New purpose built convention centre announced for the Sunshine Coast
Following its $100 million purchase of the Novotel Twin Waters Resort in Queensland last month (September 2018), The Shakespeare Property Group, today revealed a further commitment to the region, announcing its latest project – a new, purpose-built convention centre for the Sunshine Coast.
Following its $100 million purchase of the Novotel Twin Waters Resort in Queensland last month (September 2018), The Shakespeare Property Group, today revealed a further commitment to the region, announcing its latest project – a new, purpose-built convention centre for the Sunshine Coast.
The $8 million Convention Centre will be the destination’s pre-eminent event venue when it opens to local, interstate and international visitors in April 2019. Shakespeare Property Group are planning to invest a total of $10 million dollars in upgrades to the resort and Convention Centre at Novotel Twin Waters Resort over the next couple of years.
Following a formal address to announce the development at Novotel Twin Waters Resort this morning, Shakespeare Property Group CEO and Executive Director Yak Yong Quek, invited Sunshine Coast Mayor Mr Mark Jamieson, Visit Sunshine Coast CEO Simon Latchford and Jess Pugh MP, Member for Mount Ommaney (representing the Hon.Kate Jones, Minister for Innovation and Tourism Industry Development), and AccorHotels Vice President Operations QLD/NT Matt Young to turn the first sod and officially mark the start of construction.
Mr Quek, said, “We are very pleased to form a strategic alliance with our partners in Queensland to deliver the Sunshine Coast this much needed facility to capitalise on fresh opportunities in the business and events space.
“Our vision for continued development and investment in Queensland – not least of all here on the Sunshine Coast - is to create superior conference and accommodation options that supports overall economic and cultural growth for the communities we operate in.
“We are confident that further investment in infrastructure such as this will increase the capacity for the Sunshine Coast to attract significant events, conferences and exhibitions, with potential to cater to the domestic and international travel markets.”
The new-build centre, located within Novotel Twin Water Resort, will offer a choice of four different dynamic meeting and event spaces across 1,600sqm. It will cater for 2,000 delegates theatre style, or 1,000 banquet style.
The convention centre has been designed to seamlessly attach to the Wandiny Pavillion, an existing conference space located on the site. The Wandiny Pavillion can facilitate up to 1,200 delegates theatre style, or 75 exhibition booths (3x2 mtrs) making it an extremely versatile business events venue and taking the convention centre’s overall capacity to 3,400 people.
Mayor Mark Jamieson said the $10 million commitment by the Shakespeare Property Group in expanding the event and convention facilities and other enhancements at the Novotel Twin Waters resort is a great show of confidence in the Sunshine Coast and a boost for our tourism sector.
“The Sunshine Coast receives approximately 10 million tourists each year, has 30,000 plus businesses and is one of the fastest growing economies in Australia and we need our infrastructure to keep up,” Mayor Jamieson said.
“With our focus on attracting major conferences and events to the region, this investment is timely and will be a welcome boost to the wider economy, creating new jobs, and supporting others connected to the hotel and convention industry supply-chain. This will range from food suppliers to service providers such as cleaners to local experience providers such as Australia Zoo and Eumundi markets and transportation companies among others.
“This investment by Shakespeare Property Group comes on the back of approvals for two other major hotel developments earlier this year and is occurring at the right time with the new runway at the Sunshine Coast Airport coming on line by Christmas 2020.
“The company’s investment matches perfectly with our Regional Economic Development Strategy, a clear 20-year plan to build a strong economy for the region and bring higher value employment and opportunities to the Sunshine Coast.”
Image: From left - Jess Pugh MP, Member for Mount Ommaney, AccorHotels Vice President Operations QLD/NT Matt Young, Sunshine Coast Mayor Mark Jamieson and Shakespeare Property Group CEO and Executive Director Yak Yong Quek