SkyCity: Path to a convention centre

Artist's impression of the controversial SkyCity Convention Centre and the Albion Hotel.

The timeline leading up to the development of SkyCity's controversial convention centre:

August 2009: Ministry of Tourism and Auckland City Council complete convention centre feasibility study.

November 2009: PM John Key has dinner with SkyCity board, discussing an Auckland convention centre and possible changes to the Gambling Act.

March 2010: Cabinet decides to call for "expressions of interest" from other developers. Tender process begins two months later.

May 2011: Tender process closes, with bids from SkyCity, The Edge, Ngati Whatua, Infratil and ASB Showgrounds.

June 2011: SkyCity wins with $350m bid. Its convention centre requires no taxpayer funding but depends on changes to Gambling Act to allow more pokies and other concessions.

June 2012: Auditor General announces inquiry into the way the Government sought proposals for the convention centre.

February 2013: Auditor General clears Key of wrong-doing but says Govt's dealings with SkyCity "fell short of good practice in a number of respects".

May 2013: Govt signs initial deal with SkyCity for a $402 million convention centre. The deal extends the casino's licence to 2048 (beyond expiry date of 2021) and allows 230 more pokie machines and other concessions worth an estimated $527m over 35 years.

November 2013: Parliament passes legislation to allow gambling concessions.

December 2013: SkyCity decides to build a 500-bed hotel on former TVNZ land surrendered for the convention centre.

December 2014: SkyCity lodges resource consent, revealing the cost of a new convention centre has increased by between $70m-$130m. Government says taxpayer funding may be needed.

February 2015: Key warns that without the extra funding the convention centre could be "an eye-sore" but later clarifies that public funding is "the least preferred option".

February 2015: Economic Development Minister Steven Joyce today announced that SkyCity had agreed not to pursue a financial contribution from the Government and would instead amend its design to ensure the facility can be completed without financial input from the Crown.