Event centre's first-year takings beat the odds

Sir Barry Curtis

Manukau City's TelstraClear Pacific Events Centre has defied the "carping critics" in its first year of operation by posting profits almost double expectations, says Mayor Sir Barry Curtis.

Opened last April, the centre has generated revenue of $3.4 million, against an estimated revenue of $1.8 million.

Projected attendances of 200,000 were also eclipsed, with more than 280,000 people visiting.

Those numbers are expected to keep rising as neighbouring developments are completed.

Restaurants and retail stores open in the middle of the year. A 140-bed Novotel hotel will open in mid-2008.

Counties-Manukau Pacific Trust chief executive Richard Jeffery said he had always been confident that the venue would succeed and prove that Manukau needed a facility to "showcase our success stories".

Sir Barry said the trust had achieved a tremendous outcome in its first year.

"There were many carping critics who said the project was doomed but this first-year result has proved them wrong.

"Thanks to the foresight of the trust, Manukau now has a wonderful world-class facility for art, culture, business and leisure which we can all be extremely proud of."