Frequently Asked Questions

Why does Victoria need a new convention centre?

Victoria needs a convention centre with greater capacity so Melbourne can compete against other global cities for large-scale conventions that generate many benefits for the state.
Melbourne's existing convention centre on the north bank of the Yarra caters for events of up to 2200 delegates. It is one of the smallest and most limited spaces for conventions and business meetings of all Australian capital cities.

Why does Victoria want to host large-scale conventions and business meetings?

They generate economic activity. The business events sector is already worth $1.2 billion.

What international conventions have been won for the new Melbourne Convention Centre to date?

2009 Congress of the International Federation of Municipal Engineers - 700 delegates
2009 International Geomorphology Conference (IAG) - 600 delegates
2009 International Federation of Societies of Cosmetic Chemists International Conference (IFSCC) - 500 delegates
2009 Parliament of the World's Religions - 10,000 delegates
2009 International Conference on Synchrotron Radiation Instrumentation - 800 delegates
2009 International Conference between GM & non-GM based Agricultural Food Chains - 400 delegates
2010 International Federation of Ageing (IFA) - 2,000 delegates
2010 World Congress of the International Society for the Study of Hypertension in Pregnancy(ISSHP) - 1,000 delegates
2010 International Congress for Chemistry of Crop Protection (ICCC) - 1,500 delegates
2010 International Conference of the International Union of Biochemistry and Molecular Biology (IUBMB) - 2,000 delegates
2010 Congress of the Federation of Asian and Oceania Biochemists and Molecular Biologists – FAOBMB (Symposium) - 1,500 delegates
2010 International Congress of Parasitology (ICOPA) - 2,000 delegates
2010 2010 International Congress of Applied Psychology (ICAP) - 2,000 delegates
2010 World Congress in Internal Medicine (WCIM) - 4,000 delegates
2010 Annual Scientific Meeting of ISEH – Society for Hematology and Stem Cells - 800 delegates
2010 11th Symposium on the Genetics of Industrial Micro-organisms - 600 delegates
2010 IDA Summit - 1,000 delegates
2011 International Conference of the International Federation of Operational Research (IFORS) - 800 delegates
2011 General Assembly of International Union of Geodesy and Geophysics (IUGG) - 4,000 delegates
2011 World Congress on Human Reproduction - 1,500 delegates
2011 5th International Congress of the Asia Pacific Society of Infection Control - 1,000 delegates
2011 Asia/Oceania Regional Congress of Gerontology and Geriatrics - 1,200 delegates
2011 International Botanical Congress - 3,500 delegates
2011 Biennial Congress of the Asia Pacific Hepato Pancreato Biliary Association (A-PHPBA) - 1,000 delegates
2011 World Congress on Huntington’s Disease - 500 delegates
2011 Asia Pacific Microwave Conference (APMC) - 500 delegates
2012 Congress of the International Society for Photogrammetry and Remote Sensing (ISPRS) - 2,500 delegates
2012 Asia-Pacific Congress on Thrombosis and Homeostasis (APTCH) - 1,200 delegates
2013 International Congress of Paediatrics (ICP) - 5,000 delegates
2013 IEEE International Geoscience & Remote Sensing Symposium (IGARSS) - 1,000 delegates
2013 International Council of Nurses (ICN) 25th Quadrennial Congress - 6,000 delegates
2014 11th International Conference on Low Vision (ISLRR) - 1,000 delegates

How much will the development cost?

The Victorian Government has committed $370 million toward construction costs for the convention centre.
The City of Melbourne will contribute $43 million toward the development for the footbridge linking the precinct to the north bank, municipal works and marketing of the centre.
The Government's private partners, Plenary Group estimate the total value of the development including the commercial elements to be around $1.4 billion.

Why are taxpayers contributing to the convention centre development?

The Government initiated this development because of the widespread economic benefits it will trigger for the Victorian economy.

As the Government's private partners, what is Plenary Group responsible for?

Plenary Group is responsible for:

• designing, constructing and financing the new convention centre
• providing facilities management services 
• designing and constructing a pedestrian bridge across the Yarra, linking the convention centre precinct to Docklands 
• developing the western end of the site to create a lively precinct

For more information visit the Plenary Group website.