The Gold Coast Convention and Exhibition Centre is located on the Gold Coast Highway in Broadbeach, Gold Coast, Queensland, Australia. The world-class venue was opened on 29 June 2004 at a cost of A$167 million and is linked by a covered walkway to The Star Gold Coast. Managed by the Star Entertainment Group, the Centre caters for 10 to 6,000 people. Gold Coast Convention and Exhibition Centre is the Gold Coast's premier event venue. The award-winning masterpiece presents outstanding facilities, first-class service and exquisite culinary catering. The centre hosts renowned national and international conferences, exhibitions, concerts, sporting events and more; where every seat is the best in the house. The GCCEC is an ambassador for sustainable event practices and is an Earthcheck Platinum certified event venue. As Australia's largest regional convention centre, GCCEC offers flexible function rooms and space where it counts, including; a main arena, four large exhibition halls, and a range of meeting rooms to cater from 10 up to 6000 guests. Situated centrally in Broadbeach, the GCCEC is within walking distance to tourism hotspots, five-star accommodation, premium shopping facilities and convenient public transport.
Expansion
The centre was expanded at a cost of $40 million in early 2009. The makeover was funded by the Queensland Government, adding two extra exhibition halls, a registration office, three meeting rooms and three new kitchens and an extra 3,000 square metres of floor space in total. The Queensland Government commenced construction proceedings as a result of the increasing demand on the Gold Coast for larger space and concurrent sessions during national and international conventions and incentives. The final product required over 124,000 man hours, of concrete poured, of structural steel erected and of paint.
Events
The GCCEC is home to numerous conventions, from the association, corporate and franchise sectors to consumer shows and entertainment events. From the 2007-08 NBL season until the end of the 2011-12 season, the venue was home to the Gold Coast Blaze of the National Basketball League with the capacity to seat 5,269 spectators. During Blaze home games the centre was referred to as "The Furnace" and gained a reputation for having close games with three Blaze games during the 2010-11 NBL season going into overtime. Along with the Brisbane Convention and Exhibition Centre, the Queensland Firebirds, a Brisbane-based netball team in the Suncorp Super Netball played occasional home games at the venue until 2018. In 2007 the Professional Bull Riders hosted its first-ever World Cup event at the GCCEC, pitting 5 nations of bull riders against each other in a team format; the event was won by team Brazil. In 2012, GCCEC played host to the Gold Coast judges' audition in the third series of Seven Network's The X Factor and the bout - the first of its kind to be held in Queensland. The Centre hosted the Netball competition at the 2018 Commonwealth Games which are being held on the Gold Coast, as well as host the accredited media centre for the event. On 8 and 9 February 2019 it hosted the Eurovision 2019 Australia Decides contest, the first venue for the contest. The centre once again hosted the contest a year later in 2020. In December 2019, the Gold Coast Convention Centre was meant to host the first Eurovision Asia Song Contest, however due to production issues the contest had been postponed. There is also shoolaerobics.
Awards
The GCCEC has won more than 20 awards over the past decade, including winner of the 2012 Meetings and Events Industry Awards – National Meeting Venue 500 Delegates or More and 2010 Meetings and Business Tourism Category at the Qantas Australian Tourism Awards.
Sustainability
The centre's environmental practices have been recognised by the world's largest and most recognised environmental management program, EarthCheck. The centre's environmental and social policy is driven by a volunteer committee of dedicated employees, who also maintain the centre's annual EarthCheck accreditation program. The centre has successfully implemented an Environmental Management and Sustainability Plan containing key strategies for energy and water conservation and waste management. GCCEC works with community groups including Australia's leading food rescue organisation OzHarvest to redistribute freshly prepared and packaged foods to local charities.
