12 Feb 2014

Convention centre to be a landmark

2:43 pm on 12 February 2014

The first design of SkyCity controversial convention centre shows it will be landmark architecture for the city, the casino operator says.

As part of its deal with the Government for building the centre, SkyCity's licence has been extended until 2048 and it is allowed an extra 230 gaming machines and 52 more gaming tables.

Chief executive Nigel Morrison said while announcing its profits for the first six months of the year that the company lodged its first design for the $402 million complex with the Government last month. It is expected to be built by 2017.

"We can't release that design at this point (as) we're still talking to the Government about it but it's something that certainly, from a SkyCity point of view, we feel very proud about," Mr Morrison said.

"We think it's a great solution, it's a great piece of architecture and it'll be a landmark piece of architecture for the city."

Simon Jamieson will be group general manager and Andrew Buckingham project director, while Auckland architecture firm Warren and Mahoney will lead the design.