy in its first 10 years, with flow-on effects to regional areas estimated to be about $11 million a year.
The main components of the Perth Convention and Exhibition Centre which are expected to be completed at the end of 2002 will be:

• a 17,000 square metre exhibition centre including a flexible space for performing arts;
• a convention centre accommodating up to 2,500 people, with a banquet facility to be built above the convention centre to seat up to 2,500 people; and -
• a soccer/rugby stadium on the car park site bounded by Wellington Street, Mitchell Freeway, Roe Street and the Entertainment Centre, with initial seating for 19,000 to be expanded to 30,000 if demand warrants.

The convention and exhibition centre building will have large terraces to take advantage of the views of the Swan River, city and parklands with the main building to incorporate a semi-circular rooftop walk for an uninterrupted 360-degree city view.
The design also includes pedestrian links to the river and a pedestrian link over Mounts Bay Road to Westralia Square and then to St George's Terrace.
The current Westralia Square site will be turned into a piazza with a 250-room hotel, topped by 100 serviced apartments on the southern side.
There is also provision for a future office building, and existing heritage buildings nearby in St George's Terrace will be refurbished.
The Premier said the State Government had initially committed $110 million to the Perth Convention and Exhibition Centre including the sports stadium, following the successful sale of the Dampier to Bunbury Natural Gas Pipeline.
The proposal also involved freehold title to crown land worth about $127.5 million.
Under the agreement with the Multiplex consortium, the land instead will be leased for 35 years and continued to be owned by the State.
Mr Court said the Perth Convention and Exhibition Centre would open up a world of new convention and exhibition opportunities, providing significant benefits for medium to small businesses, particularly in the provision of associated tourism, exhibition and catering services.
"The meetings, incentives, convention and exhibitions industry now has the challenge to focus on winning extra business for these new facilities and really market Western Australia as one of the world's leading meetings and events venues," he said.
"The Government, Western Australian Tourism Commission and Perth Convention Bureau will certainly be doing their part to help our partners in private industry to make this happen."
Mr Court said over the next few years, as both the convention and exhibition centre and the new sports stadium were built, the central business district would be transformed.
"As well as these projects, work will begin on a new $245 million office tower on the corner of St George's Terrace and Milligan Street, David Jones will start reviving the City's Aherns store, and approximately $40 million will be spent rejuvenating and redeveloping the old Treasury buildings into a five star heritage hotel and new town square," he said.
"All of this construction activity will create thousands of jobs for Western Australians and will reinforce the real strength and real potential of our State."

Media contact:
Justine Whittome, Premier's office, (08) 9222 9475
Sue Waters, A/Corporate Communications Manager, Western Australian Tourism Commission, (08) 9220 1750