Hoping for The Edge in convention centre race

Greg Innes is 'confident' of getting the nod from the steering group to expand the Aotea Centre. Picture / Dean Purcell

The Edge is confident of being chosen as the site for a $100 million-plus international-size convention centre in Auckland.

It wants to build the project at the same time as the $50 million replacement of the leaky Civic carpark roof in Aotea Square.

A convention centre steering group is due next month to announce the preferred location, size and scope for an international convention centre in Auckland.

The city has two medium-sized conference centres at The Edge and Sky City capable of hosting up to 1500 delegates. There has been talk for years of building an international-sized convention centre for up to 4000 delegates.

The Edge chief executive Greg Innes, a tireless campaigner to expand the Aotea Centre as the venue for a large convention centre, told the Herald he was "quietly confident" of getting the nod from the steering group made up of councils, government departments and the New Zealand Convention Association.

Other sites believed to be in the mix include the Tank Farm on the western side of the waterfront and around Bledisloe Wharf on the eastern side.

In The Edge's annual report chairman David Wolfenden writes: "We believe a smart move would be to integrate the carpark repairs, upgrade the square and construct the international convention centre [at the same time] and have it completed in time for the Rugby World Cup 2011. This would be a magnificent result for Auckland and New Zealand."

The repairs will mean the closure of the Aotea Centre from November 2008 to September 2010.

Auckland City Mayor Dick Hubbard last night said he supported The Edge as a stand-alone location for an international convention centre but would consider the possibility of building a convention centre into a new stadium at Bledisloe Wharf, if that site was chosen as the premier venue for the Rugby World Cup.

It could be a lot cheaper to build a convention centre into a stadium than a stand-alone building between the Aotea Centre and Civic building out across the top of Mayoral Drive, he said.

Two of New Zealand's leading architects, Auckland-based Jasmax and Wellington-based Athfield Architects, have drawn up plans for a convention centre attached to the Aotea Centre but the images are under wraps until the steering group makes a decision. The cost is "substantially more than $100 million".

A source involved with the steering group said the "funding model was at an elementary stage".

The only money on the table for a convention centre is $100 million in Auckland City Council's 10-year plan for "regional, national and international facilities".

Unfortunately for convention centre supporters, this fund looks as though it will largely be gobbled up for a new or upgraded Eden Park stadium for the Rugby World Cup.

Meanwhile, The Edge, which runs the Aotea Centre, Auckland Town Hall and Civic Theatre, has reported its fourth straight year of surpluses by recording a $267,000 profit in the past year.

Conventions were the main source of revenue, contributing $4.4 million.

The five stages were not as busy as in previous years, with 427,000 tickets sold for commercial entertainment and performing arts events, including 48,000 tickets for a five-week season of Dirty Dancing.