Building starts on conference centre in Perth

PERTH Despite initial delays, ork has started on the US$130 million Perth Convention and Exhibition Centre which is due to be open for business in January 2004. The centre will have a 2,500 seat plenary hall, an 1,800 seat ballroom, 17 breakout meeting rooms and 17,000sqm of exhibition space has already secured convention business for the centre worth an estimated US$21million, said to Perth Convention Bureau managing director Anne-Maree Ferguson. She added the bureau currently holds tentative bookings for nine conventions, which collectively represent an estimated 13,600 delegates and 75,000 hotel room nights. "We have a considerable amount of business under development out to 2008 - another 20 conferences - which would attract 31,600 delegates and generate (US$72million) in economic impact," Ms Ferguson said. The 12-month delay in starting the centre had resulted in two conventions with bookings in 2003 finding alternative venues and another two deferring their meetings to 2004. "Fortunately, the delay has not resulted in us losing any previously secured business at this stage," she added.