Adelaide Convention Centre snares third SA MEA win

The Adelaide Convention Centre has won another industry award for the third time in a row, earning it a place in a second prestigious Hall of Fame.

Last night, the Centre was named best venue for over 500 people at the 2010 State Meetings and Events Australia (MEA) awards.

The Centre – considered the Australian pioneer of purpose-built convention centres – has also won its category at the State Tourism Awards each year since 2008 and was recognised for that Hall of Fame achievement in November.

It has won MEA awards at the national level for the past two years and last night’s victory puts it in line for the hat trick yet again.

In the 23 years since opening it is estimated to have brought more than 750,000 international and interstate guests to SA. The economic benefit generated by their spending alone totalled more than $900 million at 30 June 2010, and is expected to reach $1 billion by June this year.

Last year, more than 20,000 business visitors from outside SA attended events at the Centre. That represents about 85,000 hotel bed nights.

‘While the statistics speak volumes, underpinning our success is a determination to be innovative and the ability and commitment of our staff to deliver a consistently superior standard of service,’ said Chief Executive, Alec Gilbert.

‘We’ve won a string of local and international awards in the past two years – several of them judged by our peers. It’s fantastic to see our hard work rewarded yet again, especially given the calibre of our competitors.’

The Adelaide Convention Centre, now the smallest major venue of its kind in the country, is about to undergo a $350 million, two-stage expansion. Alec Gilbert said the design phase was nearing completion and construction work was expected to begin later this year.

‘The redevelopment will include exciting improvements to the whole Torrens Riverbank precinct,’ he said. ‘If we’re considered good for business tourism now, we’re going to be even better – and attract even more visitors – by 2016, when the final work is complete.’